KWAKWANI, President’s College and students from Aroaima registered overall victories when the curtains came down on the 2022 ExxonMobil National Schools Basketball Festival (NSBF), which concluded on Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Kwakwani Secondary and Aroaima posted big victories in the Girls Developmental final and the Boys U18 final.

Kwakwani were dominant throughout the female battle this year and were always favourites to take the title.

A dominant first half, which resulted in a 27-4 score, pushed the side to a 29-point victory (46-17).

Queen’s College played a better second half, but the Georgetown school could not stop the dominant Shania Sears, who scored a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Natalya Clarke, in support, just missed a triple-double with 10 points, nine rebounds and 11 steals.

The dominance of the two senior players for a resurging Kwakwani team did not go unnoticed.

Sears took home the Most Valuable Player and Best Scorer awards, while Clarke finished as the Best Defender and the Player with the Most Assists.

Cianna Barkoye, with six points and nine rebounds, led Queen’s College.

BOYS U-16 FINAL
President’s College made it into both male finals. In the Boys U-16 championship clash, they got past KidRock Academy 65-54.

DeJaun Grant and Aiden Semple led the scoring for the winners.

Grant finished with a game-high 26 points and six rebounds, while Semple finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Abeil Ward proved his dominance on the board. He pulled down 17 rebounds to go with seven points.

For KidRock Elisah Robertson scored 18 points, made five steals and pulled down four rebounds to lead the attack, while Stephen George finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

Grant finished as the Most Valuable Player, the Best Scorer, and also received the Standout Player Award.

BOYS U-18 FINAL
Meanwhile, Students from the locality of Aroaima dominated the U18 Boys final after whipping President’s College 103-52.

The first-timers were in a class of their own as they dismantle a well-coached President’s College team, who came into the tournament as the defending senior champion.

Aoirima also defeated six-time champions Kwakwani, and five-time champions Linden Technical Institute en route to winning their maiden championship.

Kasim English top-scored with 37 points and 14 rebounds, while the National 3X3 Caribbean Games bronze medallist, Kemol Grimmond scored 28 points, made eight assists and pulled down a whopping 15 rebounds.

Support came from Adi Donald with 19 points and Kelon Phillips with 14 points.

President’s College were led by Kemol Mentore with 24 points, and 13 rebounds (PC) and U16 MVP Grant, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Philips, who dominated in the other clashes, won the tournament’s MVP and Best Scorer’s award, while Grimmond won the finals MVP award and the Most Assist trophy.

Other special awards included:
Best Emerging Team– Christ Church Secondary
Best Uniform Team — The Bishops’ High School
Best Fan Support– President’s College
Sportsmanship Team– President’s College
Sportsmanship Individual– Ronoko Vaughn (PC)
Senior Class– Ronoko Vaughn (PC)
Standout Players- Kassidy Woolford (GT Academy Girls), DeJaun Grant (PC U16), and Demitri Rankin (Christ Church U18)
Best Coach- Willon Cameron, President’s College
ExxonMobil Guyana was the major sponsor of this year’s tournament with support from the National Sports Commission, G-Boat Guyana, Edward B. Beharry & Company Ltd, and Banks DIH Ltd.