Triple cheers for Griffith

PREMIER LEAGUE BASKETBALL’S biggest player just provided its biggest stat line.Six-foot-ten centre Pearson Griffith has finally announced his return, torching Act II Popcorn Clapham Bulls with 19 points, 12 rebounds and ten blocks for the year’s first triple-double, in British American Insurance Jackson’s 61-48 victory on Tuesday at the Wildey Gymnasium.It was the type of performance the play-off contenders were expecting on a nightly basis from the burly national “big man” when they originally got him to suit up a month ago after he quit running DC United’s bench.And Griffith more than justified his mid-season acquisition in one five-minute span in the third quarter where he single-handedly transformed a close 27-24 first-half lead into a 15-point blowout (43-28).The domineering centre scored the first nine of his side’s 14 points to start the half, while Clapham only managed nine third-quarter points altogether, as Jackson opened up a 51-33 advantage.They actually led by as many as 23 points (60-37) early in the fourth as Griffith didn’t even bother jumping for two baskets underneath before recording the last of ten blocks, which resulted in Mark Foster’s lay-up attempt ending up near half-court.The win kept Jackson within striking distance of fourth-placed First Works Warriors, who remained one game ahead of them for the final play-off spot after routing new Knockout champs Sagicor Tridents 81-48 in the night’s first game.