Giants, Saints Successfully Defend Senior Titles

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NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – The BAISS basketball season concluded and a pair of programs retained their titles.

The defending champions returned to the top of the league in a pair of backdoor sweeps.

In a pair of thrillers won by a combined two points – the St. John’s College Giants took the title while Kingsway Academy won the senior girls title.

The Giants edged the Charles W. Saunders Cougars 57-55 in game three.

St. John’s lost the opening game on a buzzer-beating three, came back to win, game two by 32, setting the stage for the finale.

The Giants pushed the lead to seven late in the fourth quarter before the Cougars rallied, but couldn’t get a shot off on the final possession.

Akai Miller led the Giants with 20 points, while D’alfer Gibson Jr. added 15.

Stephon Nelson led the Cougars with 16, and Bryson Rolle scored 15.

On the senior girls side, the Saints overcame a loss in game one and clinched the title on a defensive highlight.

They edged the Giants 28-27 in last nights finale.

The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than five points.

The Saints went on a 5-0 run late in the fourth and sealed the title with a decisive block from Rotreasure Butterfield in the final seconds.

Dashante Sears led the Saints with 11 points while Zuri Hanna topped the Giants with eight.

NBA All-Star Weekend

VJ Edgecombe is about to shine bright among the youngest stars in the NBA.

Edgecombe was selected third overall in the actual draft last June and third again by Vince Carter’s team for the Castrol Rising Stars challenge at NBA All-Star weekend.

He earned a spot among the league’s top rookies and sophomores in the mini tournament between three teams – Friday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Each semifinal game will be played to 40 points, while the final is a race to 25.

For Edgecombe, the selection marks another major milestone in his rookie season and places him in front of a global audience during one of the NBA’s biggest weekends.

He currently leads all rookies in steals at 1.3 per game.

NBA

In their final game, before the All-Star break, VJ Edgecombe and his Philadelphia 76ers faced a tough night in a 138-89 loss to the New York Knicks at home in the Xfinity Mobile Arena, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He scored 14 points on 6-16 shooting, with four rebounds, two assists and a block in 32 minutes.

The Sixers looked ready to be on the break, trailing by 30 points at halftime and never threatening against a Knicks team playing the second night of a back-to-back.

Philadelphia ends the first half at 30-24, 6th in the Eastern Conference.