Angels looking to re-claim NPWBA title

Tue, Feb 21st 2012, 10:48 AM

The Bommer George Angels secured the pennant in the New Providence Women's Basketball Association (NPWBA), as they edged the Super Value Cybots Queens, 63-56, in their latest outing at the D.W. Davis gym, but according to Head Coach Anthony Swaby, they "have bigger fish to fry".
Swaby said the pennant is just the first step for the Angels. They want to reclaim the NPWBA title they lost to the Four J's Cheetahs last year, and then go on and win the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) National Championships. So far, it has been a stellar season for them. They have one loss on the season, and with the pennant already in hand, they have turned their focus to the playoffs. The Angels have one regular season game remaining, against the Lady Truckers, who handed them their only loss of the season. According to Swaby, that one is just for bragging rights as both teams have already beaten the other this season. When the playoffs get underway on March 3, the Angels will play the Cybots Queens, and the Johnson's Lady Truckers will battle with the defending champions, the Cheetahs.
"We'll definitely be ready," said Swaby yesterday. "I think that we have as good of a chance as any of winning a championship, but we're focussed on the first round right now. We have the Cybots Queens up first, so we'll concentrate on them and what we need to do to beat them. We're pretty confident. We feel that once everyone comes to play, and we execute our game plan, we'll come out on top."
In their last game against the Cybots Queens, the Angels actually had to come back from a double digit deficit to secure the win. Ashley Moss had 13 points, eight rebounds and one steal for the Angels in that game, and Suzette McKenzie contributed a dozen points, five rebounds and one steal. For the Queens, Taneil Poitier had a game-high 19 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, and Tiffany Wildgoose added 13 points and contributed three rebounds.
Swaby said that game was just a sample of what to expect in the playoffs. He agreed that it won't be easy, even though they beat the Cybots Queens all three times they met them this season, en route to a 15-1 regular season record.
"Well right now, the regular season doesn't matter - everyone starts from zero, and we have to remember that," said Swaby. "We have to play like our backs are against the wall. We're not over-looking anyone. The Cybots Queens will present a formidable challenge but we're confident in our ability. I think what makes our team stand out is that we have a lot of depth. Our strength is our bench, and that's an advantage for us. We feel like we'll have to adjust to them more than they will have to adjust to us."
Saturday's regular season games were canceled due to the unavailability of the D.W. Davis gym, and now the league is taking a break and will resume its season on Tuesday February 28, after the Hugh Campbell Basketball Invitational. In the final game before the break, the defending champions Cheetahs drilled the College of The Bahamas (COB) Caribs, 60-44. Anastacia Sands-Moultrie had 15 points, three steals and one rebound for the Cheetahs, and Teranna Pyfrom contributed 13 points. Celeste Pyfrom scored a dozen points and had five steals for COB, and Gabrielle McKinney and Alisha Bethel contributed 10 points a piece.

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