All to play for!

Muschett High, Herbert Morrison face-off

BY PAUL A REID Observer West writer

Thursday, February 02, 2012

MONTEGO BAY, St James - FORMER champions Muschett High and Herbert Morrison Technical will have it all to play for today when they meet in the third and decisive game of the ISSA/KFC Western Conference high school boys' Under-16 basketball finals at the Montego Bay Cricket Club, set to start at 3:30 pm.

After losing Friday's first game 58-31, Herbert Morrison rebounded on Tuesday to score a thrilling come from behind 56-41 win over the Trelawny school to tie the best of three finals at one game apiece and force today's all or nothing confrontation.

Tuesday's loss was the first for Muschett this season after they had beaten the Montego Bay team twice earlier.

With the return of Daniel Henry to the line-up after missing the first game with a badly sprained ankle, Herbert Morrison rallied from a double-digit deficit and scored 22 straight points in the fourth quarter to run away with the win and snatch the psychological advantage going into today's game.

Herbert Morrison trailed by as many as 13 points in the second quarter but chipped away at Muschett's lead going into the fourth quarter trailing by five points.

Despite creating several early scoring chances in the final quarter, Herbert Morrison wasted them before going on a run midway the period to draw level at 40-all with just over five minutes to go and then run away with the game.

Ralique Grant led all scorers with 20 points, Henry scored a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 11 steals as well as nine assists and five blocked shots while David Peck scored 12 points and had 13 rebounds.

Aston Billings who had snapped Herbert Morrison's run with a three pointer as time ran out, was the top scorer for Spot Valley with 16 points and six rebounds, Karlington Barrett scored 12 points while Michael Schloss had 11 points.

Cornwall College completed a perfect season to win the Under-19 title beating Spot Valley High 2-0 in their best of three finals with a commanding 56-34 win also on Tuesday.

After yet another slow start, Cornwall who had won the first game on Friday 43-30, fell behind after a 10-0 third-quarter run by the first-time finalist but responded with a similar run in the same quarter as they rallied to tie the scores at 21-all with one minute 03 seconds left in the period.

Christopher Ray Smith who led all scorers with 25 points, scored eight points in quick time, snapping Spot Valley's run with a three points play then made one of two free throws off a technical on Murray Moodie, following with four points in quick succession including a big dunk.

Cornwall led by seven points 35-28 going into the fourth quarter and undeterred by a rain, dominated the remainder of the contest to score their third win over Spot Valley this season.

In addition to his 25 points, Smith also scored 18 rebounds along with nine blocked shots and eight steals; Travis White scored 12 points and had 15 rebounds and eight steals, Josimar Stephenson scored six points and had 24 rebounds and five blocked shots, Simmoy Noble had 17 rebounds and six blocked shots while Travis Brown scored seven points and had 11 assists.

Everton Steadman, who played with three fouls from early in the second quarter, scored 12 points for Spot Valley while Moodie and Floyd Griffiths both scored seven points.