The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Charles W Saunders Cougars repeated as champions, winning their second Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools senior boys’ basketball title at the Kendal Isaacs Gym on Wednesday night.

It was a celebration that was enjoyed by Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention president Rev. Dr. Philip McPhee, executive secretary Rev. Dr. Glendon Rolle and principal Annabel Thompson, along with a large crowd of faculty, students, family members and friends.

But as they enjoyed their success, Rev. Dr. McPhee promised that the convention intends to do more to make not only Charles W. Saunders, but their other Baptist school, Jordan Prince Williams, a more viable institution to attend in the future.

“It is very important for us to understand the holistic programme of a high school,” Rev. Dr. McPhee said. “It plays a very important part in terms of developing our sporting programmes at your high schools and its primary schools.”

In watching the team prevail with a two-game sweep over the Kingsway Academy Saints, McPhee said they will be engaging talks with fellow Baptists and not Baptists with the view of garnering the sup- port for the schools.

“We have really not done as much as the other traditional schools in giving our financial scholarships as other high schools have been doing to attract great young people for the various sporting disciplines,” he stated.

“We are now gathering that kind of commitment from primary school students all around the Family Islands,” he pointed out. “We salute our schools for what they have achieved under the conditions that we have been in for the past few years.

“I am now determined as the president and with the help of our secretary general, that we will not only be a school of intellectual- ism, but also a school of a sporting destination.”

The school board, according to Rev. Dr. McPhee, along with its counsellor, Rev. Dr. William Thompson, will be looking at offering the same type of incentives that other schools such as Queen’s College, St Augustine’s College and St John’s, so that both Charles W. Saunders and Jordan Prince Williams will be a part of the players in all disciplines in the BAISS.

“We are proud of what CW Saunders Cougars have done in winning the championship for two consecutive years, which proves that our coaches and students are prepared and are able to compete at the high school level,” he stated.

“We salute our coaches, we salute our principal and all of the assistant coaches, parents and the students for helping our senior boys to repeat as champions,” he said.

Daerio Burrows, coach of the Cougars, completed a perfect season, but he admitted that it wasn’t an easy road to hoist the championship trophy for the second consecutive year.

“I see a team that had its ups and downs, but when it mattered, we rose to the occasion. The boys executed well. Kingsway Academy did a good job, but we were able to weather the storm and come out victorious.”

Burrows said despite the fact that the Saints made their adjustment from their game one loss on Monday, his Cougars never wavered from their game plan and they got the job done.

He commended Rev. Dr. McPhee for attending both games and cheering the team on. “He was so engaged and locked in. He brought the energy. He is such an energetic man and fun to be around, so we really appreciate him and Dr. Rolle for their attendance,” Burrows said.

Now the celebrations are about to begin.

Once they are done with their participation in the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic next week, Burrows said Charles W. Saunders will celebrate just as they did last year with their assembly and motorcade.

“I know the president made us some promises, so we’re looking forward to that,” said Burrows, who declined to discuss what it was. “I think the boys have a lot of good events to look forward to.”

“We say, we’re still Baptist and proud,” Rev. Dr. McPhee summed up. “God bless Baptists and the Bahamas in a very special way.”