Team Solent Kestrels continued to pile the pressure on at the summit of NBL Division 2 South, with a 94-74 win over Westminster Warriors on Saturday evening at the Solent Sports Complex. Kestrels used a 57 point first half to give themselves a huge second half advantage, proving too much of the Warriors to overcome.
Russ Gariepy continued his fine form of late as he lead all scorers with 21 points Greg Durand and Isa Brandon added 16 and 15 points respectively. Andre Arissol added 12 and both Joe Lloyd and Wayne Kitenge added double digits from the bench too, as TSK boasted 6 players in double figures.
After a back and forth start to the game which saw the score tired at 5 each, Kestrels quickly got in the ascendency scoring 14 unanswered points as the starting group poured in the offensively fire power. The Kestrels lead would reach 15 before Westminster had any intervention, by way of a timeout, with a little under 3 minutes to play in the period. The visitors did rally to close the quarter as they cut the gap to 11, 27-16 TSK after one.
The second quarter started much the same as the first with the sides trading baskets, however a 9-2 run capped off by an Andre Arissol triple, pushed the deficit to 21 at 44-23. Arissol score 6 more the other side of a Warriors free throw, to continue to extend the arrears, before Westminster were able to cut the gap to 18. Kestrels would connect on a back to back triples to close the half through Malcolm Sung and Russ Gariepy, giving their side a 57-35 lead at the break.
Kestrels extended the lead to 26 in the opening few minutes of the second half, after a steal and fast break dunk from Isa Brandon got the SSC crowd off their feet. Westminster would respond trimming the gap with 6 unanswered points forcing Coach Guymon timeout to refocus his side. Back to back to scores to close the quarter from Joe Lloyd and Ash Briggs, restored the home sides 25 point advantage, 75-50.
TSK weathered back to back Warriors scores early in the fourth, through Lloyd and Briggs to re-establish a 26 point lead. Westminster used an 11-0 run through the mid point of the period to cut the gap to 15 points and potentially set up a tense finish. However it was short lived as Greg Durand knocked down a three followed by an Isa Brandon score to restore a 20 point lead with three minutes to play. Kestrels eventually taking a 94-74 win.
Kestrels now travel to London this Saturday (18th January) to take on Greenwich Titans for the first time this season, before returning home to the SSC to close January against Essex Rebels II. (Tickets on sale now).
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