Sonics blast Warriors

WHO SAID ST JOHN’S had problems scoring?
Certainly not Warriors now.
Consider those offensive woes solved, as Urban Vybz St John’s Sonics hit 12 treys, including eight in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s 97-49 blowout of Warriors in the Co-operators General Insurance Basketball Premier League at the Wildey Gym.
It proved the timely end to some well-documented offensive struggles for a Sonics side that dropped three of their last four contests while averaging just 67 points. But it didn’t take long for them to start finding the basket in this one, having started the game by scoring 11 unanswered points as part of a lightning fast 22-4 surge.
Warriors’ inability to handle their 2-2-1 full court pressure made things a lot easier too, with each subsequent turnover transforming into easy uncontested baskets.
At one point St John’s looked like they were running weave drills after routinely finding themselves alone in transition at the ring.
Not that Sonics had any problems scoring in the half court, as Stefan Clarke, Akeem Marsh and Shane Whittaker seemingly couldn’t miss while getting every look they wanted.
What initially started as a 20-point lead (30-10) quickly went up to 30 (49-19) on the other side of the break before Warriors forwards Nicholai Williams and Trevor Simmons threatened to make it competitive.
That rally didn’t last long though, not once the triples came quick and often from all spots on the floor.
Clarke got things going late in the third quarter, before returning in the fourth to hit another one to put Sonics back up 67-36. Marsh wasn’t to be outdone, following up every Clarke trey with one of his own in a virtual game of horse.
Whittaker then added two more, before Marsh wrapped up the three-point party with the game’s last triple (94-47) with two minutes to play.
So listless were Warriors that Clarke had at least three opportunities to hit another trey with 30 seconds remaining to give Sonics an even 100-point showing.
Clarke led all scorers with a season-high 36 points, Marsh finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds while Whittaker scored 19 for St John’s, who finished the first round with a 4-4 record.
Williams and Seon Hilliman had 15 and 13 points respectively for Warriors (4-4).
The win moved Sonics into fifth place in the standings and a date with Cougars in this weekend’s first round of the knockout. Warriors, sixth, are set to face the third-placed Cavaliers.
Earlier, Julian Walcott had a game-high 20 points as former Premier League side Patriots continued their unbeaten start to the First Division season by beating Checker Hall Braves 69-58.
Hadrian Lokai added 16 points and Justin Gaskin chipped in with ten while Andrew Gibbs led Checker Hall with 12 points.