Western Bureau:

Western champions Cornwall College started their campaign in the KFC/ISSA All-Island Basketball competition in fine style when they outlasted Southern Conference contenders Calabar High School 57-51 in their Zone Two first round Under-19 fixture, at the Montego Bay Cricket Club on Monday afternoon.

In a close contest, the Calabar team won the first three quarters 12-10, 15-13 and 15-12, respectively. However, the resolute Cornwall College boys romped the final quarter 22-9 to come away winners by a six-point margin.

The three-team zone also features Central Conference contenders Edwin Allen.

In the first quarter, Calabar started out looking quite ominous with Clevon Lewis, who finished with a game-high 23 points and 20 rebounds, running rings around the Cornwall College team.

However, the Cornwall College team answered as best as they could as they trailed by a mere two points at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, the momentum stayed with the Calabar team as Lewis found a worthy ally in Kavin Carty, who finished with 11 points, 12 steals and eight (8) assists.

However, the resolute Cornwall College refused to buckle as they stayed in close contention to the half, trailing by a 27-23 margin.

Calabar again enjoyed the ascendancy in the third quarter but started showing signs of running out of steam as Cornwall College's Jhaun Bryan, who had a team-high 19 points, made his presence felt. Nonetheless, Calabar won the quarter 15-12.

The final quarter saw Cornwall College stepping into overdrive with Ricardo Greaves, who had 15 points and eight (8) rebounds and Gavin Brown, who had 13 points, 13 rebounds and five (5) steals, joining Bryan in running Calabar into the ground.

Top three teams

When the final whistle came, they had long erased Calabar's lead and were sailing comfortably ahead by six points.

The top three teams from four conferences that contested the competition's preliminary phase are contesting this phase of the competition. An all-island Under-16 playoff is being played simultaneously with the senior competition.

The zones for the senior competition read as follows: Zone One - Ardenne, Herbert Morrison and Ocho Rios; Zone Two - Calabar, Cornwall College and Edwin Allen; Zone Three - St. George's College, Belair High and Dinthill; and Zone Four - Wolmers, Knox College and Mannings.