Calabar sweep urban basketball titles
BY GERALD REID
Observer writer
CALABAR capped a remarkable season by capturing both the Under-16 and Under-19 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Urban High School boys’ best-of-three basketball finals at the Stadium Basketball Courts last Friday. The Red Hills Road-based Calabar High aggregation coached by Ludlow Barker first wrapped up their Under-16 final 2-0, after defeating St Jago High 38-33. They had earlier beaten the Spanish Town-based school 42-28 last Tuesday. They then clinched the Under-19 final 2-1 over the Clifford Brown-coached North Street opponents St George’s College.
Calabar had lost the first game to St George’s College 73-60 before securing victories in the second and third games last Thursday and Friday, 67-63 and 55-49, respectively.
Barker said he was very elated as the last time Calabar had won the championship was in 2007.
“After losing Game One of the series, I knew we still had a chance of winning as the players executed very well, especially in Games Two and Three. It was a fine performance by the entire team,” Barker said.
He said the players trained very hard and they listened to the instructions.
“St George’s is a good team and they played extremely well in all three games. We decided to take it to them in the first quarter as in the first two games we were always behind and had to play catch-up. Once we had taken the lead we know that it would be tough for our opponents,” said Barker.
He said the players will now take a rest and enjoy the festive season before returning next month to contest the All-Island Championships.
Meanwhile, assistant coach of St George’s College Simon Brown said his players squandered too many turnovers and that’s one of the factors which caused their defeat.
“It was a very close game for the most part as we trailed by one point, 49-50, before Calabar pulled away in the final minute to clinch an exciting match,” Brown said.
“Congratulations to Calabar for their victory. We will be going back to the drawing board and get ready to compete in the All-Island Championship play-off,” he added.
St George’s College defeated St Catherine High 42-28 to take third place in the Under-16, while Ardenne High beat St Jago High 38-32 for third place in the Under-19.