By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER dethroning the defending champions in the playoffs the night before, Team Bahamas fell short of claiming the gold in the men’s championship game to Curacao on Saturday at the Caribbean Volleyball Championships.

Before another high spirited crowd on hand at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, Team Bahamas went down 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 as Curacoa celebrated their first championship title ever.

The Bahamas was coming off a high after surging ahead 8-0 and held on for a 15-12 win in the fifth and deciding set over two-time defending champions Suriname on Friday night. 

But the team didn’t have the zap to match the intensity of Curacao in the final match on Saturday. 

Kyle Wilson, who led the team offensively throughout the tournament, said he was “disappointed” that they didn’t go all the way and claim the victory in front of the home crowd that included Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin and Minister of Housing Keith Bell.

“I think we had so much more to give, but we just didn’t show up on the day,” said Wilson, who got some consolation after being named the best outside hitter. “It’s just annoying. But it was amazing hearing the crowd cheer for us. We couldn’t beat that. We just have a lot to learn and a lot to improve on. But I think we did a good job overall to get to the final.” Curacao now joins the Bahamas (2012), Aruba (1991) and Martinique (2008) as the only countries to win the title once. Barbados holds the record for winning ten straight from 1992-2006, Trinidad & Tobago held it three times in 2010, 2014 and 2015 and Suriname won back-to-back titles in 2018 in 2023.

Bahamas’ head coach Glen Rolle said the goal was not just to get to the final, but to win it, so the performance left a kind of “bitter-sweet” feeling in the atmosphere.

“We didn’t leave what we came for. It was a good showing, but it wasn’t good enough,” said Rolle, who was assisted by Prince Wilson and on the coaching staff.

“Consistency wins ball games and tonight, we were not consistent and that’s how we lost. But at home in the goal medal match, this was an awesome feeling. We fell short, but all we can do is build from here.”

The team will have to do it all over again in two years without two of their players in Shonari Hepburn, who suffered an injury from game one, but was still able to hobble through perhaps his final tournament as the best middle blocker.

He, along with Jamaal Ferguson, the libero, who started out as a rookie when the Bahamas last hosted the CVC Championships in 2006. will probably won’t be back for another sting. 

But whatever happens, Curacao will certainly relish in their accomplishments as head coach Hanwick Deal called it a momentous occasion as they rise from sixth to champions.

“Our guys played a hell of a game today,” he said. “The Bahamas played well, but we stayed the course and we are now the champions for the first time. “We had better players, better training and better preparation.”

Team captain Carlos Iseina, who earned the second best middle blocker award, said he was proud of the way the team came together and played as champions.

“I cannot explain it. This is beyond what we have dreamed of,” he stated. “We dream of it, but to get it, we knew it was going to be difficult. The crowd was really into it, so we were happy to get the win.”

What Iseina didn’t provide up front, especially on the defensive end, Derwin Culmer made up for it by producing the most valuable player performance in their 1-2 punch attack.

In each set, Curacao managed to jump ahead of the Bahamas. But after losing the first two sets, the Bahamas didn’t provide the type of energy needed to overall Curacao in the third.