The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bain and Grants Town Cybots followed up their undefeated regular season with a Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) title win on Monday.

The newest champions were on a tear throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs, remaining the only undefeated team, until they dropped the Police Crimestoppers 4-2 in the best-of-seven finals.

The over-the-hill basketball team advanced to their 10th championship round and collected their seventh title win following an 88-70 double digit win at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

Wayde Watson, head coach of the Cybots, talked about how it felt to secure yet another BGDBA championship win.

“It feels really good to bring the championship to Bain and Grants Town. This is the tenth year in a row we have been to the championships. I am excited about it and especially happy for some of the players who have been with me for many years who are retiring at the end of the season on a high note,” Watson said.

He gave special credit to Crimestoppers head coach Anthony “Cops” Rolle for his coaching abilities and the work he has done with the young law enforcement players.

The Cybots reeled off two consecutive wins against the Crimestoppers to begin their quest to title number seven. Despite the 0-2 hole, the valiant second best team Crimestoppers were able to push the series to 3-2 going into the elimination game on Monday night.

With one more game separating the team from their championship hardware, the Cybots’ Eugene Bain played a pivotal role in the win.

He led all scorers with 25 points on the night and was one rebound shy of a double double with 9. Additionally, he dished out three dimes and defensively he nabbed two steals in the championship win.

The Crimestoppers came out sluggish in the opening period meanwhile, the Cybots were firing on all cylinders. By the 1:53 mark of the first quarter, the team was leading by 15 points courtesy of a made two-pointer from Bain. The 2023 BGDBA champions built on the work done early in the first quarter and jumped out to a 23-point advantage (52-29) to keep the momentum going into the second half.

The experienced Cybots squad never relinquished their control of the ball game. At the end of the third quarter they once again led by double digits (69-51) to quash the Crimestoppers’ championship hopes and close their 2023 title window.

Offensively, the Cybots simply shot the ball better than the Crimestoppers. The league leading team went 34-for-74 from the field, converting on 45.9 per cent of their buckets compared to the 36.4 per cent converted by the Crimestoppers.

The champions were also efficient at the charity stripe connecting on 81.3 per cent of their sixteen attempts at the line. Meanwhile, their opponents’ playoff free throw woes continued as they went 18-for-30 for 60 per cent.

Despite the loss, Dion McPhee of the Crimestoppers poured in 23 points and pulled down 6 boards for the team.

Watson, who guaranteed the Cybots would be in the championships, attributed the win to talent, experience, and their system of play.

“We have a lot of talented players, a good system, and a group of young men who are committed to the programme and the Cybots basketball club. Having talented players without a system is not necessarily a recipe for success but down the stretch last night we played within our system and were able to beat them by 18 points so I am excited about that,” he said.

The 2023 champions will look to celebrate their seventh win together in grand style in upcoming weeks.