Members of Belair High's basketball team show off their silverware yesterday following a ceremony to celebrate their victory in the all-island championships. At right is coach Mike Stephenson and beside him is 2007 Miss Jamaica Universe, Zahra Redwood. Also with the team are assistant coach Phillip Johnson (left) and principal Trevor Brown (second right). - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

It is not hard to understand why Belair High celebrated its all-island basketball championship the way it did.

The private institution in Mandeville, with just 285 students on its roster, had to deal with the 'country school' stigma during its Under-19 championship game against Kingston College (KC) on March 22.

Belair's subsequent victory made it the first rural school to win the all-island competition and marked the first national sporting title for the school.

"We've got about 100 guys in this school and 80 per cent of them don't like basketball," said coach Mike Stephenson, who also won four Central Conference Championships with Manchester High. "So, I had to choose a basketball team from about 15 people and to do that from a private school and to go to Kingston and beat them is incredible."

Celebration

The school paused all activities and feted the basketball team yesterday with a two-and-half-hour ceremony that included a performance by the cheerleading squad, a makeshift interview with the coach and a tribute from reigning Miss Jamaica Universe, Zahra Redwood.

The players were first introduced NBA-style into a packed auditorium decorated with the school colours of green and yellow. The Central Conference and all-island trophies sat at the head of the room and basketball uniforms embellishedthe walls.

Belair was founded in 1968 and originally had an American curriculum as it catered to the children of expatriates who worked at the island's bauxite plants.

That, however, began to change in 2002 and three years ago the school was allowed to compete in events sanctioned by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA).

"It's been only three years since we joined ISSA. We are a small school and for us to field a team that is a national champion it is an absolutely great achievement," said principal Trevor Brown. "Also, all our boys are very academically-oriented and that is the philosophy of the school that we must have a sound mind and a sound body."

Stephenson credited most of his success to the intelligence of his players. Belair were unbeaten all season, winning 19 successive games.

After beating Holmwood in the Central Conference finals, they defeated Old Harbour, St. Catherine and Wolmer's.

In preparation for the final against KC, Belair practised with the words "BEAT KC" painted on the blackboard.

"My team was mentally ready for this and we knew they would be underestimating us. We knew they were saying 'Let's beat the country boys and send them back home'," added Stephenson.

The tag of coming from the country and not being good enough, more than anything else, motivated Belair to become champions.

And in a sign of embracing their 'country' roots, yesterday's MC, Nelton Johnson, sporadically shouted "A Mandeville mi come from" which evoked the response from the students, "A Belair mi go".

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