THEIR CASTS may differ but the script has become all too familiar.
Not that the Lady Cavs are complaining.
Wanda Agard-Belgrave had a game-high 24 points and a new-look Mpact Station Hill Cavaliers led by as many as 19 points before the ten-time women’s basketball league champs handed Act II Popcorn Clapham Bulls another humbling defeat in Sunday’s 68-58 result at the YMCA.
It was just another notch in Clapham’s long list of failures against their ardent rivals, who’ve won the teams’ last three league finals match-ups and the 2010 knockout title game.
Even newcomers Sherice Shepherd and Rhea Holder quickly acclimatised to the Cavs’ culture of beating Clapham, with both playing integral roles in Station Hill’s dominant second and third quarters.
When Shepherd wasn’t knocking down midrange jumpers, it was Holder getting out in transition as the two sparked separate runs of 14-4 and 18-2 in the second and third periods respectively that put the champs up 51-32.
The Bulls even survived Shepherd’s initial flurry to start the second, but veteran forward Astrid Alleyne scored six unanswered points and eight of a 14-4 finish to the half as the champs opened up a 38-24 advantage by the break.
And that cushion remained the same over the next 3:25 minutes, with Clapham seemingly happy to trade baskets with Agard-Belgrave over the initial stagesof the third.
But Station Hill were soon back at it again, converting the Bulls’ ensuing turnover issues into points for Alleyne at the other end and a massive 51-32 lead minutes away from the third quarter whistle.
Clapham actually managed to make a contest of it in the fourth though, applying some timely full court pressure to force some giveaways of their own to spark a threatening rally.
However, the real threat proved to be Toni Atherley, as the Bulls combo guard attacked the rack for five straight points and 13 overall in the period to pull Clapham within six points (60-54) at the four minute mark.
Alleyne ended with 20 points and Shepherd added 14 for the league leaders, who notched their third win of the season in as many games. Atherley was Clapham’s (2-1) top-scorer with 20 while Clarke had 14 points.
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