The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE New Providence Basketball Association’s defending champions Breezes High Flyers and the Mr Ship It Freight Regulators opened the new season in the opposite direction.

On Friday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, the division II champions High Flyers zoomed past the Johnson Trucking 99-82, while the Commonwealth Bank Giants routed the division one champions Regulators 87-69.

On Saturday night as the league continued play in a men’s division one double header, the Pirates knocked off the Vitamalt Chargers 76-66 and the PJ Stingers held off the Island Game Pros.

High Flyers 99, Trucking 82: The only thing Breezes didn’t do is score 100 points as DeVontee Gibson soared through the air for an off-the-rim two handed slam dunk to put an explanation mark on the game with the final score in the winding seconds.

Gibson, playing 26 minutes and 31 seconds, pumped in a game high 18 points as he shot 7-for-13 from the field and just 4-for-12 from the free throw line. He also had seven rebounds with a blocked shot.

“For the first half of the game, I noticed that we were playing neck and neck, but their bench wasn’t as deep as mine and they really couldn’t handle our man-to-man,” said Breezes’ head coach Donnie Culmer,

“We just wore them down. I have six bigs (forwards and centres), who could really play the game with four or five guards who can also play. This year, my team is much better than last year, so I expect nothing less than another championship.”

Culmer’s Breezes, who led at the end of three breaks, had six other players in doubles figures. Jeremy Neely had 13 points and six assists, Gregory Seymour had 12 points and four rebounds, Enrico Bethel also had 13 points and three rebounds, Shontoin Pratt had 10 points, five rebounds, Antoine Levarity also had 10 points with seven rebounds and Dwight Moss came up with 10 points as well with three steals, two assists and two rebounds.

In 24:09 minutes, Delmar Hamilton had a game high 26 points with eight rebounds and six steals. Christoff Stuart had 15 points, five rebounds and three assists, Tyrell Griffin had 12 points and Lathaniel Bastian added 11 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Giants 87, Regulators 69: With a mixture of new and returning players, Commonwealth Bank began their mission to regain their division one title as Darstin Baker hit 4-of-7 shots from the three-point line and finished with 15 points in 16:47 minutes to lead the way. “For us the victory is always important because it sets the tone for the season, but we have to work on some chemistry because it’s virtually a new team,” said Commonwealth Bank’s head coach Perry Thompson Sr.

“We like some things we see and some things we need to work on from a defensive perspective, but I think we have an awesome team. We have improved from last year and once we get more practice in, we should be good.” After watching Mr Ship It Freight and the Mail Boat Cybots celebrate as champions over the past two years, Thompson said they are hoping that this will be the year for them to regain the title.

The new look Giants had five other players in doubles with D’Shon Taylor scoring 14 points four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Michael Bain Jr had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals; Terran Cox had 11 points and David Taylor added 10 points with eight rebounds and four assists.

Mr Ship It Freight, whose coach Don ‘Robo Cop’ Dorsett had to work with a depleted line-up from last year’s championship, got a game high 18 points with 10 rebounds from Cruz Simon; 11 points and six rebounds from Cordero Thompson; nine points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists from Kenneth Pratt and nine points from Truillio Darville.

Pirates 76, Chargers 66: Scottie Farrington, 36:11 minutes, posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Pirates to victory.

Tevin Hudson had 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds; Kronoff Dean had 15 points and Dominique Fernander added 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

In a losing effort in 33:17 minutes, Cameron Adderley scored a game high 19 points with 11 rebounds. Wayne Charlton had 13 points and five rebounds; Philton Pickstock had eight points, six rebounds and five rebounds and Christopher Brown had seven points and five rebounds.

Stingers 91, Pros 81: Salathiel Dean came up with a game high 30 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to lead his new team to victory in 30:55 minutes.

Devon Ferguson had 14 points four assists and three rebounds and Henry Rolle added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.

For the Pros, in 36:13 minutes, Jason Collie had 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Colton Albury had 18 points, six rebounds and four assists; Derrick Ferguson had 17 points and Judino Wilson had 14 points and seven assists.

The NPBA will be back in action tonight with another double header. In the division II opener, the Aliv Buckets will take on the Rockets at 7:30 pm, followed by the division one contest between the JD Seafood Shockers and the Rockets at 8:30 pm.