The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE stage has been set for the 35th edition of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic for senior high school basketball teams.

A total of 28 teams have been divided into four pools of seven in the double elimination format that will begin on Monday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

It will be completed on Monday, February 25, at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when either the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons retain their crown or a new champion will be decided.

Tournament technical director Reggie Forbes anticipates that this year’s tournament will be another humdinger as any team is capable of emerging victorious.

“We expect to have an awesome tournament,” Forbes said. “All of the teams seemed to be very balanced and so based on their play during the year, the pools were selected.”

The Dame Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, the recently crowned Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s champions, head pool one along with the CR Walker Knights, the Jordan Prince William Falcons, Grand Bahama’s Sir Jack Hayward Wildcats, Bimini’s Gateway Academy, Mt Carmel Cavaliers and the Kingsway Academy Saints.

GSSSA runners-up CI Gibson Rattlers lead pool two that includes the Government High Magics, Grand Bahama's Sir George's Jaguars, Charles W Saunders Cougars, Patrick Bethel from Abaco, Teleos Cherubims and the Temple Christian Suns.

In pool three are Tabernacle Baptist, Bahamas Elite, CC Sweeting Cobras, the Hugh Campbell runners-up; the Eight Mile Rock Bluejays from Grand Bahama; Central Eleuthera; St John’s Giants and the St Anne’s Bluewaves.

And in pool four are Grand Bahama’s Sunland Baptist; the CV Bethel Stingrays, Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves; Grand Bahama’s Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors; Abaco’s Agape Academy; Zion Academy and the Queen’s College Comets.

While the GSSSA have completed their season, the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools will crown a new champion this weekend.

St John’s have emerged into the final against Queen’s College, which build into the excitement for the start of the tournament on Monday.

“We have a total of 28 teams. We didn’t expect to exceed those numbers, but with the teams we have, we feel we will have a very dynamic tournament,” Forbes proclaimed.

“Each pool have seven teams in it and so it will come down who come out and scout the teams in their brackets and make the necessary adjustment to what they are doing.”

Forbes said they don’t expect any surprises, but that doesn’t mean that they can count out any team either, especially those coming from the Family Islands, who seemed to be getting better each year.

Here’s a look at the schedule for the first two days of competition:

Monday’s schedule

5pm St Anne’s vs Bahamas Elite.

6pm Kingsway Academy vs CR Walker.

7pm Jordan Prince William vs Mt Carmel.

8pm Anatol Rodgers vs Zion Academy.

Tuesday’s schedule

5pm Government High vs Temple Christian Academy.

6pm Queen’s College vs CV Bethel.

7pm CW Saunders vs Teleos Academy.

8pm CC Sweeting vs St John’s College.