Not even the best of Tridents was good enough.
Decino Corbin had nine quick points to start the third quarter, spurring a game-changing 32-13 run, as Station Hill Cavaliers rallied from a shocking 13-point deficit before routing schoolboys 90-71 in Thursday’s Co-operators General Premier League basketball action at the Wildey Gym.
It proved the basis of the Cavs’ latest win – the third in a row and ninth overall in 12 games – that maintained Station Hill’s stranglehold on third place in the standings.
Their grip on this game seemed tenuous at best though, at least over the first two quarters when an upset-minded Tridents gave them all they could handle while surprisingly leading 34-21.
But the turnover-prone kids didn’t close the half strongly, letting Cavs get within eight (41-33) at the break after Corbin, Kevin Sealy and Jamario Clarke converted those gaffes into easy scores.
Then the wheels fell right off schoolboys’ bus, with Tridents strangely struggling to cope against Station Hill’s subsequent full court pressure.
And Corbin duly made them pay after starting the half by hitting a trey off the backboard before adding three lay-ups in the open court as part of a lead-changing 15-4 run.
The schoolboys fought back briefly, as Joel Hunte and Kelan Phillips hit back-to-back triples prior to Cavs guard Saeed Norville getting whistled for a pointless technical.
However, that was the extent of Tridents’ rally after Clarke and Jamai Puckerin had their way in the paint against the schoolboys’ “small-ball” line-up.
Whether dominating the offensive glass or simply scoring over undersized defenders, the duo pounded the paint in a 17-3 Cavs finish to the quarter that put Station Hill ahead 65-54.
The lead ballooned to 22 points (82-60) when Tridents continually turned over the rock while persisting in playing their opponents’ quicker tempo.
That faster pace actually favoured them in the early exchanges while the Cavs couldn’t negotiate Tridents’ full court trap.
With Hunte and Phillips relentlessly attacking off each ensuing turnover, the schoolboys opened the contest outscoring their heavily favoured opponents 19-9.
Station Hill briefly threatened by scoring five unanswered points to finish the first, only to fall behind 34-21 while Phillips and Hunte continued to feast off their misgivings.
Hunte had 21 points for Tridents, who fell to a league-worst 1-11 record, while Phillips ended with 13. Clarke led Station Hill (9-3) with 21 points and 15 rebounds, Corbin scored 15 points and Puckerin added 12 points, 11 boards and three blocks.
Later, Junior Moore had the season’s first triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and ten assists to put favourites Smalta Pinelands back into a tie for first place with a 90-71 win over Warrens.
Despite scoring 12 of the game’s first 14 points, the Pine only held a 21-18 lead heading into the second quarter before blowing the game wide open via an ensuing 16-4 run.
Ramon Simmons also scored 20 for Pinelands (10-1) while Charles Vanderpool and Jeremy Gill chipped in with 18 and 15 points respectively.
Lance Posey led Warrens (3-9) with 20 points and 11 rebounds; Greig Springer added 19 points while Pearson Griffith scored 14.
