On Monday, Queen’s School cemented its status as the undisputed powerhouse of urban Jamaican schoolgirls basketball, claiming a third consecutive Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (SSA) championship title after a convincing 49-33 victory over St Andrew High in the final clash hosted at the UWI Bowl.
Having already lifted the trophy in 2024 and 2025, the reigning champions entered the final as favourites, and they lived up to every expectation by controlling the tempo of the game from opening tip-off. By the end of the first quarter, Queen’s had already built an insurmountable 19-6 lead, putting St Andrew High on the back foot for the remainder of the match. The defending champions never surrendered their momentum, closing out the contest with a comfortable 16-point winning margin to extend their historic reign.
Standout performer Danae Brown led all scorers with an impressive game-high 23 points, earning her the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award for her decisive contributions on the court. For runners-up St Andrew High, Kimani Solomon topped the team’s scoring sheet with 10 points in the losing effort.
In her post-match comments, Brown attributed her consistent strong performances throughout the tournament to her cross-training background in multiple sports. The MVP, who switched to basketball from an early start in football, credited the guidance of her various coaches – including those on the national team – for her development, alongside her own relentless commitment to improvement. “I’ve been interested in sports since I was very little. I started from football, actually, but I transferred to basketball. So, coming up, I’ve made this progress with a lot of coaches, even on the national team. They taught and trained me hard to get to this level, and I pushed myself as well to get to this level,” Brown shared while holding her newly awarded MVP trophy.
She added that representing the three-time defending champions has been a source of immense pride, particularly as the program continues its undefeated streak of title victories. “It’s been wonderful, actually, for a school undefeated over and over again and reclaiming this title. It’s been an honour to play for Queen’s,” she said.
Donald Bimmer, head coach of the champion Queen’s School side, echoed that the victory was rooted in his squad’s explosive opening quarter, a result of careful pre-game planning. “We got a good jump because we were able to get a 19-6 first quarter. And then from there, we just kind of managed the scoring and the possessions because we were able to get the lead that we wanted, which I had planned for,” Bimmer explained.
The coach confirmed that the team’s ambition for the 2026 season extended far beyond the urban title, mirroring the program’s successful 2024 run that saw the squad claim both the urban and all-island championships. “This year, clearly, the plan was to win everything. That’s the plan, just like we did two years ago when we won all, both urban and all-island,” he added.