It took former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Dexter Cambridge 20-plus years, but he finally got the elusive Bahamas Games gold medal for his home island of Eleuthera when he coached them to a 72-71 nail-biter victory over the New Providence Buccaneers at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium on Saturday to end the 6th Bahamas Games.

Before that featured game at the same location, the Exuma and Ragged Islands Navigators got a 65-64 comeback victory over the Abaco Survivors to win the women's gold medal in basketball.

Cambridge, who could not put on a poker face after the game, was all smiles after winning a gold medal for his home island. He said that it took 22 years to get vindication as he helped to finally bring the gold medal to Eleuthera. In the last Bahamas Games, in 2001, the Eleuthera Adventurers settled for silver.

"After competing in five Bahamas Games as a player, to win three bronze and a silver, I am now going home with a gold. This one feel great. It was a tough game from start to finish but the guys fought and we were victorious. I think the officiating was terrible but we stuck with our game plan," said Cambridge, the head coach of the Adventurers.

Jaraun "Kino" Burrows, who plays professionally for Andrézieux-Bouthéon in Andrézieux-Bouthéon, France, was the men's Most Valuable Player (MVP) with 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He fouled out late in the fourth. He got some help from guard Dominick "Nardo" Bridgewater, who plays professionally for US Avignon/Pontet in Avignon, France, finished with a team-high 21 points.

The men's game did not disappoint the packed gym as it came down to the final play to decide a winner. With just over a minute and a half left in the game, Eleuthera went up 69-66. The Buccaneers' Kenvon Farrington was fouled at the 1:25 mark in the fourth quarter. He split the free throws and the Adventurers' lead was trimmed to 69-67.

Bridgewater sank two free throws with just over a minute left to put his team up 71-67. Ten seconds later, the Buccaneers' Garvin Clarke got fouled by Burrows and he made the layup for an and-one opportunity. He completed the and-one play as Burrows fouled out and was forced to watch the remaining 53 seconds from the bench. Eleuthera led 71-70 at that point.

The crowd was up on their feet for the rest of the game. Bridgewater split a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left on the clock and his team led, 72-70. The Buccaneers' Kemsey Sylvestre, who finished with 15 points, had a chance to even the game with 16 seconds left, but missed one of two free throws, cutting the deficit to one point, 72-71.

The Adventurers' Dominique Fernander was fouled with three seconds left in the game. He missed both but the Adventurers still lead by one, 72-71. The Buccaneers grabbed the rebound and sprinted down the court to get a last second shot, but Fernander got back on defense and got a key defensive stop that dashed the Buccaneers' hopes.

The Buccaneers' Dylan Musgrove finished with a game-high 25 points.

Burrows, who cradled a pineapple as the press interviewed him, said the win was sweet for him as he reminisced about his summers in Eleuthera.

"Them summers growing up by my grammy in Governor's Harbour on Cupid's Cay was sweet. I don't know if that's sweeter than this but this is what that's for. I have so many childhood memories, friends and family. To bring that gold back is special and I cannot wait to drive through Eleuthera and stop in every bar and feel the love," Burrows said.

The Grand Bahama (GB) Lucayans won the bronze medal, defeating the Abaco Survivors, 94-91.

The women's game was one to remember as well as the game went down to the final three seconds to determine a winner. The Navigators Leashja Grant won the MVP Award, finishing with 19 points and 20 rebounds. She got help from Adena Webster who had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Marvia Dean who had 11 points and a game-high 21 rebounds.

Head Coach for the Navigators Glen Davis said he was relieved to walk away with the victory.

"After we got Walteia Rolle in foul trouble, we knew it was over. Our bigs went to work and were able to get the rebounds and easy baskets. It was great to make the free throws at the end because we were not good from there all game. It feels great to win the title and the Bahamas Games tournament was good," Davis said.

The Navigators looked dead in the water as the Survivors went into the final period up 50-42 and in control. The Navigators could not stop former Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Rolle who had a team-high 19 rebounds. However, Rolle fouled out at the 5:33 mark of the fourth quarter with her team up 53-49.

In the absence of Rolle, the Navigators put pressure on former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I guard with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels Valerie Nesbitt who had a game-high 22 points. Grant made it a one-point game with 2:25 left, 60-59. Webster gave the Navigators their first lead of the second half with a made layup, putting her team up 61-60 with 1:43 remaining in the game.

Cedricka Sweeting-Badmus made a free throw to put the Navigators up 64-61 with 12.1 seconds left in the game, but the Survivors' Aisja Strachan became a savior when she tied the game at 64 with a huge three-point shot with five seconds left in the game.

Both teams had no timeouts remaining so the Navigators inbounded the ball. Strachan inexplicably intentionally fouled Sweeting-Badmus while she was bringing the ball up the court. It was a costly mistake on Strachan's behalf as the Navigators was in the bonus. Sweeting-Badmus split the free throws. The Survivors inbounded the ball but could not get a shot off in time and the Navigators celebrated winning the title.

Grant said she hasn't picked up a basketball in three years, and it was a good feeling to come out with a win.

"To be back on the court and doing what I love, feels good. It was challenging. Rolle had a great game before she fouled out so that was our advantage at the end. We had a great team with some young and veteran players and it worked out for us," Grant said.

The Navigators outrebounded the Survivors, 68-50, in the game.

The Buccaneers won the bronze medal, defeating Eleuthera convincingly, 104-62.

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