House 4 receive their trophy from former Director (Ag) of Youth Affairs and Sports, Patrick O. Harrigan. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

House 3 celebrate the Championship with Patrick O. Harrigan. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Michael Richardson was named MVP after helping House 4 to the Junior Championship. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Franklyn Penn Junior was named Senior Boys MVP after his team, House 3, won the senior title. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Mr Patrick O. Harrigan received a plaque in honour of having the Championship named after him. Making the presentation was Mr Rhennie O. Phipps. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Hundreds of fans from the school had been allowed the afternoon off to watch the drama unfold and they weren’t disappointed as first, in the Junior Boys Division, House 4 beat House 1, 34-30.

With House 1 ahead by a point with 8 minutes remaining, House 4 were first able to keep their opponents close and then with 2 minutes remaining kept the scores tied at 28-28.

Up by four with 90 seconds left, House 4 denied their rivals a way back into the game and ran out the champions.

Michael Richardson was named Most Valuable Player (MVP).

House 3 the Senior Division champs

In the Senior Division, House 3 beat House 4, 40-35 with Franklyn Penn Junior emerging as MVP.

The result was almost a foregone conclusion by the end of the first quarter with Fleming House up by 14 points, but Carlisle showed a fighting spirit to come back to reduce the deficit to 9 by half time. Then in the third quarter the score reached 33-24, before House 3 applied some real pressure in the fourth quarter, to bring the gap down to just four points.

However, House 3 were able to command the dying seconds and held on for a famous victory.

Lots of potential spotted

“It is important to see competitions like this at the high school level, but having said that I hope the talent will be such that the level of play will get better. The players this year have good ball handling skills, but don’t finish as they should. I see a lot of potential and I’m hoping some will be able to get scholarships and further their education,” commented Championship Honouree, Patrick O. Harrigan.

“Having been given the assignment of Coordinator of Basketball,” noted former college basketball star and national player, Steve E. Parillon, “I felt putting on the House League was very important to the school. Many who don’t normally get an opportunity were able to show their skills and it has also been useful for me to scout players for the school team. The league had a zero tolerance policy on indiscipline and each of the games was well supported, but next year we will have to work on getting girls out to play as well.”

The boys will be concentrating on exams for a while and then continue playing in the various leagues sanctioned by the BVI Basketball Federation before Parillon gets them back and works on his school team for the Inter Scholastic Competition with St John and St Thomas.