The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE was much cause for celebrations for coach Stephan Johnson and his Agape Eagles, even if it took eight years to achieve it.

Johnson, whose team uses the motto from Isaiah 40 and verse 31 on the jerseys, which indicates that “they that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength and mound up like Eagles,” soared to the junior boys’ championship win in the Providence Basketball Club’s 24th Yuletide Classic on Saturday night at the CI Gibson Gymnasium with a dramatic 53-39 comeback win over the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons.

In the eight years he has been building the basketball programme at Agape in Abaco since he left Kingsway Academy, coach Johnson said they have won several island tournaments, but they never could have gotten over the hump in New Providence or Grand Bahama until now.

“We’ve been in a lot of big games, semifinals and championships, but we never won,” said Johnson, who was highly animated all through the second half as they made their comeback.

“This is the best team I’ve had for junior boys. They really fought hard tonight. They were down by 12 and still came and won by 14. So I’m very proud of this team. God has been good to us and good to me.”

Eagles 53, Falcons 39: Most valuable player Valdez Johnson led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points and both Joshua Cornish and Davon Simms had 11.

Corey Roberts contributed nine and Taurus Sainvil ended up with six to join the celebrations for Agape.

In a losing effort, Malachi Cadeau led the way for Jordan Prince Williams with 17 points. Broc Glinton also finished in double figures with 12. Alijah Pierre helped out with eight.

After falling behind 16-12 in the first quarter and 29-21 at the half, highlighted by Cadeau’s 13 and Glinton’s 10, Agape managed to turn things around in the second half as Jordan Prince Williams started to fall apart.

“We just wanted it. We came out flat in the first half, but we turned it on in the second half,” coach Johnson said. “The boys were not rebounding, but after my two best guys started to pick it up, the rest of the team fed off them and we continued to soar.”

The Falcons were held scoreless in the third as the Eagles came back for a 34-29 advantage as Cornish and Johnson came through with six and five respectively. They went on a 14-10 spurt in the fourth to preserve the win, thanks to a pair of baskets from Sainvil and Simms.

“We just lost focus. The guys just got too relaxed,” said Falcons’ coach Ernest Saunders on their complete collapse in the third that made the difference in the game.

“When I made some substitutions, some of the guys were not ready to play. I had a lot of faith in our second and third and fourth chances, but that was what really killed us.”

Despite the loss, Saunders said it just gives them the incentive to go back to Jordan Prince Williams and work on their mistakes as they prepare for the second half of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ basketball season next week.

At the end of the tourney, the following players were named to the All- Tournament Team:

Jordan Prince Williams - Broc Glnton, Malachi Cadeau and Alijah Pierre. Agape - Corey Roberts, Valdez Johnson and Joshua Cornish.

DW Davis - Whiskey Paul, Zhyon Thompson. St John’s - Leonardo Rolle.