ISSA Western Conference Basketball finals tip off today
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Cornwall College pulled off a nail-biting four-point (75-71) upset win over Muschett High in Monday’s semi-final of the ISSA Western Conference Under-19 basketball competition at the Montego Bay Cricket Club to qualify for the finals that start today.
After winning just one game all season and losing five, Cornwall College overcame a double-digit deficit to beat Muschett High and secure their place in the best-of-three finals against city rivals Herbert Morrison.
Both finals, the Under-16 as well, will see both Montego Bay schools going after the titles which are both held by Herbert Morrison who beat Muschett High 80-36 in the Under-16 semi-final, also on Monday.
In the first semi-finals played last Friday, Cornwall College had beaten Holland High in the Under-16, while Herbert Morrison beat William Knibb Memorial.
Today the Under-16 game will start at 4:00 pm followed by the Under-19 game two hours later, both at the Montego Bay Cricket Club.
Cornwall College handed Herbert Morrison their only loss in the Under-16 section in over two seasons when they met late December in a return-round game and this will give them hope of at least forcing a third game in the finals.
Herbert Morrison had won both games in the Under-19 section against Cornwall College.
On Monday, Muschett, who had beaten Cornwall College twice this season, 55-47 in Wakefield, and then 59-46 in Montego Bay to extend their unbeaten run over the Montego Bay team to about three years, got off to a good start and led 22-13 at the end of the first quarter, and were up 32-23 early in the second quarter.
Leonardo Friginette, who started on the bench, and Antonio Spence, however, triggered a run that saw Cornwall College outscore the Trelawny school 29-12 in the quarter to take over the lead 42-34 at half-time.
This was the buffer they needed as Muschett stormed back in the second half and went ahead 63-62 with just under four minutes to go, but Friginette, a Jamaica Under-19 cricket representative last year, made four big free throws down the stretch as Cornwall held on for their biggest win in years.
Friginette led all scorers with 29 points, Spence scored 15 points and had 12 rebounds as well as five blocked shots and three steals, while Giovanni Bailey, who started at point guard, scored 12 points.
Damaine Thorpe, who had three three-pointers in the first half, led Muschett with 24 points and three rebounds; D’Jair Bulgin had 20 points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals, while Cashwayne Simms scored 12 points.
Herbert Morrison controlled the Under-16 game and after a relatively close start, led 15-10, but quickly established a rhythm and ran away with the game, outscoring Muschett 65-26 over the last three quarters.
Two Herbert Morrison players had double-doubles — Okieffe Noble scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds along with seven steals; Shaqueal Benti scored 19 points and had 13 rebounds, while Davaughn Campbell scored 12 points and had eight steals.
Michael Tomlinson scored 16 points to lead Muschett, and Akeem Baker scored 13 points and had 12 rebounds and eight steals.