By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) senior division championships will feature four familiar foes starting on Tuesday at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.

Four teams advanced out of the sudden death playoffs on Friday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium for a chance at hoisting a championship trophy to wrap up the season.

The pennant-winning CI Gibson Rattlers comfortably defeated the fourth seeded RM Bailey Pacers 29-24 in the senior girls’ matchup to make their return to the finals.

In a rematch of last year’s finals, the CV Bethel Stingrays once again prevailed against the CR Walker Knights 49-32 to once again move on to the championship round.

The Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves had to edge out the CC Sweeting Cobras 50-49 in the senior boys’ matchup.

The CI Gibson Rattlers, the senior boys’ defending champions, eliminated the fourth seeded RM Bailey Pacers 60-36 to continue their quest for their fourth straight title.

Senior Girls CI Gibson Rattlers vs RM Bailey Pacers

The Rattlers were pushed to the brink by the Pacers but a gutsy performance in the fourth quarter was the difference maker between both teams in crunch time.

CI Gibson head coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson said it felt good to return to the finals after being eliminated early last season.

“It feels really good. Thank God that we were able to defeat RM Bailey. Hats off to them they are a very good team, they have improved and they are working extremely well down there. They got better and it was a hard-fought fight but I think we were just a little better and more conditioned down the stretch and we were able to score some easy baskets to pull away,” he said.

The score was knotted at 15 apiece at the end of the first half but the Pacers managed to secure a three-point lead (21-18) going into the fourth.

The Rattlers took the lead by one (22-21) at the 4:07 mark following a two-pointer by Vonnisha Rolle.

RM Bailey trimmed the Rattlers’ deficit to just four (27-23) after Kenisha Cadron nailed a jumper. 

Unfortunately, the team was unable to regain their footing in the contest and were outscored 11-3 in the final period.

CI Gibson’s Daranique Mackey led all scorers with 15 points in the victory.

The Pacers got a team-high 10 points from Cadron.

Coach Johnson outlined his strategy for their finals opponent - the CV Bethel Stingrays.

“We have to go back to the drawing board and look back at all the mistakes we made and try to improve on them. We have to make free throws and layups. If not, it is gonna be a very long championship,” he said.

CV Bethel Stingrays vs 

CR Walker Knights

It was a physical game between the Knights and Stingrays as both teams battled for the last spot in the senior girls’ finals.

CV Bethel head coach Shantelle Rolle said her message to the team was to stick to the game plan against the Knights.

“I told my girls to keep their head in the game, let’s do what we came for, stick with the game plan, let’s execute our plays, make our layups and free throws and we should come out victorious,” she said.

The Stingrays ran out to a quick 8-0 lead in the first quarter before the Knights scored their first bucket at the 2:40 mark.

CV Bethel created a one-point (12-11) cushion going into the second period.

The Knights tied the score at 15 in the second after Raynia Russell scored late in the quarter.

The score was knotted at 20 with one more half to go.

The Knights continued to hang around on the scoreboard, pulling within two (26-24) with 1:27 remaining in the quarter but it was all CV Bethel in the fourth.

National junior basketball team player Ricarra Beadle, who scored a game-high 30 points, put the Stingrays ahead by double digits (41-29) in the fourth quarter and the rest was history.

Tempers flared late in the fourth at the 1:14 mark resulting in CR Walker’s Shania Munroe and CV Bethel’s Naveah Albury both being ejected from the game along with players that left the bench during this time. 

Munroe led the Knights in scoring with 14 points. 

Rolle shared the team’s strategy going into the finals against the Rattlers.

“Our plan is to just stick with our game plan, play solid defence and let’s eliminate some turnovers. The Rattlers are a very solid team so we gotta come out and stay on top of the game,” she said.

Senior Boys CI Gibson Rattlers vs RM Bailey Pacers

The Rattlers proved why they are the reigning champions against the fourth seeded Pacers on Friday night.

The team started the night with a 23-9 advantage in the second period thanks to stingy defence and fluid offence.

The defending champions were already firing on all cylinders but then Darius Hanna threw down a statement dunk to close out the first half with the Rattlers in charge 36-12.

Coach Johnson spoke about the team’s performance en route to another senior boys finals. 

“We were able to force a lot of turnovers and capitalise on those shots. Darius shot the ball extremely well tonight and defensively we were really locked in and that was key tonight,” he said.

RM Bailey had their best quarter of the game in the third period, scoring 15 points. 

However, the Rattlers once again quelled any momentum when Mario Rolle made a deep three translating to a 52-37 advantage with one to go. 

The Rattlers kept their feet on the gas the rest of the way.

Hanna scored a game-high 26 points for CI Gibson. Lawrence Monestiell put up a team-high 13 points for the Pacers in the loss.

Coach Johnson is expecting big things from the young core in the finals.

“It feels good. The guys work hard. This is a very young team. We are rebuilding. I lost nine seniors last year but it is all about preparation. We started very early last year preparing and the guys gave themselves a chance to get into the championship. We will see what happens when they play Anatol,” he said.

Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves vs CC Sweeting Cobras

The Cobras could not have asked for a better game plan against the Timberwolves but it was not enough in the end.

Anatol head coach Denycko Bowles was emotional as he talked about the team’s resilience in the comeback victory.

“Firstly, I want to thank God for the victory. If  we could do everything possibly wrong in a game we did it tonight. We didn’t execute on offence or defence but it was a push and it was something I think my guys needed moving forward into the championship. We have been resilient all year and the guys really stuck together. It just shows the depth and character of this team to come back after being down the whole game,” he said.

CC Sweeting had Anatol’s number through three quarters, 38-33.

The Cobras pulled away 45-38 at the 4:05 mark of the fourth quarter.

The T’Wolves got within one (45-44) after Paulston Stuart converted a free throw. Following this play, the Cobras had a costly turnover that resulted in Anatol taking their first lead in the second half 46-45 with 1:34 remaining.

The Cobras’ Brenden Darville was right on target for a floater that put CC Sweeting back on top 49-47 but the game came down to the final plays.

Derek Francis split a pair of free throws for Anatol to trail by just one (49-48). His teammate Raymone Woods hit a game winner with 13 seconds to go that clinched the come from behind victory for the team.

The Cobras had a final opportunity to tie or take the lead but missed their attempt.

Stuart led the Timberwolves with 15 points. 

Darville poured in 12 points for the Cobras in the loss.

Coach Bowles said the team will have to go back to the drawing board but will be ready for the finals against the Rattlers.

“We just gotta clean up from this game. We kind of have in our mind what we need to do. We played them earlier in the season and they won the game by a few points but we got them. The guys are gonna go back to the drawing board and I’d say next week is gonna be a dog fight,” he said.

The 2025 GSSSA best-of-three championship series begins 4pm on Tuesday at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.