by JUSTIN MARVILLE

PLAYING AGAINST a less experienced Deacons team, Barbados Light & Power Under-21 basketball title contenders Lumber Company Lakers, dished out a ruthless 102-59 drubbing at the YMCA on Saturday.

The Lakers, despite opening the game with three of their usual starters, got off to a slow start in the first quarter, wasting several of their possessions with needless turnovers and silly errors. This initially allowed their younger opponents to keep pace with the score tied at five midway through the period.

However, a subsequent switch to a full court trap on defence by the Lakers showed up all of Deacons' inexperience. The Husbands lads forced numerous turnovers which guards Keefe Birkett and Jamario Grazette easily converted into transition points, leading to a huge quarter-ending run for the Lakers.

Seized control

Deacons' guards Richie Walker and Jerome Small scored on a couple of lay-ups in the open court on the few occasions that Deacons managed to break the press. But their baskets would only serve to keep the score respectable as the Lakers seized control of the first quarter finishing the period on a 20-9 run to take a 25-14 lead.

Deacons responded quickly to begin the ensuing quarter with promising 14-year-old centre Aamir Morris taking advantage of the Lakers reserves, scoring five quick points to open the second quarter and reducing Deacons' deficit to single digits, 26-19, within the first three minutes of the period.

But Morris would get into unwanted foul trouble, being forced to sit on the bench after picking up his third foul shortly afterwards and this would lead to a subsequent Lakers run as their starters returned to the floor, boosted by the late arrival of star small forward George Farrell.

Farrell erupted for 12 second quarter points, most of which came on lay-ups in the open court, as the Lakers ended the half on another strong period-closing run. They outscored Deacons 29-5 over the last 6:45 of the second quarter with Morris watching from the sideline.

Best showing

Leading 55-24 at the start of the third quarter, the Lakers starters were rested in favour of their reserves and the bench wouldn't disappoint. Bringing back their full-court trap to open the half, the Lakers used an 11-1 run to put the game out of their opponents' reach.

Ironically, Deacons had their best showing offensively with the contest well decided midway through the third, with Morris returning to steady the ship in the low blocks and guards Akeem Stewart and Saeed Norville providing great assistance from the perimeter.

The trio combined to score 16 third quarter points, leading Deacons to a 22 point effort in the period. But the Lakers, even with their starters on the bench, still managed to maintain a thirty point advantage as Simon Isaacs, Kregg Jones, John Jones and Linaldo Jackman led the charge.

Isaacs scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Lakers, with Kregg Jones adding 14 while Farrell and Ryan Austin chipped in with 12 and 11 points respectively. For Deacons, Small top scored with 15 points and Morris added a further 14.