The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHILE the Discount Distributors Rockets celebrated with a three-game sweep of the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one championship series, dethroning the Commonwealth Bank Giants, the division II series between the Sun Oil Rockets and the Your Essential Store (YES) Giants will go right down to the wire in the fifth and deciding game.

Behind the most valuable player (MVP) performance from Able Joseph, Discount Distributors completed the men’s division one series on Thursday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with a close 84-82 encounter as they celebrated with their first title in the league’s abbreviated postseason play that resumed after being halted in 2020 because of the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now inspired by their performances, Sun Oil is hoping to make it a double dose of celebrations for the Rockets’ club after they staved off elimination for the second straight night in game four on Saturday night with a 104-89 rout over YES Giants. The win came after the Rockets nipped the Giants 97-96 in game three on Thursday night.

YES Giants won the first two games of the series, taking game one 106-88 and game two 80-74, but they couldn’t hold off the Rockets as they stormed back to even the series with the deciding game to be played on Friday at 8pm.

Unlike the division II series, Discount Distributors took the first two games of the division one series 84-75 and 79-77 and they didn’t ease up in game three as they closed the door on the Giants.

“We knew that game three wasn’t going to be an easy one,’ Discount Distributors head coach Devon Johnson said.

“We had to fight for this championship. The guys played very well. The Giants are a good team. They have been winning for years, but the Rockets just wanted it more this year. We had the talent to prove that we were just as good or even better than the Giants. So I felt pretty good about it. You always feel good when you win a championship. It was a good win. I wasn’t expecting to sweep them, but hey, we will take it.”

Commonwealth Bank’s coach Perry Thompson Sr said their players put their best foot forward, but they couldn’t withstand the pressure applied by the younger and more vibrant Discount Distributors team.

“The lay off really hurt because age was a factor. Trying to get back in shape in a quiet period of time didn’t pay off for us,” he said. “We missed Eugene (Bain). We had to try to fill the void he left, but we didn’t have the bigs to compete against them.

“We now have to redirect our focus for the upcoming regular season. We have to see who will be available and who we need to replace. We know for sure that we have to get younger. There’s no ifs or buts about it. I thought we had an opportunity for the second and third games. But we let it slip away from us, which is uncharacteristic of the Giants, but that’s the way the ball bounces. The future is bright for us. We just have to make an adjustment.”

After losing the first two games, 106-88 in the opener and 80-74 in game two, Sun Oil bounced back and snatched the next two games to even their division two series.

“They counted us out after the second game, but I feel like we allowed the second game to slip away from us,” Sun Oil coach Moses Johnson said. “The guys were resilient and I kept rallying them. I told them that if we play defence aggressively for four quarters, they won’t beat us this series. The guys were up to the task and they showed me that they really want to win this series and celebrate just like our division one Rockets team (Discount Distributors).”

Johnson said with the division one team on hand to cheer them on, his Rockets were even more determined to win Saturday and force the deciding game on Friday.

As for the YES Giants, Perry Thompson Sr said they simply lost their composure and didn’t execute the way they should have. “The Rockets shot well. Give them a lot of credit,” Thompson Sr said. “We just have to regroup and come out here with a lot more intensity for game five. If we can do that, we will do it.”

The Giants, according to Thompson Sr, don’t have any pressure. He said they will come out in game five and do what they have to do. He said his players will be back hungrier than ever to win the title. He said both of their Giants teams were just happy to get the opportunity to compete for the titles after the league was halted for the past two years because of COVID-19.

Here’s a summary of the action over Easter holiday:

Rockets 84, Giants 82: Able Joseph, in 35 minutes of play, capped off his MVP feat as he finished with a game high 27 points with seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals and blocks to pace Discount Distributors. He also connected on a pair of free throws and David Taylor came up with a steal in the winding seconds to seal the deal.

Three other players scored in double figures with Livingstone Marshall contributing 15 points with 17 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Roosevelt Whylly had 12 points and 13 rebounds with two assists and a steal and Georgio Walkes added 10 points.

The Rockets, who enjoyed a commanding 58-40 rebounding advantage, also got seven points and four rebounds from Devon Ferguson and Ryan Turnquest helped out with six points.

Commonwealth Bank got 25 points and four rebounds with two steals and an assist from Jackson Jacob.

Adam Johnson had 24 points, nine rebounds, six block shots, four assists and a steal, Michael Bain Jr had 19 points, eight assists, five steals and four rebounds, D’Shon Taylor had four points with three rebounds, two assists and a block and Brian Bain helped out with four points, three rebounds a steal and assist.

Rockets 104, Giants 89: Lerecus Armbrister canned a game high 26 points with four assists, two steals and two rebounds to lead the attack for Sun Oil in the pivotal game four on Saturday night. Bertrum Minns had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Anthon Williams also had 20 points with six rebounds, six assists and four steals and Crosley Wilmore chipped in with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Commonwealth Bank got 21 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists from Kirklyn Farrington, Kenvon Farrington had 16 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds and Dylan Musgrove added 10 points, five rebounds, two steals and as many blocked shots.

Edward Williams and Brandon Strachan both had eight points and eight rebounds, while Andreas Black also had eight points with four rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Rockets 97, Giants 96: Sun Oil got a game high 27 points with three rebounds, two assists and as many steals to preserve the series a little longer on Thursday.

Anthon Williams had 24 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals, Rumalo Ellis Jr had 19 points, three assists and steals and two rebounds, Crispen Gibson added 12 points with five rebounds, Kevin Thompson had six points with three rebounds and Cameron Cherry chipped in with five points, three assists and two rebounds.

Friday’s schedule

8pm - Sun Oil Rockets vs YES Giants - fifth and deciding game of the division series.