If Shanton Pratt's spectacular half court shot had come a half of a second earlier last night, the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins would have forced overtime and might have still been alive for their first ever Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) title, but it came after the buzzer sounded, and the CI Gibson Rattlers reign again!
In what turned out to be one of the better games of the season, the Rattlers hung on, 68-65, to knock off the Marlins in two straight games, and win their second GSSSA senior boys basketball title in the past three years.
The Kendal GL Isaacs National Gymnasium was buzzing with excitement throughout, particularly in the fourth quarter when no team could build up any consistent momentum.
The Rattlers led throughout the fourth, but never by more than six points. They appeared to put the game away with a driving lay-up from Shaqwon Lewis and an apparent steal and ensuing lay-up from Oatman Lightbourne, with just 49.3 seconds remaining to play, but the referee ruled that Marlins' coach Demykco Bowles called a timeout after the first lay-up, thereby nullifying the second shot and putting the Marlins down by just four as opposed to six.
The Rattlers eventually built their lead back to six, but the Marlins converted two of four free throws and got a huge put-back lay-up, to pull within just two points, 67-65 with 10.3 seconds remaining on the clock. Lightbourne then stepped to the line and sunk one of two free shots for the Rattlers.
The Rattlers managed to get a steal on the Marlins' next possession, and appeared poised to run out the clock, but somehow, the Marlins tied them up forcing a jump ball call with just 1.5 seconds left.
That set the stage for Pratt's last second desperation heave. It miraculously went in, but Pratt took one too many dribbles and clearly let go of the ball after the buzzer had sounded. He finished with 11 points for the Marlins last night.
After not trailing at all in the first game, the Rattlers had to battle back from an early double-digit deficit in the second last night, to sweep the best-of-three series two games to none.
They were led in scoring by point guard Shaqwon Lewis and Johnley Neal. Both came off the bench to score 17. Lightbourne got going late, as he scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.Game Atilus paced the Marlins with a game-high 19 points last night. Brandon Stubbs scored 15, and Pratt added 11.
They might not have led at all in Game One, but it didn't take them long to get going in Game two.
Behind nine first-quarter points from Stubbs, the Marlins took a 21-12 lead after the first quarter. The Rattlers responded with eight second-quarter points from Lewis, and battled all the way back to take a 34-30 lead at the break.
Neal came alive in the third quarter for the Rattlers as he dropped in eight points, including two huge three pointers. The Rattlers still just led only 50-47 after three though.
They weathered the storm in the fourth, to barely hold off a pesky Marlins team. Both teams will now get ready for the start of the 32nd Annual Hugh Campbell Tournament on Monday.
The other GSSSA championship series to end yesterday came in the junior boys' division.
Raymonte McDonald buried six three point shots, and finished with 19 points to lead the SC McPherson Sharks to a comfortable 52-37 win over the DW Davis Pitbulls, sweeping that series in two straight games.
Frantwoin Newton added 12 points for the Sharks, and Stephon Johnson, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the series, finished with eight. Torei Bowe paced the Pitbulls with 15 points, and James Cepoudy contributed seven.
The other two championships series will go to decisive third games, which will be played today at the Kendal Isaacs gym.
In the junior girls' division, the HO Nash Lions evened up their series with the CH Reeves Raptors, with a 19-9 win.
L. Sands had seven points for the Lions, and K. Moss scored six. D. Rolle led the Raptors with three.
The CV Bethel Stingrays senior girls evened up their series with the CR Walker Knights, defeating them 27-21 yesterday.
Valerie Nesbitt had a game-high 14 points for the Stingrays, and T. Ingraham contributed four. A. Fertil and C. Australe scored six points each to lead the Knights.

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