The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Six teams hoisted their championship trophies in the 35th Father Marcian Peters Basketball Tournament yesterday evening at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.

On the final day of tourney action, the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons took the title in the intermediate division while the Freedom Baptist Academy Warriors as well as the Teleos Christian School Cherubims won the primary schools boys and girls’ titles respectively.

The CV Bethel Stingrays took home yet another championship hardware for the senior girls’ division and the CH Reeves Raptors avenged last year’s loss to win the junior girls’ trophy. For the boys, the DW Davis Royals emerged as victors on Wednesday.

The Stingrays collected a 38-32 win over the CI Gibson Lady Rattlers to take the senior girls’ hardware. Leading the Stingrays to a second consecutive victory at the Marcian Peters tourney was Trinity Bodie. She dropped a game-high 16 points to not only lead all scorers but take home the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) honours. The newly-crowned champions opened the contest 10-3 in the first quarter against the CI Gibson Lady Rattlers. They then closed out the second half with a 17-14 advantage and never looked back.

Shantelle Rolle, who earned the outstanding coach award for the senior girls, was impressed by them earning a second straight victory.

“It feels great. I told my girls we have to come out and defend our championship. I think our performance was great. We came out and executed on defence which translated to easy offence. This is our fourth time beating them, every time we play them we have to do what we have to do to beat them,” Rolle said.

The Raptors were last year’s runners-up in the junior girls’ division but this time around they were crowned champions after knocking off the Lady Cherubims 27-15.

The victors got a 6-3 advantage in the first period which blossomed into an 11-8 lead at halftime.

Tajhaniqua Morley poured in 21 points for CH Reeves, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter for the win. Her game-high performance helped her to secure the MVP award.

Varel Davis, who took home the outstanding coach award for the junior girls, was happy to see the girls - a majority being new players on the roster - avenge last year’s loss. “Throughout the tournament we played extremely well. Last year we were runners-up to HO Nash so I told my girls this is our year to win. We are excited and happy to take the trophy back to Raptors country. This year I have all new players other than two players from last year and to see the growth and improvement over the past few weeks has been good. These girls are dedicated and they are willing to learn so I am very proud of them for the job they did here tonight,” she said.

The Royals shut down the LW Young Golden Eagles 57-25 to blow out their opponents and take the junior boys’ title. On Wednesday evening, Windisky Paul was too much for the Golden Eagles as he scored 19 points to propel his team over their opponents. Paul was named the junior boys’ MVP. The champions bested the latter 38-17 to go into the second half and after this period the game was a foregone conclusion.

Mark Hanna, head coach of the DW Davis Royals and recipient of the outstanding coach award, was pleased with the win and tournament experience.

“This was a very excellent tournament, hats off to the committee, Jimmy Clarke and his crew who did an excellent job. This is the most organised I have seen it over the years we have been coming. It feels great to be a champion in this tournament because it is a collaborative effort between private schools, government schools and island schools, so if you come out on top of this you get bragging rights for the full year,” Hanna said.

The Falcons defeated Patrick J Bethel in the intermediate boys’ division 43-39. Meanwhile, the Lady Cherubims ended the Warriors 18-13 in the primary girls’ division. Evanaya Pierre was presented with the MVP trophy. The Warriors’ primary school boys toppled the Temple Christian Suns 33-13. Dario Musgrove hoisted the MVP award for the team.