Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Ardenne High's Alex Lubsy (left) and Andrew Khan (right) attempt to block a shot from Kingston College's Omari Green (partially hidden) in action from the ISSA/KFC Southern Conference basketball final at the National Stadium yesterday. Green scored 15 points as KC won game one 54-40. - Winston Sill

IT was an afternoon of mixed fortune for Kingston College (KC) and Ardenne High as the ISSA/KFC Under-19 and Under-16 schoolboy basketball Southern Conference finals tipped off at the National Stadium court yesterday.

KC came from a 14-point first quarter deficit to go past Ardenne 54-40 in game one of the Under-19 finals.

There was, however, a change of fortune in the Under-16 finals as the purple and white-clad KC were whipped 50-33 to go down 0-1 to Ardenne.

Flying out the gates Ardenne stormed to a 17-3 first quarter lead in the Under-19 encounter as the North Street team found it difficult to cope with a stifling Ardenne front-line. However, Ardenne crippling defence came with a price as their big men got in foul trouble, including shot blocker Alex Lubsy who started the second quarter on the bench.

"We had too many calls against up, their strategy was to foul out the big men and a number of harsh calls from the referees helped in that department." said Ardenne coach Basil Waite.

"If you are going to call a tough game then fouls should be on both sides not one team forced to make early substitutions." he added.

KC were quick to take advantage of the fact that Ardenne's starters were out of the game. Led by Omari Green who finished the game with 15 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, they closed the lead to seven headed into half-time with the score at 23-16.

Long range efforts

Another surge at the start of the third saw them cut even further into the lead of a stagnant Ardenne who were forced to attempt long range efforts and had difficulty taking care of the ball. With five minutes left in the third quarter they levelled the game at 25-25 and then with the momentum now on their side closed the quarter with a 38-27 lead. A crest fallen Ardenne could do little to stem the tide and despite a run with three minutes left to go in the game found themselves trailing by too many points to keep things interesting.

"We had a very slow start and that is unusual, it may have been a bit of complacency, but when we settled we played our game," said KC coach Andrew Jackson

"Winning game one was very important for us here today, but now we have to prepare for the next game," he said. Christopher Thomas was KC's second highest scorer with 14 points, while Andrew Khan top scored for Ardenne with 12 points.

In Under 16 action point guard Dimitri Gauge led the way for Ardenne with 15 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Jarr had 18 points for KC.