The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Day three of Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic traditionally signals the debut of Family Island schools in the national tournament, and several programmes got off to impressive starts in their respective runs at the 2013 title.

Sunland Baptist Stingers – 47

Moore’s Island Panthers – 10

Two years removed from their runner-up finish in the tournament, the Stingers’ balanced scoring attack breezed to an opening day win on their bid to return to the Hugh Campbell final.

Against an overmatched Panthers team, the Stingers gave up just two field goals in the first half and took an insurmountable 28-5 lead at the half.

Narrando Jones finished with a team high nine points, Kenneth Russell added eight, Tamais Rolle chipped in with six points and five steals, and Cameron Munroe finished with four points and seven rebounds.

Julian Jones led Moore’s Island with six points.

Rolle gave the Stingers a 30-point lead on a fastbreak layup to take a 35-5 lead.

Sunland shot 50 per cent from the field and finished with 10 team assists.

Defensively, they held the Panthers to 4-27 shooting (15 per cent), forced 19 turnovers, and won the rebounding battle by 12 boards, 29-17.

They opened the game on a 15-0 run, their biggest scoring run of the game and scored 15 points off the bench.

The Stingers returned in the evening session to take on last year’s tournament runners-up, the Eight Mile Rock Blue Jays. But the results were unavailable up to press time last night.

Gateway Christian Eagles – 47

Harbour Island All Age – 46

In the most thrilling finish of yesterday’s opening session, Gateway surrendered a 14-point fourth quarter lead, but was able to hold onto the win with some late game heroics.

Dinario Lockhart’s go ahead layup came off a perfectly designed inbound play to regain the lead for the Eagles with 6.3 seconds left to play.

A last second heave from Harbour Island fell just short and the Eagles escaped with the win despite dominating much of the contest.

Lockhart finished with 13 points and five rebounds, Tydrae Brennen led the Eagles and all scorers with 18 points.

Gregory Goodman chipped in with eight points and four steals.

Anthony Dean led Harbour Island with 11 points, Rio Saunders added 10, while Shannon Daxon and Aedin Major each finished with eight.

The Eagles took a 33-27 lead into the fourth quarter and opened the quarter on a 7-0 run capped by a baseline jumper from Brennen.

Trailing 42-28, the Eagles clamped down defensively with a full court press that turned what looked like a blowout win into a finish at the wire.

Harbour Island went on a 16-2 run and took their first lead of the game when Dean made a layup with just over 30 seconds left to play.

Saunders added a free throw to give Harbour Island a two- point lead.

Atavius Saunders made one of two at the line to bring Gateway within one point, before Goodman came up with a steal to setup the final possession.

Gateway led 12-3 at the end of the first quarter and took their first double figure lead on the opening possession of the second on a Brennen layup.

They took a 27-16 lead at the half, but failed to score a field goal in the third, allowing Harbour Island to work their way back into the game.

Agape Christian Eagles – 57

Clement Howell Eagles - 28

With a programme that has been on the rise for years, the pride of Marsh Harbor, Abaco, made a statement in their opening game with a dominant win over the visiting Turks and Caicos Islanders.

Godfrey Rolle finished with 14 points and five steals, Jaron Cornish added 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists while Timothy Bullard finished with eight points and four steals.

Joseph Guy led Clement Howell with 14 points and Adrian Capron finished with six.

Agape shot a blistering 47 per cent from beyond the three point arch and 43 per cent from the field. They forced 24 turnovers and scored 19 points off those turnovers.

Agape led by as much as 29 at one point and had their biggest scoring run of 10 unanswered during a stretch early in the third quarter.

Under head coach Wayde Adderley, the Eagles’ current group of seniors have reached the final four of the Father Marcian Peters tournament, the Providence Holiday Classic and now have their sights set on making an impact in the Hugh Campbell.

Today’s Schedule (Thursday)

Session I

Noon – Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors vs. Agape Christian Eagles

1pm – GHS Magis vs Temple Christian Suns

2pm – Aquinas Aces vs CR Walker Knights

3pm – Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins vs Kingsway Saints

4pm – Mt. Carmel Cavs vs Loser of Tabernacle/Westminster

Session II

6pm – CI Gibson Rattlers vs Winner of

7pm – Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves vs Winner of

St George’s/Gateway

8pm – RM Bailey Pacers vs Winner of BME/ACE

9pm – Jordan Prince William vs CV Bethel Stingrays