By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter​

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net​

THE spread of the coronavirus has not only interrupted the flow of sports worldwide, but it has forced the closure of schools as well.​

In that vain, Teleos Christian Academy was unable to celebrate the achievements of their Cherubims’ student-athletes during the past academic school year, but the principal, Pastor Dave Adams, said it was a year that he will cherish for the accomplishments by their sporting teams up to that point. ​

Teleos senior girls basketball and volleyball teams were coached by Tannica Joseph, a graduate of Teleos. She led the Cherubims to victory in the Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association’s volleyball tournament with Rowana Duverse as the most valuable player.​

The Cherubims junior girls’ team were the runners-up.​

Adams said he was particularly proud of the accomplishments of their basketball team as they went on to win the BSAA title, despite losing their 6-foot, 3-inch centre, Erin Williams, who left to go to play for the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves. Williams played for Teleos for the past three years and competed on the junior national team for the last two years.​

In her absence, Adams said coach Joseph was still able to guide Teleos to winning the title behind the 1-2 punch from Duverse and Ladasha Johnson.​

The Cherubims also earned second place in the BSAA’s open division for girls’ basketball.​

Teleos’ primary boys and girls teams, coached by Yves Pierre, also achieved some success, winning or finishing up behind Temple Christian Academy in just about every tournament they participated in during the BSAA season or in Grand Bahama.​

The Cherubims boys’ basketball team was led by Andrew Bethel. Their girls’ team had a tandem of Melaysia Brennen and Merlanda Beaubrun, who controlled their destiny.​

Adams also relied on the services of another Teleos graduate Chauncey Cooper to coach their senior and primary boys’ volleyball teams. He was assisted by Tom Grant Jr.​

In volleyball, the Cherubims won the BSAA championship after going undefeated as Dave Adams Jr and Benjamin McHardy provided the spark.​

Teleos also won the BSAA primary boys’ championship title behind the MVP performance from Darius Hanna.​

In basketball, coach Cooper was again assisted by Grant Jr and Gerald Bethel. The coaching staff took the junior boys through an undefeated (19-0) win-loss season in the BSAA league as they repeated as the champions with Michael Albury as the highlight of the show. ​

The Cherubims’ intermediate boys team, coached by Pedro Berkley, won the BSAA title behind the outstanding performance from Jamie Vil.​

And their senior boys team, coached by Walter Charlton and Nathan Innocent, got off to a rocky start after seven of their returning players had left the programme with one going to Government High, three to Anatol Rodgers and another three to Mt Carmel.​

However, Adams said there was some light at the end of the tunnel as their prayers were answered when hurricane Dorian ravished the island of Abaco and they were able to accommodate 17 boys and girls with their education and living accommodations.​

“We found out that several of the young men could play basic basketball, but three of them could play really good,” Adams said. “It was then that we realised that God was putting Teleos team together.​ “As they precited together under coach Charlton and coach Nathan, they began to improve.

Finally they were getting along pretty good and foregoed playing in the Hugh Campbell to play in the Long Island Tournament for the second time.

It proved to be a real motivating time for them as they won the tournament, going undefeated in both the senior and intermediate boys’ divisions.”​

According to Adams, the real test for Teleos came in the BSAA tournament where their senior boys team advanced to the championship to face their former head coach and the three outstanding young men who had defected with him. ​

In the best-of-three series, the Cherubims encountered another setback when two of their players were not allowed to play due to some technicality, which shortened their bench to only two substitute players.​

Adams said Teleos lost the first game but they did not lose heart. ​

“With the depleted team we came back and tied the series at one apiece,” Adams said. “In the third and final game, the lead changed hands several times before Teleos won decisively.”​

Adams said there was a tremendous celebration after the championship win due to the fact that they played against their players who had left for what they thought was a better team and the fact that their former coach had publicly stated that coach Charlton was an incapable coach.​

“Head coach Charlton did a masterful job in coaching, matching and counteracting Mt Carmel with his strategy,” Adams said.​

“He, along with his assistant coach Nathan, had a great game plan that worked. In the end, Teleos became BSAA champs again for the fifth year in a row. What a great year Teleos had. As principal, I want to thank my coaching staff for a job well done.”​

Adams also lauded his entire senior boys team, especially Adams Jr, who led in points, rebounds and assists in the championship.​

“I also want to commend Enrico, the great motivator, Welty for his great leadership, Carlos, who played beyond expectation, Frednel, our steady beast, Mauricio ‘Bunwood Webster, the player who never quits, Ricardo Riley, who played his roll beautifully, Basol, known as the “Quiet Assassin” and “Gil”, a player who comes through in the right time.”​

Although the Cherubims didn’t get to properly celebrate their accomplishments at school as the coronavirus abruptly shut down the season after they completed basketball, Adams said he owes a debt of gratitude to all of the players, coaches and staff at Teleos for a great season.