LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Oberon Pitterson (left) and Marland Nattie. - file

Jamaica Basketball Asso-ciation president Marland Nattie took the responsibility of hosting the Caribbean Championships in June, hoping one of the spin-offs would be the male and female title together for the first time. It worked.

The men won their third title while the women were winning the crown for the first time. The women's team was boosted by the introduction of former WNBA player, Simone Edwards, but it was long-time veteran and captain Oberon Pitterson who ensured the trophy stayed in Jamaica.

The men's team, led by new coach Julian Dunkley, had an easier than expected path to the title.

The women's team, due to their third-place finish in the Centrobasket tournament in Mexico, has qualified for the Pan Am Games in Brazil in July, and the final qualifying round for the 2008 Olympics in Chile in September.

In the local league, St. George's Slayers won their second consecutive title in the National Basket-ball League, sweeping Urban Knights in the final. The women's league was won by Waulgrovian Bullets while St. Catherine High were the all-island high school champions.