The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Mail Boat Cybots have returned as New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) champions.

The Cybots closed out the series last night with a 90-70 win over the Commonwealth Bank Giants in game six of the best-of-7 series at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

It was the backcourt of Ernest Saunders and Delvonne Duncombe that sparked the Cybots’ final step in their return to the top of the league standings.

Duncombe finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists while Saunders scored 20, grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists. They combined to shoot 6-9 from beyond the three- point line and made more shots from long distance than the entire Giants roster.

Livingstone Munnings was dominant in the paint with 14 points, 20 rebounds and six blocked shots while Dario Seymour scored 14.

Mark Hanna scored a game high 26 points to lead the Giants. Tehran Cox finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, David Taylor scored 10 and Quentin Demeritte added 11 off the bench.

The Cybots shot 42 per cent from the field and 45 per cent from three while limiting the Giants to 36 and 17 per cent respectively.

They dominated the boards with a 55-41 rebound advantage and outscored the Giants off second chance points, 20-13.

After trailing by four at the half, the Cybots outscored the Giants 53-29 in the second half to pull away late.

The Giants led 41-37 at intermission and saw their lead reach as much as 12 when Cox made a jumper at the 7:30 mark to make it 50-38. The Cybots would respond by closing the quarter on a 19-4 run to take control for good.

Seymour’s three with under a minute left to play in the period gave the Cybots a 67-58 lead headed into the fourth.

The Cybots took a double digit lead on the second possession of the fourth and the Giants would never threaten as the lead grew to as much as 22 at one point.

They would get the edge in the latest chapter in the storied rivalry between the two clubs.

The last time the teams met was in the 2014 series when the Giants overcame a 3-0 series deficit to complete the backdoor sweep in seven games.

The Cybots captured the 2013 title over the Giants but the teams also met in the 2011-12 championship series when the Cybots could not close out the Giants despite a 2-1 series lead and the Giants stormed back to win their third of four straight titles.