MONTEGO BAY, St James — Cornwall College pulled off a massive upset on Thursday to beat St James High 49-39 in the finals of the ISSA Western Confederation Boys Under-14 basketball competition at the Montego Bay Cricket Club.

St James High came into the final as the overwhelming favourites, winning all 10 regular season games, including two against Cornwall College before blowing away Muschett High 57-18 in the semi-final on Tuesday.

They were outwitted in the final, however, as Cornwall College, who were winning a basketball title for the first time in over five years, rallied from a half-time deficit and a double-digit deficit to win by 10 points.

Herbert Morrison took third place after Muschett High failed to show for the consolation play-offs.

Ryan Watson, who sat out the first quarter, led all scorers with 18 points and five rebounds for Cornwall College with two three-pointers, Shemar Martin scored 12 points and Layandre Akoto scored eight points and had five rebounds.

Kemauny Welch led St James High with 14 points, most coming in the fourth quarter when they made a run to cut a 13-point deficit to seven, while Malike Marston scored eight points.

Cornwall College, who had finished second in the regular season and beat outgoing champions Herbert Morrison Technical by two points (37-35) in the semi-finals, led by a single point (10-9) at the end of the first quarter, clawing their way back into the game after St James High started with a 7-2 run.

The second quarter produced runs for both teams as St James High scored the first four points to retake the lead, Cornwall rallied briefly, but St James went on a 10-0 run to go up 23-14 late before Cornwall responded with a 7-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to four points at half-time 23-27.

It was all Cornwall College in the second half as they tied up the game at 28-28 with just over seven minutes to go in the third quarter as they started with a 10-1 surge and led 35-28 with three and a half minutes to go in the third quarter.

With Watson and Martin leading the way, Cornwall College opened up a big lead (43-30) early in the fourth quarter, but St James High rallied to cut the deficit to six points (39-45) with just over two minutes left in the game.

Watson stepped up with back-to-back baskets, however, to put the game away for Cornwall College.

– Paul Reid