The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rsorsett@tribunemedia.net

One defending champion was dethroned while the other made it three consecutive division titles as the BAISS concluded its basketball championship series at Loyola Hall last night.

In Junior Girls, the Kingsway Academy Saints overcame a game one loss and completed the backdoor sweep with a 47-44 win over the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine in a double overtime thriller.

The Jordan Prince Williams Falcons junior boys completed a backdoor sweep of their own and made it back-to-back-to-back titles for their programme with a dominant 52-24 win over the Big Red Machine.

Claire Ferguson scored five of her team high 24 points in the second overtime and led the Saints to the game three win.

Ferguson and Soliel Clarke (20 points) accounted for 44 of the Saints’ 47 points on the night.

Antonicia Moultrie led the Big Red Machine with 24 points and Terell Dawkins scored 11.

In the second overtime, Ferguson scored the opening layup and Clarke added a free throw to go ahead three.

Ferguson’s steal at halfcourt and fastbreak layup put them up five late (47-42) and sealed the win for the Saints. With Moultrie on the sidelines after she fouled out, SAC was held without a field goal in the period. SAC held the Saints scoreless in the first quarter, led by a stifling defensive effort from Moultrie and Dawkins on the interior.

They led 5-0 at the end of the first and went up 7-0 on Moultrie’s free throws early in the second. Ferguson made the Saints’ first field goal of the game but SAC maintained an eight 12-4 on Dawkins jumper. Like game two, Moultrie would get in foul trouble early once again, but this time would stay in with three fouls as SAC managed to clinf to a five point lead.

Once Moultrie did go to the bench, the Saints rallied and took an 18-17 lead on a Clarke layup. Moultrie made a pair of free throws as time expired to give SAC a 23-21 lead at the half. SACs momentum continued in the third and the lead reached 33-23 with just over four minutes left to play in the period. Kingsway completely shifted momentum and responded with an 11-0 to take the lead. Trailing by two, Ferguson stole the inbounds pass and converted a three point play to take a 34-33 lead. Moultrie split a pair at the line to tie and Dr’Elle scored to put SAC up 36-34 with 27.9 left in regulation.After both teams exchanged free throws, SAC led 37-35 but Clarke would make a baseline floater to tie the game at 37 and force overtime.

In overtime, Dawkins’ jumper gave SAC a 41-39 lead but Moultrie fouled out on the ensuing possession chasing a loose ball. SAC led by as much as three, but after Johnson made another free throw, Clarke delivered on her late game heroics once again and scored on a driving layup to tie it at 42 with 21.7 seconds left and force double overtime.

The Junior Boys was a completely one sided affair as the Falcons overcame a two point loss in game one and closed out the series with the most dominant win in any of the four championship series.

Tyshawn Wallace led the Falcons with a game high 16 points, Barkley Cadet scored 11, Jakayo Kemp also scored 11 and Tiore Hart added eight.

Brian Carey scored six for the Big Red Machine and Cayden King scored five.

The Falcons set the tone early and led 10-2 after the opening quarter. They went ahead by 10 for the first time, 16-6, on a Kemp fastbreak layup and kept the run going with an alley oop to Cadet on an inbounds play moments later. The Falcons lead reached as much as 22-9 on a pair of Hart free throws and they took a 24-11 lead into the half.

The lead continued to grow in the third as the Falcons outscored SAC 13-6. Hart again made another trip to the line and his free throws made it 37-17 headed into the fourth.