Lakers win thriller over Warrens

No one would have pegged this game to be one of the most exciting games of the season, but the Island Care Ambulance Service & BodyxB Lakers versus the Warrens Wall-Stars was a thriller down to the wire on Friday night.

The game ended 84-82 at the Barbados Community College (BCC), with the Lakers sneaking across the line, they had many opportunities to seal the win from the free throw line but missed four of six free throws in the final 1:30. Lakers Tyreke ‘Lanks’ Harewood and Makaari Jones sank one each to put the Lakers up two (84-82) and a steal by Manuel Alleng of Warrens could have tied up the game but he turned over the ball trying to pass it to Jamar King with 17 seconds remaining.

Warrens did have the final chance of the game, but the inbound play drawn up by coach Pearson Griffith, intended for sharpshooter Kaliel Austin, fell to Khamal Boyce, who missed badly after heaving the ball at the ring.

Both teams were competitive throughout and kept pace with each other despite the Lakers turning over the ball consistently. The saving grace for the team in blue was that young Scott Wharton was hot from the corner, hitting four threes in the game, on the way to 18 points. Harewood battled his way to a game-high double of 28 points and 13 rebounds, while veteran Keefe Birkett had 17 with three treys, and Jimal Singh scored 10.

At halftime, the scoreline was 35-36 in the favour of Warrens, but the Lakers retook the lead in the third to move into the fourth leading by three, 62-59. Johnathan Dottin of the All-Stars gave ‘Lanks’ a run for his money in the paint, with what was deemed by many as a clean block by Dottin off a dunk attempt by Harewood in the final minutes of the game. Fortunately for Warrens, though, it was called a foul. Harewood missed both free throws.

Laker Tyreke ‘Lanks’ Harewood just misses the block on this floater by Manuel Alleng of Warrens.

Captain of the All-Stars, Jamar King had a team-high 25 points, Austin had 13, Dottin and Alleng scored 12 each, and Karlos Greenidge played well with his double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Warrens (1-3) will be kicking themselves at coughing up the chance to beat a weakened Lakers (2-2), who were without two of their forwards, Primus ‘Optimus’ Walrond and Ricardo Jemmott.

The Fusionz Boutique Station Hill Cavaliers did not hold back against the NSC Combined Schools Tridents, smoking them by 66 points, 129-63 in the first game of the evening. The proverbial ‘licks’ started to share early as the Cavaliers ended the first quarter up 41-6 but the Tridents recovered slightly to go into halftime down 69-22.

History was made by the end of the third quarter, though, when the Cavaliers broke the hundred-point barrier before the final period started, holding a mighty advantage of 106-40 with 10 minutes still to play. Only then did they take their foot off the gas slightly to register their lowest-scoring quarter, and the Tridents had their biggest quarter tally.

Young Gavin Phillips of Station Hill had a career-high 42 points with 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals for a performance he would never forget. Adriel ‘AB’ Brathwaite also had another monster game, scoring 37 points and grabbing 25 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds with three blocks. Deveron Knight finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and Darren Hunte added 15 points.

Khade Belgrave top-scored for the Tridents with 16 points, Zane Gaskin had 15, and Ari Mottley-Squires finished with 11. (AS)