The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Mail Boat Cybots, with an infusion of some fresh young talent, made it look so easy as they ran away from the much older and more experienced Legends to pull off a 112-74 rout to start the New Providence Basketball Association’s 2016/17 season on the right track at the AF Adderley Gymnasium last night.

The Cybots, opening defence of their title, had four players in double figures led by newly acquired Terrance Brown, who finished with 25 points - three from behind the three-point arch - along with six rebounds.

Livingstone Munnings came off the bench and contributed 20 points, 10 rebounds and five steals; Lerecus Armbrister had 16 points, including four three-pointers, with two steals and Jervonne Atkins added 12 points with 13 rebounds. Dominique Beadle had nine points; Derontae Brown chipped in with eight points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals and Delano Knowles came off the bench and helped out with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals and Jeremy Hutchinson only scored two points, but he yanked down eight rebounds and six assists.

“We have about six new players, who are pretty good,” said Cybots’ head coach Wade Watson. “We just need them to be consistent.”

If they do, Watson said he doesn’t see why they should not be in a position to contend for the title again at the end of the season. “Once this team puts their minds to it and we can get our chemistry together, we can do it,” Watson said.

The Cybots did it from the start of the game, opening up an early 14-7 lead that they extended to 21-9 before they went on to post a comfortable 28-18 lead at the end of the period.

In the second quarter, the Legends got some nifty shooting from Clayton ‘Smiley’ Miller as they cut the deficit down to 30-24. But behind the strong inside play of Munnings, the Cybots were able to surge ahead 60-35 at the half.

Again in the third quarter, Miller went on a scoring rampage as he tried to keep the Legends close. However, once the Cybots started to turn things around, they were hard to stop.

And for the third time, Miller hit a couple of big shots as the Legends came within 21 to start the fourth. Somehow, they couldn’t get back on the defensive end as the Cybots continued to push the ball and powered inside as they controlled the boards and were able to get some easy baskets to preserve the win.

Miller, who canned six three-pointers, ended up with a game high 37 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the Legends. Kennedy Polidor had 15 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists; Renardo Benson had 11 points with eight rebounds and Kevin ‘Island’ McPhee came up with six points and four rebounds.

“My son-in-law (Lynden Bastian) asked me to give them a hand because when I came here and I inquired about the team, they didn’t have anybody to coach them,” said Keith ‘Belzee’ Smith, the immediate past president of the NPBA, who ended up coaching the Legends. “They have to try to work themselves in shape. These are seasoned players, so it’s up to them to get in shape because at their age, they can easily get injured.

“They didn’t play that bad. They just got out-matched in some areas. They had some players missing as well. But at this point in the season, they should be having fun.”

The NPBA, according to league president Eugene Horton, said they will finally include the men’s division II play for the younger players this year. The teams will be split into the Godfrey McQuay and the Charles ‘Chuck’ Mackey divisions, while the men’s division one play will remain the John Archer and Vince Ferguson divisions.

• The league continues this week with the following games:

Wednesday

7pm - Island Game Pros vs Rockets. 8:30pm - Shockers vs College of the Bahamas Caribs

Friday

7pm - Double R Services Limited Cleaners vs Rhythm Rebels. 8:30pm - Mr Ship It Freight Regulators vs PJ Stingers

Saturday

6pm - The Legends vs Island Game Pros. 7:30pm - Rockets vs Shockers. 9pm - Commonwealth Bank Giants vs The Mail Boat Cybots.