By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After a week of intense competition, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture crowned its champions in the 36th Father Marcian Peters Invitational Basketball Tournament.

The finals were played on Wednesday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Judith P Thompson clinched the primary boys’ title with a 44-41 victory over the Temple Christian Suns.

And Xavier’s Giants secured the primary girls’ crown with their 50-19 rout over Temple Christian.

The DW Davis Royals proved once again to be the head of the junior boys’ division with their 53-40 decision over the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons and Teleos Cherubims earned the junior girls’ title, holding off the CH Reeves Raptors 30-27.

Patrick J Bethel took the intermediate boys’ crown back to Abaco with their 44-32 decision over Teleos, while the Kingsway Academy Saints nipped the CV Bethel Stingrays 38-36 for the senior girls’ title.

The tournament, according to tournament director James Clarke, turned out to be a very successful one with some exciting games played.

“We had a few teams who pulled out at the last minute, but the teams who showed up, they p-lsyed very well. We had a lot of close games,” Clarke said.

“For basketball, the future looks bright, especially from the primary schools that I saw play. There are some talented guards and some big kids, who can handle the ball. But most of all, I think our biggest deficit in this country is we need some outside shooters.”

Clarke, a former national team player as. guard himself ,said he would like to see the coaches work little more on getting their players to shoot the outside shots.

“The championship games saw the junior girls, senior girls and the primary  boys going down to the wire. They had everyone on edge,” Clsrke said.

“Even though the primary girls were a little lopsided, we saw some talented kids who can handle the ball, especially from Xavier’s. They played very well. The future looks bright for basketball.”

DW Davis’ coach Mark Hanna said this was just a continuation of the successful season his Royals are enjoying right now.

“We worked hard this year in preparation for our season. We played a lot of games,” Hanna said. “We went to Andros and we won over there. We went to Eleuthera and we won there. Now we are in Grand Bahama for another tournament and we hope to win this one too.

“We also played in various tournaments in Nassau and won. The team is growing and we’re getting better. For a lot of these guys and even myself, basketball is a hobby. We love the game and so we are going to continue to work and play as much as we can and hopefully we can continue to win.”

Hanna, however, said it’s not all about hoisting the trophies in the sir, but he’s more concerned about helping to develop his players into young men, who can become productive citizens in the community.

“Some of them are going to go to college and some are just going to stay home and enrol in the Police Force or the other armed forces so they can help our country. 

So it’s bigger than basketball right now. Every opportunity I get to influence them in a positive way, that is what we are all about. So we’re always ready to go.”

The Royals are participating in the tournament organized by Quintin ‘Three Ounce’ Hall at St George’s Gym in Grand Bahama. It will wrap up on Saturday.

In February, Xavier’s Giants will be taking their primary girls to Grand Bahama to play in their fourth tournament for the season and head coach Raygail Smith is looking forward to making it four straight as champions.

In winning the title at Fr Msrcian, Xavier’s added to the championships they won at the Golden Eagles Tournament and their first title stv the Catholic Diocesan Primary School League.

“I’m extremely excited and happy for the girls, the school, their parents and for myself,” Smith said. “We look forward to getting the fourth title in February in Grand Bahama.

“This is the most that the school has won. This is history making and so I’m pleased and joyful. I’m just thankful for what we are doing as a team.”

Sheri Bscom was named the MVP.

Clarke, a consultant at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said here in New Providence, the Ministry held six good days of basketball irth the junior and intermediate boys playing at DW Davis and the other divisions at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

However, on championship day, all of the games were played at Kendl Isaacs. Clarke thanked all of the coaches for the job they did with their players. He also thanked all of the officials and even the parents, who showed up and supported their children.