The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

In 2012, Alvano Miller, Dionte Strachan, DeAngelo Wallace and Rashad Davis were the underclassmen during the CC Sweeting Cobras’ storybook season. This year, the trio were the driving force behind the team as they repeated to claim their second consecutive Hugh Campbell title last night.

The Cobras defeated the Eight Mile Rock BlueJays 63-53 to become only the fifth school in history to claim back-to-back titles in a rematch of last year’s championship game.

Each of the quartet reached double figures led by Strachan’s 17 points. Davis added 14, Miller added 13 while Wallace chipped in with 11. Keanu Woodside and Keino Russell each finished with 11 points to lead the BlueJays.

The Cobras took a slim five point lead into the fourth quarter and saw the Bluejays pull within two after Butler completed a three-point play and Jones added a basket, 53-51, with six minutes left to play.

The BlueJays’ Keanu Woodside fouled out with 2:56 left to play and without their leading scorer for the tournament in the lineup, they failed to score the rest of the way as the Cobras surged ahead.

Miller scored off his own miss just after Woodside fouled out for a 59-53 lead.

The Cobras had opportunities to go ahead big but didn’t capitalise on building the lead at the line. The Bluejays fared no better from the field down the stretch and that allowed the Cobras to retain the lead.

Like much of the game, the first quarter was a story of runs for each team.

Woodside was dominant early on and the BlueJays took a 9-7 lead after four points in a row from Woodside. The second basket came off an offensive rebound from his own missed free throw.

Strachan tied the game at nine but picked up his second foul on the next play.

Davis kept driving to the basket at will and kept the Cobras in striking distance but with Strachan sidelined with two fouls, the Bluejays drove to the basket at will and took a 17-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, with the Cobras offense faltering early on, they relied on Davis for much of the scoring, whether creating his own basket or dishing to teammates.

Strachan tied the game at 17 on a basket, his first possession inserted back into the game.

The second quarter featured four ties and 11 lead changes. Davis and Strachan began to control the paint for the Cobras inside and erased the deficit on the offensive glass.

Strahcan gave the Cobras their first lead since early in the first quarter, 29-28, but Russell took the lead right back for the Bluejays with a basket and one of two at the line to give Eight Mile Rock a 32-30 lead at the half.

The Bluejays got into early foul trouble and poor ball control in the third gave the Cobras the edge they needed to take control.

Miller scored nine points in the quarter as the Cobras took a 51-46 lead into the fourth quarter.

It was 4:39 left to go in the period and Cobras were in the bonus. The game was tied at 36 before Miller gave the Cobras the lead with a mid-range jumper and followed with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession.

Another score by Miller, his seventh consecutive point in the quarter, made it a 42-36 lead.

David Butler made a pair at the line with time expired to bring the Bluejays within five, 51-46, headed into the fourth quarter.

In the 2012 championship, the Cobras won 58-46 with point guard Angelo Lockhart taking home the game’s MVP as he finished with 10 points, five

assists and four steals.

Roosevelt Roosevelt Whylly led the Cobras with 17 points and 13 rebounds, Miller added 10 points, while Davis chipped in with 14 points off the bench.

Ervin Lewis and Romaine Gibson each finished with 14 points to lead the Bluejays.

It was the second championship game for the BlueJays having to finish and come from behind without their best player on the floor.

In 2012, Lewis came into the game with a foot injury in the semifinals and Woodside fouled out early in the fourth in 2013.