Top seed EZ Fit Flyers are now three-peat champions after retaining the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association’s (ABBA) Division I playoff championship.
The Flyers clinched the best-of-five Division 1 playoff finals 3-2 by soaring to a 90-73 victory against second seed Total Imports EMC’s Potters Steelers in the deciding Game 5 at the JSC Sports Complex.
It means the Flyers completed the double for the second successive year by also retaining the round-robin Division I league title earlier this season.
The Flyers got off to a fast start in Game 5, swooping to a 27-14 advantage at the end of the first quarter and taking the second 27-19 to hold a commanding 54-33 lead at halftime.
The Flyers took total control of the match by outscoring the Steelers 24-19 to take a 78-52 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Steelers surged ahead to outscore the Flyers 18-14 in the fourth and final quarter to snatch victory.
Having built up a 26-point advantage at the start of the fourth quarter, the Flyers were able to preserve their lead and secure their victory despite being outscored 21-12 by the Potters Steelers in the final quarter of the game.
Adonis Humphreys, who claimed the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league and playoffs, converted 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Javonte Daley sank 18 points to lead the Flyers. In support, David Hernandez scored 12 points; Alexis Jackson produced 11 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists; and Kenya Ahcom also scored 11 points for the Flyers.
Point guard Jayden Andrew produced a game-high 29 points, seven rebounds, and five assists; Raniq Nicholls sank 12 points; Kareem Edwards converted 11 points and claimed eight rebounds; and Cohen Desouza scored nine points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Potters Steelers.
