IT DIDN’T TAKE long for Clapham to rebound.
Prolific combo guard Toni Atherley had a game-high 19 points and Act II Popcorn Clapham Bulls bounced back from last week’s heartbreaking Knockout loss with a 69-35 rout of Combined Schools Hoopsters during Sunday’s Women’s Basketball League match at the Wildey Gym.
It was as close to redemption as Bulls could get following their gut-wrenching semi-final exit from the knockout tournament at the hands of Tigers, improving their record to 5-1.
The win also coincided with the return of starting centre Shakira Shorey, who added nine points in her first on-court action for the season following a serious Achilles injury.
Forward Rhe-Ann Niles scored 12 and Sadé Clarke chipped in with 11, as Clapham turned a 22-8 first-quarter lead into a 38-19 blowout by the turn of the half.
That advantage grew to 30 (56-26) by the start of the fourth as Hoopsters only managed seven points in the third quarter.
Tonya Corbin and Shannika Brome led the schoolgirls (2-4) with ten points apiece.
Ten-time league queens Mpact Station Hill Cavaliers kept their perfect season intact behind a game-high 23 points from Sharece Shepherd in an 82-33 thrashing of the winless H&H Sounds Challengers.
The lady Cavs (6-0) were never threatened even without MVP Astrid Alleyne, leading from start to finish after holding a mere 16-9 first-quarter advantage.
Ria Phillips added 18 points, while Rhea Holder had 13 as Station Hill blew open the game in the second quarter (41-19), before entering the fourth quarter with a comfortable 37-point cushion (63-26).
For Challengers (0-6), Beverley Grant was the lone player in double digits with 13 points.
In the other game, Knockout finalists Tigers received a balanced scoring effort in a 57-37 whipping of Roll-A-Way St John’s Sonics.
No one actually recorded double digits in scoring for Tigers (4-2), who also led for the entire game. The Husbands sisters Chantal and Tiffany led Sonics (1-5) with 12 and ten points, respectively.
