The Barbados Community College (BCC) are the double crown kings in Massy Stores Inter-Schools volleyball.
In what was undoubtedly the most dramatic schools’ finals ever, BCC clinched the knockout title with a “triple overtime” win over Christ Church Foundation boys 24-26, 32-30, 16-14 at the Wildey Gymnasium on Monday.
MVP Akeel Oxley and high jumper Nathan Crawford-Wallis had looked capable of taking Foundation across the line.
However captain Jherad Morris-Sealy and a host of junior national players, particularly former Foundation students Pierre Nurse and Omari Taylor tilted the game and second crown to BCC.
Morris-Sealy, Akeel Stoute, Taylor and Nurse, who play Division 1 volleyball seemed in control of the game after motoring BCC to set point 24-22 in the first set. Oxley and Crawford-Wallis continued to hit the ball from a height and with venom to lock the scores at 24 and takethe opener.
BCC flipped the script in the second set with libero Khadijah Gittens proving remarkably defiant in defence while Theron Durant and setter Amory Hinkson held their own for BCC to avert game and match point.
On the other hand, Foundation added to the drama as rookie setter Jonathan Layne was blown at critical periods in the second set loss.
Even so, Layne was able to often find Oxley even when he was in the backcourt to score some crunchers which would have impressed his uncle, former Barbados captain Elwyn Oxley, who was officiating the game.
Unbelievably, looking down and out, Foundation surged from 0-9 in the decider. They drew level at 10 on a positional fault by BCC.
Foundation then locked the scores again at 12, 13 and 14 before an error on a backcourt attack at 14-15 by Oxley ended the thriller.
In the earlier girls’ knockout final, Queen’s College dethroned defending champions Harrison College in straight sets 25-12, 25-19. National junior player Aaliyah Durant led the QC assault and got tremendous support from fellow Barbados juniors Reanna Durant, Shanae Boyce and Janina Mayers. (KB)
