Lumber Company Lakers were accustomed to winning big.
Pinelands found out they could win small too.
Lakers took sole possession of second place in the standings, while improving their record to 10-4, after defeating Pinelands 77-73 in a hard-fought Premier League encounter at the YMCA on Tuesday night.
It was a contrasting victory for Lakers, after having defeated their previous three opponents by a combined total of 109 points.
This game was however expected to be closely contested, with both sides among a group of six teams tussling for only four play-off spots, and Lakers seeking to avenge their first-round loss.
And when Pinelands sharpshooter Ramon Simmons beat the third-quarter buzzer with a huge trey to give his side a 59-54 lead, the stage was set for an intriguing showdown.
Lakers promptly responded, courtesy of two baseline jumpers from Jamar King, along with an Ormond Haynes lay-up which ignited a 6-0 Lakers’ run and gave them a one-point lead with 7:57 to go, but two baskets by Charles Vanderpool and a free throw from Simmons restored Pinelands’ lead.
However, a careless pass from Decarlo Skeete was intercepted by King, who then strode in for an uncontested lay-up to tie the scores at 64, before a brilliant piece of work from Haynes seemed to tilt the contest in Lakers’ favour.
Haynes got a hand to Steve Sealy’s inbound pass, and as the ball seemed to be headed out of bounds, he made an acrobatic save while crashing into his team’s substitute’s bench, whipping an over the head pass to Ian Alexander who calmly knocked down a huge trey with 5:29 on the clock.
It would change for good after the next basket though, as after two missed free throws by the Lakers’ Derek Browne, and a scuffed lay-up attempt by Simmons, Ricardo Jemmott’s fingeroll with 2:01 left would put Lakers ahead (69-68).
Two free throws from Simmons were quickly followed by a Keefe Birkett basket off a quick inbounds play to restore Lakers’ three-point advantage, before Pinelands came storming back one last time.
After being fouled, Simmons scored his first free throw attempt, and as the second bobbled off the ring, Vanderpool grabbed the rebound and his subsequent lay-up tied the game at 73 with just 29 seconds left.
But Jemmott would have the final say, scoring over Miller, before Selwyn Brooks game-tying effort was blocked by Alexander to give Lakers their fourth straight victory.
Alexander led Lakers with 17 points, while Jemmott had 11 and Haynes 10. For the losers Vanderpool had 25 points and Simmons 14.
Warriors also continued their winning ways, thumping Patriots 87-51 in the night’s first game.
Andre Pierre led the way with 24 points and Tremaine Shaw added 21 as Warriors improved to a league best 11-3.
