The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas continues its momentum and remains untested thus far at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships for Under-16 Boys.

The Bahamas closed out group play yesterday with a 100-41 win over Barbados at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Complex in Georgetown, Guyana.

It was a balanced scoring effort from Team Bahamas once again with seven players in double figures led by  a pair of doubles from Michael Cartwright and Samuel Hunter.

Cartwright finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds while Hunter added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Detarrio Thompson shot a perfect 6-6 from the field and finished with a team high 15 points, Christopher Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and five steals, Michael Williams and Alfredo Brown each scored 11 while Domnick Bridgewater chipped in with 10. “We have a lot of chemistry and we just work well together,” Thompson said. “I think we can win it.”

Devonte Moxey finished with seven points and Joshua Cornish added six. “We know when to work hard, we know when to play and we know when it’s time to get serious,” Moxey said. “Everyone is hard working and we have some high basketball IQs.”

Once again it was a quick start for the Bahamas as they pressed themselves to an early 13-7 lead. Barbados chipped away at the lead however and drew the Bahamas into the penalty with just over four minutes left to play in the first quarter.

For the first time all tournament, the Bahamas appeared to be in jeopardy and clung to just a three-point lead (17-14).

Johnson made the play of the game for Team Bahamas when he converted a second chance opportunity off a missed free throw with a putback to go up by two possessions (19-14). That play sparked a run for the Bahamas and they took their first 10-point lead of the game (24-14) on a Jennings layup. Brown followed with a steal and converted a three-point play following a fastbreak layup. Next up it was Moxey with the three-point play.

The Bahamas ended the period on a 17-0 run and led 34-14 headed into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Barbados showed some signs of life and went on a brief run to make the score 26-42 after a pair of three pointers. The Bahamas would again close the quarter strong on a 9-0 run to take a 51-26 lead at the half.

Barbados never threatened in the second half as the lead grew to as much as 59. The defence from Team Bahamas was once again the catalyst for the win as they forced 33 turnovers and limited Barbados to just 34 per cent shooting from the field.

The Bahamas shot 53 per cent from the field, won the rebounding battle 66-31 with 28 steals. They finished with 23 fast break points, 72 points in the paint and 60 points off the bench.

As the top team in group B, the Bahamas will advance to the reclassification medal round tonight.