2 days Ago By [email protected] (Sheldon Longley)
DAVIE, Florida — The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team hadn’t won an international matchup since 2020 and wanted to put a stop to that streak against the Millenia Atlantic University (MAU) Macaws at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, Florida, recently. In an intense game with seven lead changes and nine ties, the Mingoes prevailed, 69-67. With 38 seconds to go in the second half, UB captain Theodore Grant capitalized on a steal and made a tough layup to pull the Mingoes within one point at 65-64.
After an inbounds pass, the Mingoes got another steal to create another fastbreak opportunity. Forward Jerehemiah Miller converted on a putback attempt to give UB a 66-65 lead. After a quick layup from MAU, giving them a 67-66 lead, Grant found himself back on the free throw line.
He connected on the first to tie the game at 67-67 with 27 seconds to go. With 15.1 on the clock, Grant stole the ball and found Miller for a go-ahead layup.
The Mingoes led 69-67. The Mingoes deflected a pass out of bounds with 3.1 seconds to go.
On the inbounds play, the UB defense held MAU’s top scorers at bay. MAU was able to get off a wobbly three-point attempt that hit the top of the backboard. The Mingoes held on for the 69-67 win.
Jerehemiah Miller scored 21 points with 12 rebounds and forward Gabriel Styles scored 18 points with nine rebounds in the win. “Everything just came together and everyone just played with heart and our defense was really on point despite a few mistakes,” Miller said. “We really wanted it more than them.
” Styles, who also had four steals and four blocks, said it was clear what worked for the team. “We played with a lot of defensive intensity and that lead to offense,” Styles said. Grant scored 10 points to go along with 12 assists and eight steals.
He said it was clear that defense won the game for them. “Our defense really picked up in the last half of the game and we really capitalized on the defense creating offense for us out there,” the senior captain said. “The press we had out there really got MAU aggravated and that caused turnovers that we were able to convert.
” Gregory Cox scored five points and had seven rebounds for the Mingoes while Audley Russell pulled down six rebounds and scored six points off the bench to aid in the win..
