Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
HARBOUR VIEW Lakers struck another hurdle in their bid to remain in top-flight basketball when they went down 93-87 in overtime to the Blazing Panthers in KFC/bmobile National Basketball League (NBL) action at the National Stadium courts on Wednesday night.
With four games left to go, the Lakers, who made it as far as the league semi-finals last year, find themselves on the outside looking in. After 16 games, the Lakers are in 11th place with a 4-13 record and a mere 21 points.
It was a spirited performance by the Laker team and dead even after the first two quarters at 24-24 and then 42-42. They then outscored the Panthers 31-18 to ensure a 13-point lead heading into the final stanza. However, the resilient Panthers fought their way back to tie the game at 78-78 and force overtime. In the extra period, Panthers rallied to outscore a tired Lakers team 15-9 to cap off an impressive comeback. Lynford Brown had 34 points, five assists and seven steals in an impressive showing for the Panthers.
GOOD PERFORMANCE
However, Dushane White of the Panthers was sensational as he netted 23 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and claimed 10 steals in a triple-double and only narrowly missed out on the rare quadruple-double when he dished out eight assists. Gary Reid had 24 points, 11 rebounds and six steals while Randy Smart had 20 points, seven steals and four assists for the Lakers.
The Panthers are currently in the seventh spot with a 7-12 record and 24 points.
In the night's other game, the Portmore Flames snapped a five-game losing streak when they narrowly clipped the Jamaica Defence Force 60-59.
Kennardo Smith led the way for the Flames with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Feurtardo Clarke narrowly missed out on a triple double for the JDF with 15 points, eight rebounds and nine blocked shots. With four games remaining on their schedule, the Flames are a spot away from the final eight with a 6-12 record and 24 points, while the JDF have fallen to 10th place.
