IN THE PAINT: Mail Boat Cybots defeated Mr Ship It Freight Regulators 93-83 Monday night to take a 1-0 lead in the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one championship series. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
The Mail Boat Cybots survived a tough battle with Mr Ship It Freight Regulators to secure a 93-83 victory for a 1-0 lead in the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one championship series.
The teams played Monday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium and will continue tonight with game two just after the Breezes High Flyers and the Johnson’s Truckers play game two of their division II series. The High Flyers won the opener 98-84.
The winners of the two best-of-seven championships will get to represent the NPBA when the Bahamas Basketball Federation takes its Bunny Levarity National Basketball Championships to Abaco April 27-29.
Cybots 93,
Regulators 83
The game saw the lead switch in each quarter until the Mail Boat went on a 36-21 spurt in the fourth to clinch the win.
“It was a very competitive game. They are a really tough team. I kind of watched all of their games over the last couple of weeks and I try to implement the defensive strategies in our game to beat them,” said Cybots’ coach Wayde Watson.
“Offensively, we were able to get some productivity from our offence. We were a little patient.We didn’t allow their defence to dictate to us. So we were able to capitalise on that.”
Mr Ship It Freight, coached by Don Dorsett, came from a 27-22 deficit after the first quarter to trail just 46-43 before they went ahead 62-57 at the end of the third. “We have to tip our hats to the Cybots. They shot the ball really well. That was the difference in the game,” Dorsett said. “They came out scorching and I think their lack of bench may have helped.
“Certain players strive when they realise that their bench is short. They take more risk, but they shot the ball really well. Ernest, I think, was the difference, being able to get to the line at the end of the game.”
Despite the loss, Dorsett said he was still pleased with the effort by his Regulators and they will definitely make the adjustments for tonight’s game two.
Playing the entire game with just nine players in uniform, Ernest Saunders lit up the nets for a game high 28 points, shooting 8-for-11 from the field, 1-for-1 from behind the three-point arch and 11-for-18 from the free throw line. He also had six rebounds, four assists and as many steals.
Dominique Beadle came off the bench and scored 22 points with six rebounds; Darrio Seymour had 18 points; Lerecus Armbrister had 12 points, four rebounds and four assists and Livingstone Munnings contributed nine points with 10 rebounds, five sterals, three block shots and two steals.
For Mr Ship Ii Freight, Simon Cruz canned 23 points with three rebounds in 25 minutes. He shot 8-for-13 from the field, 6-for-9 from the three-point line and 1-for-1 from the free throw line.
Eugene Bain had 18 points with 12 rebounds; Miguel Mackey had 13 points, five assists and four rebounds and Gameliel Rose chipped in with 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.
The Cybots got out-scored 24-19 in points from turnovers, but they held a 32-28 advantage from points in the paint. They also had a 12-5 edge in second chance points, but the Regulators got out-scored 40-15 in points off the bench.
The Mail Boat had one rebound 43-42 than Mr Ship It Freight, who had 15 turnovers, four less than their rivals. The Cybots, however, held the biggest lead of 12, while the Regulators had just seven at one point.
Tonight’s Schedule
7pm - Breezes High Flyers vs
Johnson’s Trucking
8:30pm - Mail Boat Cybots vs
Mr Ship It Freight Regulators
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