The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Island Luck Pros were in full force, but they were pushed to the limit by the depleted Mail Boat Cybots as the New Providence Basketball Association continued its regular season at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Saturday night.

The Pros slowly pulled away for an 88-77 victory over the Cybots, with just five players in action, during the feature game. In the opener, the Patron Regulators prevailed with a 76-63 decision over the College of the Bahamas Caribs.

The performances came a day after the defending champions Commonwealth Bank Giants clobbered the Rythm Rebels 99-57 and the Real Deal Shockers got past the PJ Stingers 104-94.

Pros 88, Cybots 77

Although they had the upper hand with a full bench to work with, Island Luck had their hands full with the five players in uniform for the Mail Boat.

The Pros, who improved to 4-2, took a slim 20-17 lead after the first quarter and held onto a 39-33 margin at the half and 64-49 at the end of the third.

But it was in the fourth, with seven minutes and 34 seconds left to play, when the Cybots watched as the game slipped away from them as they got -outscored 7-4 to trail 70-53.

The Mail Boat came back with a 18-12 spurt to trim the deficit to 82-71 with 1:59 left, only to lose their steam down the stretch as the teams traded baskets down the stretch.

“I’m happy with the win, but it’s only setting the pace for where we need to be in this league,” said Island Luck’s coach Gaston Dawkins. “We’re not where we want to be, but we are working on some things and we will get there.”

Livingstone Munnings scored 22 points with 20 rebounds and four steals to lead the way for Island Luck, while Adorn Charlow pumped in 19 points with 13 rebounds.

Jason Mitchell had 17 points and nine rebounds and Don Marshall had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Jeremy Hutchinson scored a game high 23 points with 12 rebounds to pace the Mail Boat, who fell to 4-2. Ahmad Bootle had 18 points and nine rebounds, Brian Bain also had 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals and Lerecus Armbrister chipped in with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“We had five players. We have a bunch of uncommitted, uncircumcised Philistines,” said Cybots’ coach Wayde Watson. “Everybody only wants to show up and play when it benefits them. When it doesn’t benefit them, they don’t show up. We had three guys who were at work and the others just didn’t show up.”

Regulators 76, Caribs 63

Kenneth Pratt led a balanced scoring attack for Patron, scoring 20 points with ten rebounds and three steals as they improved their record to 4-3.

“We started off sluggish, but the guys are coming together. We’re just lacking game time, but each game we are getting stronger and starting to pick up steam,” said Regulators’ coach Don ‘Robo Cop’ Dorsette.

“We stumbled a bit last game and gave away a game that we should have won. I think it was a learning lesson for us, We have to learn to close out games like we did tonight. Everyone in this league is competitive, so we have to tighten up and play much better than we are playing.”

Cruz Simon scored 18 points with 14 rebounds, three steals and two assists, Alex Rolle had 13 points and five rebounds and Gamaliel Rose had 10 points, 14 rebounds, 11 block shots and three steals.

In a losing effort for College of the Bahamas, who fell to 1-4, Justin Smith scored 16 point, 14 rebounds and eight steals, Alvano Laing had 15 points and 15 rebounds and Reuben Goodman chipped in with 11 points and four rebounds.

“We are a whole lot better than we were last year, but we still have to learn how to finish games,” said COB’s coach Baccus Rolle. “If we can cut down on the unforced turnovers, we will be alright.

“But we are a whole lot better than we were last year. We are right there trying to turn the corner. We have two more games to play on Monday and Friday before we take the Christmas break. so we will see if we can play much better than we are doing right now.”

Shockers 104, Stingers 94

Floyd Armbrister and William Rigby provided a 1-2 punch for the Real Deal that was too much for PJ’s to handle on Friday night.

While Armbrister pumped in 37 points with three rebounds, three assists and three steals, Rigby canned a game high 36 points and 16 rebounds in the feature game.

Their next best performer was Antoine Levarity with nine points and nine rebounds. Lamont Armaly and Vernal Johnson added six points each with four and three rebounds respectively.

Able Joseph came up with 26 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and five steals. Devon Johnson had 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals, Tevon Hudson had 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals and Kendrick Curry had 10 points and four rebounds.

Giants 99, Rebels 57

In a lopsided win, Robson Memnon scored 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead Commonwealth Bank to another victory in the opening game on Friday night.

Michael Bain also had 22 points with eight rebounds, Jeffrey Henfield scored 12 points with nine rebounds and nine assists and Samuel Johnson contributed 11 points and five rebounds.

This is the final week of action before the league takes a break for the Christmas holiday:

Tonight

7:30pm - Y Care Wreckers vs PJ Stingers

9pm - College of the Bahamas Caribs vs Real Deal Shockers

Wednesday

7:30pm - Double R Services Limited Cleaners vs Rythm Rebels

9pm - Patron Regulators vs Island Luck Pros

Friday

7:30pm - College of the Bahamas Caribs vs Commonwealth Bank Giants

9pm - Real Deal Shockers vs Mail Boat Cybots