KINGSTON, Jamaica — The intensity of the ISSA Urban High School Basketball Championships reaches its zenith this week as the semifinal rounds commence in both the Under-16 and Under-19 divisions. The quest for a place in the finals unfolds through a demanding best-of-three series format, with the U-16 matchups scheduled for Monday and the U-19 clashes set for Tuesday.
A remarkable display of athletic prowess sees three institutions—Jamaica College (JC), Campion College, and St. George’s College (STGC)—securing positions in the semifinals for both age categories. They are joined by Wolmer’s Boys’ School in the U-16 bracket and Camperdown High School contending in the U-19 semifinals.
Monday’s U-16 action will feature the defending champions, STGC, hosting Wolmer’s Boys, while Jamaica College travels for an away game against Campion College. Both contests are slated for a 3:00 pm tip-off.
The narrative deepens in the U-19 division, where Jamaica College aims to achieve a prestigious double by defending its senior title. Their path is blocked by a formidable St. George’s College squad, last year’s U-16 champions, now hungry to claim the U-19 trophy and expand their silverware collection.
Duane Cunningham, head coach for Jamaica College, expressed profound excitement for his players across both teams. “JC is one of three schools to have made it to both the U-16 and U-19 semi-finals. I’m excited for the boys who have put a lot of work into being where they are at right now,” Cunningham stated in an interview. He highlighted the unwavering confidence of his undefeated U-19 team while acknowledging the immense talent—and zero margin for error—of his U-16 squad, emphasizing the need to execute perfectly and harness JC’s renowned winning energy against well-coached, quality opponents.
Key players are poised to become decisive factors. Campion College, the defending U-19 champions and also undefeated, are powered by the exceptional talents of Zachary Lawrence, who is coming off a monumental 35-point, 23-rebound performance. JC will counter with a trio of stars: the in-form Oritsematosan Ikolo, who recently scored 21 and 29 points in successive games, alongside Jahlani Jones and Christopher Burgess. For their U-16 ambitions, JC will rely on Jamarie Watson, Siedu Hamm, and Dijon Wallder.
Meanwhile, Clifford Brown, coach of STGC, adopted a measured perspective, recognizing the monumental challenge ahead. “It’s an uphill task trying to win one of two, much less to contemplate winning both titles,” Brown remarked, committing his team to hard work and accepting whatever outcome may come, while hoping for divine support on their competitive journey.
The Light Blues of STGC will pin their U-16 hopes on captain Joshua Thombs, Jesehf McKenzie, and Rico-Hylton Junior. Their U-19 campaign will be spearheaded by captain Rusaughn Bent, Barrington Dennis, and Alexander Bailey, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the semifinal round.