Clapham Bulls' Mark Foster (right) drivingpast Warriors' Andre Edwards during second-quarter action.(Picture by Charles Pitt-Grant.)

by Justin Marville

Having dropped two of their first three games, the 2006 Premier League champs Clapham Bulls,looked in apparent disarray entering Thursday night's contest with the undefeated league leaders, Warriors.

But the only thing apparent was that the Warriors had no answer for Ryan Leacock.

The veteran shooting guard scored 14 of his 18 points in a 26-3 third-quarter run as the Clapham Bulls exploded for 37 points in the game's penultimate period, on their way to an 86-65 rout of the Playfair Warriors when the Sprite/BOA Premier League continued at the YMCA.

Taking a 42-41 advantage early in the third period after dominant swingman Corey McDonald sank four consecutive free throws,
the Warriors' impending doom would have been inconceivable to most, especially considering the lead changes that took place in a closely contested first half.

There would be no more lead changes once Leacock and company were finished with their Dayrell's Road opponents.

Sparked by a resurgent defence led by forward Mark Foster and back-to-back outside jumpers from Kodia Leacock and Halley Franklyn, the Bulls went on a remarkable tear, dominating both ends of the court in outscoring their opposition 26-3. Ryan Leacock returned to his glory days of the late 1990s in an unforgettable six-minute span for the Bulls.

The former national standout came off the bench and immediately knocked down an uncontested look which capped off a Clapham surge
that saw the Bulls open up a double digit advantage after scoring 11 unanswered points.

McDonald would further complicate matters by picking up an unnecessary technical foul thereafter, forcing coach Frederick Bynoe to bench his star forward midway through the third.

The floodgates opened as Leacock scored from just about everywhere, sinking outside jumpers while finding his way to the foul line to build a huge 67-45 Clapham advantage with less than two minutes remaining in the third.

McDonald tried to lead a brief rally when he was reinserted late in the quarter, scoring five quick points to cut into the Bulls' lead. But Leacock would add a timely three-pointer at the end of the period to put an end to that spurt.

Forward Alvin Padmore also scored at will in the paint to marshal the Bulls' charge. He led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds, Franklyn had 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Foster added 14 points and three blocked shots.

For Warriors, McDonald had 19 points and ten boards, while Kevin John was the only other Warriors' player in double digits with 11 points.