The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE defending champions Commonwealth Bank Giants needed triple overtime in game three of the New Providence Basketball Association’s best-of-seven championship series to avoid being pushed to the brink of elimination against the Mail Boat Cybots at the AF Adderley Gym Saturday night.

The backcourt duo of Jackson “Action” Jacobs and Adrian Miller canned a couple of big shots in the final extra five minutes to complement the inside play of Gamaliel Rose as the Giants made sure that the Cybots didn’t make a final comeback as they did in game two. The Giants won game three 117-112. The Cybots lead the series 2-1.

“It was a battle, but we realised that it would have been difficult for us if we had gone three games down in this series,” said Giants’ coach Perry Thompson.

“So tonight was an important win for us. We just needed to come out and stay focused and that was what we did down the stretch. Now we just have to come back out here on Monday (tonight) and try to see if we can even the series.”

Thompson, however, admitted that if they can produce the same type of “hard nose” defense that they have been accustomed to doing, they should be able to even the series tonight. On Saturday night, both teams had their opportunities to win the game that was tied 79-79 at the end of regulation. They fought to a 95-95 tie at the end of the first OT and 105-105 as the buzzer sounded for the end of the second extra period.

After watching both Michael “Fernly” Bain and Jeffrey Henfield foul out in the first OT, Jacobs started to take matters into his own hands. Like he did in the second OT, Jacobs opened the third OT with a lay-up to give the Giants a 111-109 lead that never relinquished the rest of the way.

With 55.7 seconds left on the clock, Miller canned a three-pointer to seal the deal as Commonwealth Bank extended their lead to 116-109. David Taylor came back with 45 seconds remaining to hit a three-pointer to pull the Mail Boat within four, 116-112.

But after Nelson “Mandella” Joseph fouled with 20.5 on the clock, Adrian Miller converted one of his two free throws to put the final explanation mark on the game.

“It was a tough one. It was a good game. We had the opportunity to win it but we just didn’t capitalise,” said Cybots’ head coach Wayde Watson.

“After Fernly (Michael Bain) and Jeffrey (Henfield) fouled out, we had opportunities, but didn’t capitalise. We allowed Jackson (Jacob) to run around freely and they beat us down the stretch. We lost that game, but the guys are still upbeat. We just have to come back on Monday. We will be okay.”

But after going through a dogfight to get their first taste of victory in the series, Gamaliel Rose said Commonwealth Bank is now poised to go after their fourth straight title.

“All we had to do was play better defense because we know that the Cybots is a good team,” Rose said. “When they kick the ball to Eugene (Bain) and Nelson (Joseph), they can knock down the shots.

“We just had to step up our game a little better. In game four, we just have to come out with defense. That’s our key right now if we want to win. I think we’re ready. So we will play a much better defensive game (on Monday),”

Gamaliel Rose, who played a total of 48 minutes and 32 seconds of the 55-minute game, led the Giants with a game high 32 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jackson, who scored eight of their 12 points in the third overtime, finished with 17 points, as did Michael Bain before fouling out.

Jeffrey Henfield had 16, Mark Hanna 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Adrian Miller contributed 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals, while Denykco Bowles added six points with 10 rebounds.

For the Cybots, Ernest Saunders led with 23 points and six rebounds, Eugene Bain had 22 points and 12 rebounds before he fouled out, Nelson Joseph had 18 points and nine rebounds before he also made his exit and both Jermaine Storr and David Taylor chipped in with 14 points.

The game had 21 lead changes and was tied 14 times. The Giants had their biggest lead of 15 points in the first half, while the Cybots’ biggest lead was only by three.

Cybots 86, Giants 85

In a close game that went right down to the wire, the Mail Boat got two of three free throws from Brian Bain, who was fouled on a three-point attempt with just seconds on the clock to lift the Mail Boat to their second consecutive victory on Friday night.

Bain finished with 20 points, while Nelson Joseph had 16 points, Eugene Bain had 15 points with nine rebounds, David Taylor had 10 points and Ernest Saunders helped out with eight points.

Commonwealth Bank got a game high 23 points from Michael Bain, 16 points and 12 rebounds from Gamaliel Rose, 13 points from Ricardo Pierre and eight apiece from Jeffrey Henfield and Denykco Bowles.