Four weeks into the RCBL (Robin-Corley Basketball League) season, the Heat are clearly the team to beat, sporting a 4-0 record after scorching the Suns, 116-82, Monday night at the Boys and Girls Club in Edgartown.
The Heat raced out to an early 18-6 lead. The Suns, the two-time defending league champs, are off to an 0-4 start but showed their grit by outscoring the Heat 16-8 in the final four minutes of the period to trail 26-22 at the buzzer. From there, the Heat steadily took command. Steve Handy and Lucas Brewer combined for 16 points in the second quarter to give the Heat a 56-43 lead at the half. Handy and Nick Viera lit up the scoreboard for 22 more in the third as the Heat used a 12-0 run to lead 87-63 heading into the final period. Game over. Viera scored a game-leading 33 points on the night. Handy (21), Lucas Brewer (20), brother Cody Brewer (19), and Julius Middleton (10) also reached double figures for the Heat.
Asil Cash had the hot hand for the Suns with 32 points. Jake Martin scored 14, while Tim Penicaud, Milos Milinkovic, and James Cleary had 10 points apiece. In the opening game of the league doubleheader Monday night, Anthony Johnson scored 34 points, including six three-pointers, to lead the Bulls past the Lakers, 92-87. Both teams are 2-2.
The Lakers led 21-14 after the first period. Trailing 40-31 with three minutes left in the second, the Bulls turned the game around with a 14-4 run to close out the half on top 45-44. Picking up where they left off, the Bulls outscored the Lakers 8-2 to start the third quarter and led 53-46. The Lakers roared back to tie the game at 53-53 but would not retake the lead for the remainder of the evening. The Bulls maintained a slim lead well into the final period until Anthony Johnson and Jared Silvia drained back-to-back treys to open up an 80-68 lead with six minutes to play. The Lakers chipped into the Bulls lead but could not find a consistent scoring touch down the stretch.
Three other Bulls joined Anthony Johnson in double digits. John Neto scored 19, Jared Silvia had 12, and Keeland Gomes added 10. Ben Ford poured in five treys and scored 29 points to lead the Lakers. Heath Estrella had 24, Jeff Labell 13, and Lamar Moreis 11.
