Lithgow Workies Lazers have broken the century mark for the second straight game in the Spalding Waratah League Division One Basketball competition following a comfortable 106-81 victory over the Wagga Wagga Heat at home in the Lazerdome.
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Lithgow's American duo, Michael Johnson and Darreon Tolliver, both had their best games in terms of points scored. Johnson, playing in front of his visiting family, hit 37, equalling his total against Wagga earlier in the season, while Tolliver chimed in with a solid 17, mainly scored in the paint.
The Lazer's starting side of Johnson, Tolliver, Michael Cox, Adam Marjoram and Fletcher Swift, found themselves down 4-3 after two minutes of the opening quarter.
However, an 11-0 run saw the locals go up 14-4 and they were never headed from there. The period ended with the home side ahead 29-15.
The Heat came out firing in the second stanza and twice pulled to within three at 33-30 and 35-32 in the middle stages.
Lithgow's bench players, Matt Hughes, Caleb Fitzpatrick, Zeke Evans, Kobe Hunter, Austyn Lincoln and Michael Brooks, struggled to hold their opponents at first, but found 10 unanswered points to kick clear at 45-32 and the Lazers went to halftime with a commanding 59-39 gap.
Lithgow's dominance continued in the third period, twice blowing the margin out to 31 points before going to the final break with the match well in hand, holding a 90-61 advantage.
The final quarter saw the Lazers attempt to match every Heat basket with one of their own to keep the breathing space at 25-plus and they coasted home, 106-81.
Top scorers for Wagga were their American import Matt Brunell with 29, followed by Dominic and Robert Tye with 12 and 11 respectively.
The Lazers travel to Dubbo this Saturday to take on the last-placed Rams. Tip-off is at 5pm.
Result: Lithgow Lazers 106 (M Johnson 37, M Cox 17, D Tolliver 17, F Swift 13, M Hughes 11, Z Evans 5, C Fitzpatrick 4, A Lincoln 2) def Wagga Heat 81.
Pool A Standings: Sutherland 10 wins, 2 losses, Shoalhaven 9-3, Canberra 9-3, Illawarra 9-3, Lithgow 6-6, Bankstown 6-6, Queanbeyan 5-7, Wagga 3-9, Orange 2-10, Dubbo 1-11.