Perfect Warrens advance to semis

THE still unbeaten Pan American International Insurance Warrens Sports Club made it look easy as they took down the Barbados Lumber Company Lakers Sports Club 84-74 to advance to the semi-final stage of the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association First Division playoffs.

 

Warrens were up 1-0 in the best of three series after defeating Lakers 75-66 at the Culloden courts last week. The main scorers for the Jackson-based team were Peter Alleyne and Zahir Motara. Both national players put up 24 points in the win, with Kevin Austin contributing an easy 17 points. Warrens never looked troubled and remained calm and focused even after a 23-point final quarter by Lakers to end the game.

 

Czario Bourne topscored for the Lakers with 17 points, while Derek Browne and Lance Prospere tried their best to finish with 15 apiece. Warrens only had six men on the night, but Lakers never took advantage of this to try to put Warrens’ big men into foul trouble. The guards launched shot after shot and though they hit a couple, they could not match the scoring fire power of Warrens and needed to change the strategy to stand a chance. They made that switch in the final quarter, but it was too late and they went down 0-1 in the series.

 

The second game played at the Barbados Community College and it was more of the same for the Lakers. By the half-time break Warrens had a 24-point lead on the board, 50-26. Lakers were unable to convert their shots while Warrens were having no issues scoring the ball. Alleyne started the game with a 12-point first quarter, including 2 three-pointers to end the period. Alleyne ended with a game-high 30 points, which included six 3’s.

 

Warrens outscored the Lakers in each quarter except the last when they took their feet off the gas, having gone into the quarter up 27, 70-43. Lakers did make an admirable attempt to cut the lead in the final period, once again making the fourth their best quarter of the game. Scoring 31 points in the fourth was still not enough as they went down by 10, which signalled the end of their campaign this season.

 

Warrens advance to the semi-finals and will face the Executive Air Dover Chargers. Warrens are yet to be beaten this year and it is still to be seen if Dover has what it takes to match or surpass the scoring prowess of this experienced side. (AS)