The Tribune

THE University of The Bahamas Mingoes men’s basketball team wrapped up its UB Basketball Showcase locally with a 66-63 win against the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services Challengers Thursday, January 30 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

UB’s captain and guard Theodore Grant scored a game-high 20 points to go with three rebounds and two assists. 

Gabriel Styles finished with 15 points and four rebounds while Jerehemiah Miller scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds. 

Evan Cartwright rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

Grant was happy to end the UB Basketball Showcase with a win. “I appreciate the guys. We worked hard all year and to see the fruits of our labour flourishing is a great thing. The third quarter was where we picked up and turned up on defence,” Grant said.

Rashawn Pratt and Trey Edwards led the Challengers with 17 points each.

Styles got UB on the scoreboard early in the first quarter with a shot from deep as UB trailed 5-3 with 8:05 remaining. That quarter ended with the game tied at 17 points.

UB struggled in the second quarter but Grant connected on a buzzer-beater at the half to cut the Challengers lead to two points (29-27).

It was all UB in the third quarter as they turned up the defensive intensity. Grant got the easy layup early in that quarter to tie the game at 29 points. 

Cartwright got the layup and was fouled for the and-one opportunity with 5:23 left in the third quarter to put his team up 38-34.

Cartwright hit a corner three-pointer with 30.2 seconds left in the third quarter to give UB the 54-42 edge. The quarter ended 54-44.

The fourth quarter saw UB equalling their largest lead of the game - 14 points - on an Audley Russell layup with 7:50 remaining in the game. 

UB led 60-46.

UB was too much for the Challengers down the stretch to hold on for the 66-63 victory.

UB is scheduled to head to Florida to play Millennia Atlantic University this Saturday, February 8.