The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Commonwealth Bank Giants are now just one series win away from three-peating as the New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) champions.

At DW Davis gym Monday night, the Giants returned to the final after sweeping the PJ Stingers in their semifinal series with a 101-88 rout in the clincher.

Mark Hanna led five players in double figures with 25 points and seven rebounds. Jackson Jacob helped out with 23 points, Ricardo Pierre had 15, Michael Bain 14 and Gamelial Rose added 12.

For the Stingers, who took an 18-15 lead after the first quarter but ended up trailing 40-34 at the half and 69-57 at the end of the third, Darshtyn Baker had a game high 27 points. Four other players also scored in double figures with Batchelette LaFleur scoring 15, Devon Ferguson 13, Kevin Hinsey 11 and Sharrano Bowleg 10.

"I'm pretty much grateful for the performance of the team at this point," said Commonwealth Bank coach Perry Thompson. "Unknowingly to a lot of people, we have been nursing some injuries here and there when we started playing the playoffs.

"But we have tried to change our focus from offense to a more defensive mindset and some of the things we talked about was playing better defense and boxing out and controlling the ball and trying to limit our opponents from scoring. I think we have done a pretty good job on the Stingers."

Now that they have swept aside the Stingers, the Giants will now await the winner of the other half of the semifinal between the MailBoat Cybots and the Real Deal Shockers.

On Monday night, the Cybots evened their series at 1-1 with a 98-90 win over the Shockers. In a balanced scoring attack, Ahmad Bootle paced the MailBoat attack with a game high 24 points and seven rebounds.

Nelson 'Mandella' Joseph had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Tyrone Sands 13 points and eight rebounds, Eugene Bain 11 points and nine rebounds, Billy Sands 10 points and both Brian Bain and Jermaine Storr nine apiece.

The Shockers opened a 16-14 first quarter lead that they extended to 43-40 at the half before they ended up tied at 63 after the third. Jeremy Hutchinson scored 21 points and nine rebounds.

Floyd Armbrister, Barry Carter and Khari Thompson all had 13 points with Carter and Thompson pulling down seven and six rebounds respectively. Amon Baker chipped in with eight points.

Coach Thompson, whose Giants won their only regular season meeting over the Cybots but lost to the Shockers, said they are just hoping that they can carry their momentum into the championship against whoever they meet.

"Over the past six years, we have really been battling with both of these teams," he said. "It's not really a particular preference. We just have to wait and see who comes out of it.

"We will just sit down and plan for both teams. The only good thing about it is we still have a couple of players who are hurt, so hopefully the extra days to rest will give them a chance to heal and get ready for the championship round."

Thompson said the league has been such a balanced one that it's anybody's chance to win it all. It just depends on who comes out and wants it more, he said, adding that his team is hungry to repeat as champions.

Game three of the Cybots versus Shockers semifinals series is slated for 7:30pm tonight at DW Davis. Game four is set for Friday and, if necessary, the fifth and deciding game will be played Saturday.

If the series doesn't go the distance, the championship series between the winner and the Giants could open as early as Saturday night.

Whenever it starts, Thompson said they will be ready.