LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

ARNETT GARDENS Rockers didn't look as if they had come to play a game when they took the National Stadium court on Thursday night against Portmore Flames in the KFC National Basketball League.

Only about half of their team participated in the warm ups as others strolled in minutes before tip-off. Some members of the team were even heard questioning others' discipline as they looked to put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Arnett Gardens' nonchalant approach, however, had no impact on their performance as they marched to an easy 71-58 win.

Kwame Lawrence scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter while his teammates seemingly used the first 10 minutes to warm up as both teams ended the first quarter tied on 18.

Arnett began finding their rhythm by the second quarter and went on to outscore Flames 39-14 in the second and third quarters to enjoy a 25-point lead (57-32) entering the fourth.

"At the start of the first quarter it (focus) was a problem," admitted coac Campbell. "But we called a time out and got back in the game mentally and took it from there."

Lawrence, who also grabbed 12 rebounds, was supported in scoring by André Sutherland with 14 points.

Flames were competitive in the first half mainly due to the industrious Kenardo Smith, who finished with 21 rebounds and 13 points. Things, however, started going downhill for Flames when they allowed Arnett to go on a 13-1 run to start the third quarter which was fuelled by five consecutive turnovers.

"Turnovers were the cause of everything," said Flames coach Kevin Pinnock after his team racked up 25 of them.

"We couldn't score because of the turnovers and they scored willingly because of them.

"The guards need to control the ball better. There were too manyunforced turnovers," added Pinnock.

Portmore made a late run and cut the deficit to nine thanks to André Coote's 22 points and Mario Latty's fourth-quarter six points but in the end they slipped to their third defeat in five games.

"At the end of the fourth quarter we kind of lost it mentally, but we got back together and continued to win the game," Arnett's Campbell pointed out.