The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MR Ship It Freight Regulators and Breezes High Flyers represented the New Providence Basketball Association very well at the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s National Round Robin Tournament.

The two teams brought the respective men’s division 1 and II titles back to New Providence after their victories over the weekend in Marsh Harbor, Abaco.

The Regulators, coached by Don ‘Robo Cop’ Dorsett, defeated the Grand Bahama Shipyard Cruisers 84-82 as Brian Bain walked away with the MVP award after he hit the game-winning basket with just seven seconds left to play.

Bain finished with 21 points, five assists, three steals and two assists. Eugene Bain, however, led Mr Ship It Freight with 25 points and six rebounds. Cruz Simon had 14 points and six rebounds and Miguel Mackey also had 14 points with eight assists and five rebounds.

For the Cruisers, Jay Philippe had a game high 27 points with five rebounds and three assists. Leon Cooper had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists; Jamik Pitt had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Marco Cooper added 12 points and five rebounds.

The Bimini Marlins picked up the bronze medal after winning 55-50 over the Murphy Town Bombers. CJ Sears scored 21 points with five rebounds for the winners. Timothy Bullard and Theophilus Wallace both had 11 in the loss.

In the division II final, the High Flyers nipped the Marsh Harbour Hoppers 61-60 on Jeremy Neely’s 1-of-2 free throws with 14 seconds remaining in the game and he ended up with 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Shanton Pratt was named the MVP. He scored 20 points with three rebounds, two assists and as many steals. Dwight Moss and Delano Forbes both had six points and six rebounds to help out.

Donnie Culmer got into Abaco just in time to coach his Breezes’ team to the championship victory after he missed the opening day of the tournament on Thursday.

He remained in town to coach his Bommer Gee Lady Operators with assistant coach Anthony Swaby as they pulled of the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association’s championship crown for the second consecutive year.

Malik Penn scored a game high 24 points with four assists and two steals to lead the losers. Edney Bethel had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The South Andros Elites won 40-37 over the Bimini Marlins for third place. Basil Adderley and John Woodside had 12 and 11 points respectively in the win. Gevin Saunders and Stanley Stuart had a game high 13 and 11 points each in the loss. Stuart also had 10 rebounds.

In the division II playoffs earlier in the day, the Flyers knocked of the Marlins 42-34 and the Hoopers pounded the Elites 47-33 to set up the championship and third place matches between the two winners and the losers.

The division 1 playoffs, also on Saturday, saw the Regulators won 65-61 over the Bombers and the Cruisers sailed past the Marlins 50-47 to complete their championship and third place matches.

Federation’s public relations officer Eugene Horton, who also serves as the president of the NPBA, congratulated the Regulators and the High Flyers for bringing the two titles to New Providence.

“The round robin was competitive and there was great fan support from the fans in Abaco,” he said. “We look forward to repeating in Grand Bahama next year.”

Once again, the federation didn’t have a ladies’ league as there were no teams to play the Lady Operators. The federation, however, is hoping that they can revive the ladies’ programme by next year when the nationals goes to Grand Bahama.