The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WILLIAM ‘JR’ Rigby, in another Most Valuable Player performance, pumped in a game high 42 points to lead the Real Deal Shockers to a 87-74 victory over the Commonwealth Bank Giants.

The game, switched from the feature to the opening contest at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Saturday night, was payback time for the Shockers as they avenged a 114-104 loss to the defending champions Giants in their first encounter on November 19.

The decision left the divisional leaders (Real Deal in the Vince Ferguson and Commonwealth Bank in the John Archer) with only two losses so far this season.

In the feature contest, the Pyramid Food Rockets, (fifth place in the Vince Ferguson Division) knocked off the Y-Care Wreckers (third in the John Archer Division) 100-92.

“I feel wonderful about my team’s performance because we had practice on Thursday night and we went through a lot of things that caused us to lose the first game against them,” said Rigby, who scored 34 points and six rebounds in that loss.

Rigby, the league-leading scorer with 25.18 points per game, fourth in rebounds with 11.27 rebounds, said his latest performance was just an indication of the level that he has taken his game.

“I should have been in the United States in school, but the paperwork hasn’t been completed as yet, so I decided to play with the Real Deal to stay in shape until I move on,” said Rigby, who could be leaving town as early as next month, if everything works out.

While he waits, Shockers’ coach James Price said he could use Rigby to help bolster his lineup.

“All season, we have been riding JR and Tiny (Floyd Armbrister, the third leading scorer) back every night that we come out here,” Price said. “We also have donkey (Salathial Dean) back, so we have a lot more help in the post. So that’s three people we could rely on at any time.

While Rigby led their attack with a game high 42 points on 12-of-19 from the field, 6-for-10 from the three-point arch and 12-of-16 from the free throw line in 32 minutes and 55 seconds with 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks, Dean powered his way inside for 21 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Armbrister was held to just five points with six rebounds.

At times in both the second and third quarters, Price had all three players sitting on the bench as his Shockers watched the Giants storm back to cut into the deficit that they faced.

But Michael Bain, the fourth leading scorer, admitted that they were missing some key components as they were simply too small down low in the paint where the game was really decided.

“We were undersized basically all season, but tonight we came out a little flat with veteran Mark Hanna and sharp shooter Kevin Hinsey both missing,” said Bain, who poured in 19 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals in the loss.

“We just have to go back to practice and work on our game. We missed too many free throws and we were a little too sluggish out there. But we will be back.”

Bain, one of the leading candidates for the comeback performance of the year after he went down with an injury last year, was joined by Jeffery Henfield with 19 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists and Robson Memnon with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Shockers opened up a comfortable 23-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, but over the first six minutes of the second quarter, the Giants surged back to a 29-29 tie with the Real Deal big three on the bench.

Rigby, who had committed two fouls before he took a break, returned and ignited the Shockers when he connected on a three-pointer for a 33-29 lead and the Giants had to play catch up again, trailing 43-36 at the half.

Behind Bain’s explosive attack to the basket, Commonwealth Bank drew within four (46-42) just two minutes into the third. But that was the closest that they came as the Real Deal pulled away again and opened a 64-53 advantage going into the final break.

Every time Bain or Robson managed to get some key baskets for the Giants to cut down the lead, the Shockers had an answer in Rigby and Dean to stay on top.

Although the performance wasn’t exactly what he wanted, Price said he will take the win.

“We played good. We played against the number one team in the league right now and we are tied up with them, so I think we played good,” he said. “We executed a lot better tonight and we didn’t make as many turnovers as we did in the first game against them.”

Rockets 100, Wreckers 92

Davis ‘Skittles’ Taylor led three other players in double figures as the Pyramid Food picked up a much needed victory to keep their playoff hopes alive in fifth place in the Vince Ferguson Division.

Taylor scored a game high 32 points with nine rebounds and six assists, Tameko Moxey had 25 points and five rebounds, Chrishoff Stuart had 17 points, 15 rebounds and five assists and Corey Williams added 10 points and seven rebounds.

The game was a fairly close one until the Rockets broke away from a slim 69-68 margin at the end of the third to go on a 31-24 spurt in the fourth to seal the victory.

Anthony Whylly had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead Y-Care, who are currently in third place in the playoff race in the John Archer Division.

Randy Williams had 23 points and five rebounds, Tavares Roker had 20 points, four rebounds and three assists, Kessi Micial had 15 points and nine rebounds and Lorenzo Carter chipped in with 10 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.

On Friday night, the Mail Boat Cybots defeated the Double R Services Limited Cleaners 87-79 and the PJ Stingers won 95-74 over the College of the Bahamas Caribs.

Cybots 87, Cleaners 79

Lerecus Armbrister scored 19 points with three rebounds and two assists to lead the man-short Mail Boat to another victory as they maintain fourth spot in the Vince Ferguson Division.

Delano ‘Yao’ Knowles contributed 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, Ernest Saunders had 17 points, four assists and two rebounds, Jeremy Hutchinson had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists and Angelo Lockhart helped out with 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

For the Double R Services Limited, fourth in the John Archer Division, Tamiko King had a game high 23 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Jamarise King had 18 points and nine rebounds and Rashad Woodside had 15 points and nine rebounds.

Stingers 95, Caribs 74

Batchlette LaFleur scored 18 points, six rebounds and three assists to lead PJ, who are sitting in second place in the John Archer Division.

Able Joseph, back in the lineup after a brief suspension, had 16 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Devon Ferguson had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, Kemsey Sylvetre had 11 points and four rebounds and Jervonne Atkins, Tevin Hudson and Vernon Stubbs all had 10 points.

For the College of the Bahamas, who are in sixth place in the Vince Ferguson Division, Justin Smith led the way with a game high 20 points, five rebounds and four assists and Justin Munroe had 15 points and seven rebounds while Alvano Laing had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Both Anthony Sands and Reuben Goodman chipped in with seven points.

Tonight

7:30pm - Rhythm Rebels vs College of the Bahamas Caribs

9pm - Double R Services Limited Cleaners vs Island Luck Pros

Wednesday

7:30pm - Rhythm Rebels vs Pyramid Food Rockets

9pm - PJ Stingers vs Mailboat Cybots