The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Providence Storm was a little too much for the Island Dreams to handle down the stretch in the boys’ under-18 championship game in the Providence Basketball Club’s Mid- Term Break Classic on Monday night.

The classic, played at the CI Gibson Gymnasium, took the place of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, which was called off for the third consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inactivity of high school sports.

Providence Storm, coached by Lamont Armaly, pulled off a 56-46 victory over the Island Dreams, coached by Deshan Baker.

“I think this was needed. Two and-a-half years of not playing organised basketball is unbelievable,” said Providence Basketball Club head coach and tournament organiser Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson. “For me, I travelled throughout the pandemic and it gave my guys the exposure that they needed to play the game of basketball.

“But it was important to put this one on to help the local clubs and hopefully everybody who participated had a great time and it helped them to get better.”

The Mid-Term Classic came on the heels of the Holiday Classic that was staged in December.

But Johnson said without the Hugh Campbell Classic on the agenda again this year, he thought it was only fitting to have something else in place.

A total of 16 teams participated in the tournament that saw Jordan Prince Williams Falcons clinch third place with a 49-40 win over Teleos Academy.

On Sunday night, the Falcons, coached by Hanna, emerged as the 15-and-under champions with a 56-46 win over the visiting Tabernacle Baptist Falcons from Grand Bahama.

Storm 56, 46: Most valuable player Tashon Butler led three players in double figures with 15 points, including six in the fourth quarter as Providence went on a 15-9 tear in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Devontino Brown added 12 points, James Delia had 10 and Stephon Johnson chipped in with nine.

“My guys worked hard. This was a good tournament, very competitive,” Armaly said. “We had a game plan and we stuck to it. They executed it very well.”

Not only was it a good feeling to win the game, but Armaly said it was even better to see the tournament come off. He encouraged the other clubs and teams to practice like they do five days a week as they never know when they will get the call to participate again.

Ralfie Madius was the only player in double figures for the Dreams with a game high 16 points. Sanchez Gittens was their next best scorer with nine, despite fouling out in the third quarter. Jamie Vil and Santoine Sawyer both finished with seven.

“We did good. We just didn’t finish the game. Coming down the stretch when we should have been stronger with the ball, the guys just faded away,” Baker said. “They weren’t as strong as they should be. It’s part of coaching. We just have to get back to the drawing board.”

Despite the loss, Baker said he was proud of his team’s performance, considering that they haven’t played together in two years and they incorporated some new players this year.

“We still have a lot more work to do, but we will get better,” he promised.

The Storm opened a slim 14-12 first quarter lead, thanks to four apiece from Brown and Delia and three each from Butler and Steven Joseph. Madius paced the Dream with seven. Island Dream turned things around in the second quarter as they went on a 15-10 spurt to post a 27-24 half-time advantage. Again Madius had seven and Vil and Gittens added three each. Delia and Garrard Rolle both contributed three for Providence.

But in the third, Providence got seven from Johnson and four from both Butler and Keith Forbes in a 17-10 surge that pushed their lead to 51-47 going into the fourth quarter. Sawyer and Gittens came up with four and three respectively to keep the Dream hopes alive.

However, the Dream connected on just four of their eight free throws in the period, which was critical when it counted the most as they were unable to mount a comeback. They had the Storm in foul trouble for the duration of the game, but couldn’t convert their charity shots.

While the Dream ended up going 14-for-25 from the foul line, the Storm were 8-for-16.

Falcons 47, Teleos 40: Jordan Prince Williams got a 1-2 punch from Nathan Pratt with 18 and Tayshawn Wallace with 16 in holding onto the consolation third place prize. Tevin Joseph helped out with six and Wayde Sands added five.

In a losing effort, Michael Albury was held to just 12 points after he suffered a slight right hand injury in the third quarter and wasn’t as effective when he came back going scoreless in the fourth. Cedric Farrington had 11, Emmanuel Adams eight and Romail Strachan chipped in with seven.

Falcons 56, Falcons 49: Ensuring that they got to at least celebrate a big victory, Jordan Prince Williams and coach Hanna used a balanced scoring attack with Trevor Clarke leading the way with 22, Michael Munnings had 12, Akhari Major had 10 and Andrae Smith added six.

Tabernacle, coached by Quincy Gray, returned to Grand Bahama, having gotten 16 points from Noah Bain, nine from Bradleon McDonald and Aidan Miller, six from Joshua Williams and five from Jarius Hall.

“We have a lot of talent in this country so hopefully we can get to play some more basketball so that these young men can stay out of trouble and not pick up the guns or knives,” Johnson said. “Hopefully one day some of them will earn athletic scholarships to play college basketball.”

But he admitted that they will not know unless they can hear that whistle blown to jump the ball at half court to start another game in a basketball tournament or classic.

“We need that basketball back to keep these young men off the streets,” Johnson stressed.