The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Teleos Cherubims captured another Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association senior girls’ basketball title, this time they did it in grand style.

In what was anticipated to be a keenly contested matchup, the Cherubims blew Freedom Baptist out of the DW Davis Gymnasium with a 23-3 rout to complete a sweep of their best-of-three championship series.

While Teleos celebrated on Tuesday, their junior boys fell 37-29 to Akhepran International in the opening game of their series and the Temple Christian Suns took a 1-0 lead in their primary girls’ series with a 16-6 pounding of Hillcrest Academy.

Today, starting at 4pm, a few more champions could be decided as teams either win or go home in the senior boys, primary girls, mini boys, primary boys and intermediate boys series.

Teleos 23, Freedom Baptist 3

The handwriting was on the wall from the first half after coach Tanica Joseph got her girls in high gear as they opened a 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended it to 15-0 at the second break.

Freedom Baptist managed to finally get on the scoreboard in the third but, at the final break, they trailed 19-1 and it was just a matter of what the final score would be as Teleos began to celebrate. “I have to expect the unexpected, but it was a great team effort,” said a modest Joseph as she put their performance into perspective.

“Everyone came out and played their game and they did what they did. It was just a great game overall.”

Unlike when they won it last year, Joseph said her aim was not to “underestimate” their opponents so they took the game to them from the start as they “executed our plays and played great defence.”

Offensively, Teleos spread their wealth around as Erin Williams and Ladesha Johnson both poured in six, Brenelle Colebrooke had four and G’Ashanique Finley contributed three.

Joseph said she wanted her team to use the game as a tune-up for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s National High School Championships where they hope to go to Grand Bahama in two weeks and make just as much noise.

Keitrah Duncombe produced all three points for Freeport Baptist in the second half.

Temple Christian 16, Hillcrest 6

After taking a slim 5-4 lead into the half, coach Keno Demeritte had his Suns’ primary girls firing on all cylinders as they stepped it up in the second quarter and pulled away from Hillcrest.

Terelle McCoy led the second-half charge with all of her six points.

Danielle Nixon finished with four points and Tori Gaitor, Danielle Moore and Azarria Marshall all chipped in with two points to help secure the win.

“Like I told the girls, it’s important to get game one. We wanted to take it to the girls early and we came out and did just that,” Demeritte said.

“I’m just proud of the girls. They came out and pushed and they played hard.”

Demeritte said he gave his players one further message: “I don’t want to come back for a game three.

“So we will continue to press from the start and try to shut it out tomorrow (today),” added coach Demeritte.

Labrinique Arnett produced six points for Hillcrest Academy to match the game high honors.

Akhepran 37, Teleos 29

Although they led from start with an 11-5 margin at the end of the first quarter, this junior boys game was a fierce battle that left their fans on their feet.However, every time Teleos made a dent into the lead, Akhepran, behind their big line-up in the paint, was able to wipe it away as they never trailed, holding onto a 15-12 advantage at the half before they opened a 23-17 lead at the end pf the third.

Leshawn Oliver came up with eight points down the stretch in the fourth quarter to help preserve the win. He finished with 16, Joshua Gardiner added seven and Jordan Gibson and Ralhie Madduis both had six.

Delsworth Curry also had a big fourth quarter with 10 of his game high 18 points and and Ricardo Riley provided the other half of a 1-2 punch with nine, but it wasn’t enough.

Today’s schedule starting at 4 pm:

Senior boys - Zion Christian Academy (1-0) vs Teleos Christian Academy (0-1).

Primary girls - Hilcrest (0-1) vs Temple Christian Academy (1-0).

Mini boys - Queen’s College (0-1) vs Temple Christian Academy (1-0).

Primary boys - Jordan Prince Williams (0-1) vs Teleos Christian Academy (1-0).

Intermediate boys - Teleos Christian Academy (1-0) vs San Pedros International School (0-1).