The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

EVEN though he struggled in spurts, William ‘J R’ Rigby still managed to can a game high 30 points, including the game winning three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left on the clock.

Rigby’s performance on Wednesday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium enabled the Real Deal Shockers to hold off the Patron Regulators for a 90-88 decision in the New Providence Basketball Association’s (NPBA) double-header.

With the win, the Shockers kept their hopes of the Vince Ferguson division pennant alive, joining the Mail Boat Cybots in a tie for first place at 14-5. The loss dropped the Regulators to 11-8 and third place.

In the other game, the Island Luck Pros defeated the Pyramid Food Rockets 88-80 as they battle for probably the fourth and final spot in the playoffs. 

The victory pushed the Pros to 10-9 for fifth place in the Vince Ferguson division, a half game behind the Rockets, who are holding onto fourth at 11-9.

Rigby, one of the leading candidates for the most valuable player of the league, was thankful, first to God for allowing them to come out with the victory and secondly, to his teammates, who stuck with him despite the fact that he was not on top of his game.

“Tonight, I shot a bad percentage from the field,” said Rigby, who went 9-for-27 from the field and 5-for-12 from behind the three-point arch to go along with his 7-for-9 from the free throw line.

“Coach (James Price) called a few time outs and he told us never to give up and we just went out and played hard.”

The teams traded the lead throughout but when it counted the most, it was the Real Deal who shocked Patron as they took advantage of a pair of free throws that Gameliel Rose missed for the Regulators with 11.3 seconds on the clock. On an offensive rebound and a long pass from Miguel ‘Shorts’ Higgs, Rigby pulled up and hit the three-pointer to seal the win.

“After Gameliel got fouled and he went to the line, I asked God to let him miss the free throws so that we can win,” said Rigby, who played the entire 40 minutes. “I’m just glad that he answered my prayers and we won.

“We have one more game on Saturday at 6pm. Hopefully we can win that game and finish off the season pretty strong and get ready for the playoffs.

“I believe we could end up playing that same team, so hopefully we can put in the work and get past the first round.”

While Rigby added 12 rebounds with five block shots and four steals, Lamont Armaly had 18 points, including 5-of-12 from the three-point line, with eight assists and three steals. Floyd ‘Tiny’ Armbrister had 17 points and Dominique Beadle chipped in with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Higgs finished with eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Rose pumped in 21 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Regulators, for whom Cordero Thompson had 19 points, 17 rebounds and four steals; Kenneth Pratt 14 points, 11 rebounds and three steals; Deven Johnson 10 points; Fabian Lightbourne eight points and 10 rebounds and Cruz Simon and Carlos Thompson added seven and six points respectively.

The Shockers controlled the tempo in the first quarter, opening a 25-16 lead. But the second quarter belonged to the Regulators as they stormed back to lead 38-35.

In the fourth, the Shockers turned the game around, taking a 71-68 lead on a four-point play as Higgs got fouled when he scored on a three-point attempt. Rose, however, answered with a three-pointer for the Regulators to tie the score 71-71.

The score was again tied, 86-86, on Armaly’s three-pointer with 1 minute 42 seconds to go before Lightbourne’s lay-up gave the Regulators their final lead with 1 minute 14 seconds left. The Shockers scored the final four points, including Rigby’s three-pointer to cap off the win.

Pros 88, Rockets 80

Jason Mitchell Jr led all five starters for Island Luck in double figures, scoring 24 points with 10 rebounds. Dion McPhee had 19 points and nine rebounds; Adorn Charlow had 16 points and 13 rebounds; Miguel Mackey had 14 points, nine assists and four rebounds and Livingstone Munnings had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Christoff Stuart scored 26 points with 11 rebounds and four assists; Tameko Moxey had 18 points; Barry Carter 15 points and 11 rebounds and Demetri Mackey added eight points with five assists and four rebounds for Pyramid Food, who lost David ‘Skittles’  Taylor to a season-ending injury in a previous game.

The NPBA will wrap up its regular season this weekend before the playoffs start on Monday night.

Remaining regular season fixtures

Tonight

7.30pm: PJ Stingers v Double R Services Limited Cleaners

9pm: Mail Boat Cybots v College of the Bahamas Caribs

Saturday

6pm: Rythm Rebels v Real Deal Shockers.

7.30pm: Island Luck Pros v Y-Care Wreckers.

9pm: College of the Bahamas Caribs v Patron Regulators.