The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second consecutive game, the Mail Boat Cybots found a way to beat the Commonwealth Bank Giants as they took a 2-0 lead in the New Providence Basketball Association’s best-of-seven championship series. This time, the Mail Boat delivered the win from the free throw line.

On Wednesday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, the Cybots got off two shots from the charity line from Lamont Armaly with just seven seconds remaining on the clock to seal the deal. With 42 seconds left, they had taken a 101-95 lead as Eugene Bain and Georgio Walkes sank a free throw each.

But Commonwealth Bank refused to go away as Jeffrey Henfield deposited the first of two pairs of foul shots with 38 seconds to go. With 19 remaining, he converted another pair of foul shots to cut the Giants defensive to 101-99. Then with eight seconds, Henfield knocked in one of two foul shots to come within one, 101-99.

But they managed to give it up at the other end of the court as Armaly came through with the final foul shot.

The Cybots, coached by Wayde Watson, led throughout the first half. They opened a slim 29-27 margin at the end of the first quarter and they built it to 57-45 after two periods. But the Giants, coached by Perry Thompson Sr and Jr, used a 25-20 spurt in the third to cut the deficit to 77-70 and they went on a 30-25 spurt in the fourth to make it another thriller for the fans as they fell short at the end.

The free throw was the only point Armaly scored in seven minutes of the bench. He also had three assists and two rebounds.

Eugene Bain led the Cybots’ balanced scoring attack with 29 points 12 rebound, four assists and two steals; Ernest Saunders came of the bench with 23 points, six assists and four rebounds; Georgio Walkes had 20 points and Livingstone Munnings came up with just 10 points, but he pulled down 20 rebounds and blocked six shots. Delvonne Duncombe chipped in with six points and Lerecus Armbrister pulled down seven rebounds.

The Cybotas held a slim 55-53 advantage in rebounds. but they had 21 turnovers compared to the Giants with 18.

Mark Hanna rebounded from his dismal three points in the game one, pumped in 23 points with 15 rebounds to pace the Giants. Jeffrey Henfield came of the bench with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals; David Taylor had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists; Lyndrick Storr had 13 points and three assists; Quentin Demeritte had 12 points, three assists and two rebounds; Robson Memnon had seven points and six rebounds; Jarell Coakley had six points and seven rebounds and Tehran Cox had six points, five rebounds and three assists.

Game three of the series will be played on Friday with game four on Saturday. The question is: Can the Mail Boat sweep Commonwealth Bank or will the Giants rebound and turn things around against the Cybots.