The C.R. Walker Knights and Mt. Carmel Cavaliers moved into the winner's bracket yesterday, as the 34th Annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic moved into day two at the A.F. Adderley gymnasium. The Knights turned back the Abaco Central High Marlins, 50-37, and the Cavaliers outlasted Clement Howell out of the Turks and Caicos Islands, 41-34.
Knights 50, Marlins 37
After a slow start, the Knights scored 23 unanswered points in the first half to surge ahead at the break and coast to the easy win. They fell behind 8-2 in the early going, but on the strength of that killer run, were ahead 25-8 at the break.
The visiting Marlins closed that gap to 33-21 at the end of three quarters, but the Knights picked up the intensity again at the start of the fourth quarter. They took their biggest lead at 45-25 midway through the fourth, and the Marlins never got back to within single digits.
Cormardo Seymour paced the Knights with a huge double-double - a game-high 15 points and a whopping 23 rebounds. Denneko Lightbourn helped out with 13 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Omar Rolle was their next-highest scorer with nine.
Alex Jeancius had a team-high 12 for the Marlins. He added five rebounds, five steals and two assists. Dremeko McIntosh added eight points and seven rebounds; and Ivan Curry Jr. scored six, and had three rebounds and three steals.
The Knights led 9-8 after the opening quarter, outscored the Marlins 16-0 in the second quarter to take a 25-8 lead into the break, and were still ahead 33-21 after three quarters. They were never challenged in the fourth.
The Knights will now go into the winner's bracket, and play the Temple Christian Suns tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Cavaliers 41, Clement Howell 34
This game was close for three and a half quarters, but the Cavaliers closed the game on a 9-2 scoring run to record the victory.
Preston Ferguson was spectacular with game-highs in points in rebounds. He had a huge 20-20 game with 21 points and 20 rebounds. Ferguson added two assists and two steals. He was only player in double figures in points and rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Eugene Neilly was their next highest scorer with nine points, and he added five steals. Michael Smith had seven points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Wilkins Sylvain paced the visitors with 15 points, seven steals and three assists. Tyron Smith had eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dion Gibson was huge on the boards for them, but disappeared offensively. He had 19 rebounds, but just six points.
The visiting Clement Howell team led 7-1 in the early going, and was ahead 9-3 after the opening quarter. They stretched that lead to double figures in the second quarter, but the Cavaliers pulled to within five, 19-14 at the break. By the end of the third quarter, the Cavaliers had pulled even at 25. On the strength of their run at the end of the game, they were able to hold off Clement Howell.
Both teams will play in the morning session on Thursday. Their opponents are yet to be decided. The Cavaliers will play the winner of the game between the Aquinas College Aces and the Jack Hayward High Wildcats, and the visiting Clement Howell team will play the loser of that game.
The five teams from Grand Bahama - Eight Mile Rock, Jack Hayward High, St. George's, Sunland and Tabernacle Baptist - will begin play today.
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