The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Commonwealth Bank Giants, the best team in the regular season, refused to exit the New Providence Basketball Association men’s best-of-seven championship series without putting up a fight.

With their season on the line, after falling behind 3-0 to the Mail Boat Cybots in a 100-96 loss on Friday night, the Giants stormed back on Saturday to pull off a 93-88 decision to now trail 3-1 and force a game five set for 8pm tonight at the DW Davis Gymnasium.

If the Giants win, they will play game six on Wednesday. If the Cybots win, they will clinch the title and the right to represent the NPBA in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s National Round Robin Tournament at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium next weekend.

Game 4:

Giants 93,

Cybots 88

Despite playing without two of their top performers, Michael Bain Jr and Kevin Hinsey, Commonwealth Bank found a way to destabilise the Mail Boat and avoid getting swept in game four. They did it with a balanced scoring attack from their starting lineup as they stayed alive in the series, now trailing 3-1.

Tehran Cox, playing 32 and-a-half minutes, shot 8-for-14 from the field, 1-for-3 from behind the three-point arch and 7-for-11 from the free throw line, to finish with 24 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Jarell Coakley stepped up big with 21 points and 22 rebounds, 12 defensively, in 31 minutes, Jeffrey Henfield had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds, Mark Hanna had 14 points and three rebounds and David Taylor added eight points with eight points, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assists.

The Giants, coached by Perry Thompson Sr and Jr, held a 52-37 rebounding advantage, but they made 22 turnovers compared to just 15 by the Cybots, coached by Wayde Watson.

The Giants led from start to finish as they opened a 24-20 margin at the end of the first quarter. A 21-15 run in the second quarter pushed them to 45-35. Using a 27-20 spurt in the third, the Mail Boat trimmed the deficit to 65-62 going into the fourth period. Commonwealth Bank stayed ahead with a 28-26 spurt.

Eugene Bain, playing 36 minutes, sparked the Cybots with 25 points and nine rebounds. Livingstone Munnings had 17 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three steals, Ernst Saunders came off the bench with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, Lerecus Armbrister had eight points, three steals and two assists, Georgio Walkes had seven points and Delvonne Duncombe added five points.

A big difference in the game was the fact that Jeremy Hutchinson didn’t score for the Mail Boat.

Game 3: Cybots 100,

Giants 96

Eugene Bain had a big night Friday as he pumped in a game high 36 points, shooting 16-for-27 from the field, 2-for-3 from the three-point line and 2-for-4 from the foul line in 34 and-a-half minutes. He also had six rebounds and three assists to lead the Mail Boat attack as they advanced to 3-0 in the series.

Livingstone Munnings had 21 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, Ernest Saunders had 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals and Jeremy Hutchinson had nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

For Commonwealth Bank, David Taylor led their attack with 18 points, five rebounds and a steal. Lyndrick Storr had 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals, Jeffry Henfield had 14 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists, Tehran Cox came off the bench with 13 points, a pair of assists and as many steals, Mark Hanna had 11 points, five rebounds and three steals, Quentin Demeritte also had 11 points, Robson Memnon had eight points and 12 rebounds and Jarell Coakley added six points with seven rebounds.

The Cybots led 24-14 after the first quarter and extended it to 45-37 at the half. The Giants surged 34-27 in the third to trim the margin to trail just 72-71 going into the fourth period where the Cybots were able to pull away on a 28-25 spurt to hold on for another win.

The Mail Boat held a 45-37 rebounding edge, but they had a huge 26-12 difference in turnovers.