SPORTS SECTION E
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
CARTWRIGHT SIGNS FOR EAGLES PAGE E03
GSSSA CHAMPIONS S Y O B R O SENI
MYSTIC MARLINS DEFEAT RATTLERS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
THE Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins squandered an eight-point fourth quarter lead but came up with clutch baskets down the stretch when it mattered most to take the GSSSA senior boys basketball title. Doris Johnson outscored the CI Gibson Rattlers 16-8 in the final five minutes to take game three and the series 67-59 last night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Malachi McCoy had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead six Mystic Marlins players to score at least seven points. Janus Shepherd scored 14, Jaythan Belle had 10, Tyeko Lowe and Joshua Burrows each finished with nine while Matthew Saunders chipped in with seven.
Plays Lowe made several key plays down the stretch and his driving layup with under a minute left to play gave the Mystic Marlins a 60-55. He deflected a pass on the ensuing possession and Joshua Burrows’ finished the fastbreak layup to seal the win. Derico Burrows was the lone Rattlers player in double figures with 13 points while Jaden Strachan and Jaheed Sanusi each scored nine. The Rattlers entered the fourth quarter trailing by eight, but Derico Burrows scored five straight to cut the lead to three, 51-48 with 5:11 left to play. Sanusi tied the game with a threepointer on the very next possession, but Shepherd stole the inbounds pass and regained the Mystic Marlins lead with his fastbreak layup. Joshua Burrows went baseline for a floater on the next possession and after Strachan scored for the Rattlers, Lowe came up with an offensive rebound and putback for a fourpoint lead with just under two minutes remaining. Both teams set the tone early and the game opened with five consecutive field goals made before the first missed shot. Shepherd scored six in the opening quarter and was perfect from both the field and the free throw line. Joshua Burrows’ pull up jumper gave the Mystic Marlins a 21-14 lead at the end of the first. Rus-Shorn Strachan’s free throws made it 25-22 midway through the second, but McCoy and Michael Balfour would respond with back to back scores. Saunders followed with a three pointer to take a 10 point lead, 32-22. Emmanuel SEE PAGE E03
S L R I G R O JUNI
SCORPIONS DETHRONE THE LIONS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
AFTER losing the first game of the series, the TA Thompson Scorpions completed the backdoor sweep to dethrone the HO Lions as Government Secondary School Sports Association junior girls basketball champions. Adriana Webster posted an incredible stat line as the Scorpions clinched the 2019 title with a 55-44 win over the HO Nash Lions yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Webster finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and six assists as the Scorpions
won the series 2-1. TA Thompson received key contributions from each member of the starting unit - Nathalya Lightbourne tied for a game high 20 points, Dominiqua Rolle scored eight, while Tania Kerr had eight points and 12 rebounds. Lightbourne was named the series MVP. Jonique Cunningham led the Lions with 20 points and nine rebounds, Geraniqua Bethel had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Elysa Gordon scored six. Last year’s series was also decided in three games and when the Lions eventually claimed their third consecutive title.
Scorpions head coach Donnavette Scavella said the effort on the defensive end was the deciding factor this time around.
Determined “We played lockdown defence, that was the difference in this game. The girls came out determined and they executed,” she said, “I have some seventh and eighth graders coming back so we look to be right back here again next year.” Tied at four early the Scorpions took a 9-4 lead and led 11-8 at the end of the first. The Scorpions separated
themselves with a run in the second. They got a layup from Webster, two baskets from Azaria Belotto, and a layup from Rolle to take their first double digit lead of the series, 19-8 at the 2:43 mark in the quarter. Gordon made a pair of free throws from the Lions to stop the run. Webster dished with another assist to Belotto who got behind defence for a fastbreak layup to take a 24-10 lead. Lightbourne’s floater capped an explosive quarter for the Scorpions where they outscored the Lions 18-4 and they took a 29-12 lead at the half. SEE PAGE E03