The Your Essential Store (YES) Giants took down the AFS Insurance Heatwaves, 89-88, to leave the 2026 New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) Division II best-of-five final as champions at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium on Monday night.
The YES Giants repeated as champions, winning the series 3-1 over the Heatwaves.
The Giants had four players clear double digits in the narrow victory.
Matthew Saunders and Toureque Cartwright both logged team-high 16 points.
Saunders’ 16 points was supported with six rebounds, four assists and a steal but he shot just 5-for-22 (22.7 percent) on field goals.
Cartwright contributed five rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes of action.
Teammates Brian Rolle and Tito Bethell Jr. scored 14 and 13 points respectively.
The Giants started to get things going in the second quarter, pulling ahead by 10 (42-32) thanks to a jumper by Jariel Francoeur at the 5:33 mark.
The group went up by as many as 14 points (51-37) before closing out the first half of play up by eight, 53-45.
The Heatwaves started to chip away at the Giants’ lead in the third period.
Tahj Burrows was right on target for a crafty layup that shifted the score to 68-65 with under 60 seconds remaining in the third.
The Heatwaves remained within striking distance, but could not take control away from the Giants. The latter went into the fourth quarter with a 75-65 advantage.
Game four was showing similar signs to game three where the Giants fell apart in the fourth quarter.
Leo Johnson was fouled on a shot attempt and stepped up to the charity stripe and drained two free shots to pull the Heatwaves to within three (81-78) with 3:06 on the game clock.
It was a back and forth affair down the stretch. The Giants made a tough jumper with 59 seconds to go to take a four-point lead (87-83).
Jamerolston Vil responded with a timely three pointer for the Heatwaves on the following possession and the score changed to 87-86.
Saunders sealed the win with back-to-back free throws late in the game.
Vil dropped 33 points, nine rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes in the loss.
The 2026 NPBA Division I championship series is set to continue tonight between Caribbean Moonshine Rockets and the Commonwealth Bank Giants.
