Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

St. Jago's captain Michael Blake (centre) hold the trophy and several of his teamates also get a touch as they celebrate their victory over Wolmer's in the KFC/ISSA Southern Conference Under-19 finals. St. Jago won yesterday's Game Two 55-54 at St. Jago, to take the best-of-three-finals 2-0. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Host St. Jago High won their first lien on the Inter-Secondary School Association (ISSA)/KFC Under-19 Southern Conference Basketball title, when they edged Wolmer's Boys 55-54 in a double overtime thriller yesterday.

St. Jago won the best of three series 2-0.

"I predicted this victory, because its three to four seasons now since any side had beaten us at home, so I tell the guys that we wanted to keep that intact," said Michael Vassell, coach of St. Jago.

Wolmer's captain, Blake, said: "This loss is really heart-rending, because we came here five years in a row and still could not put it away. But we fought hard and I guess God didn't ordain us to win."

St. Jago trailed the victors 25-19 at the half-time break, with Adrian Blake scoring 10 of his game-high 22 points for Wolmer's.

St. Jago stepped up their defence in the second half and they cut the deficit to three points at 35-32. St. Jago led by three with less than 30 seconds, but Wolmer's Everton Jhulur converted three free throws to tie the game at 45-45. Dale led the scoring for his team with 13 points and 10 steals and got good support from captain Michael Blake 12 points and 10 steals and Kamoy Anderson 12 points, 16 rebounds and six steals.

St. Jago also held a one point lead with less than seven seconds left in the second overtime, but Jhulur, this time, missed two free throws.