Blazing Panthers' Leon Chung (centre) attacks the basket as he gets by Davion Wade (right) and Anthony Richards of Port Royal Bulls during a KFC National Basketball League game on Tuesday at the National Stadium court.Port Royal won 68-59.

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Catherine Hall All-Stars are looking to improve their fourth-quarter performance when they face Arnett Gardens Rockers this evening at 7:45 at the National Stadium court.

Blazing Panthers play Portmore Flames in the first game at 6 p.m.

One of two first-year teams of the KFC National Basketball League, Catherine Hall, has lost all six games played, with the last three being crushing defeats.

Tivoli hammered them 108-65 last Saturday and a day later they were thrashed 104-66 at the hands of champions Urban Knights. Two weeks ago, it was the same story, with St George's Slayers beating them 87-48.

In all three games, the Montego Bay-based team was relatively close entering the final quarter, but their inability to sustain the momentum throughout has been the deciding factor. Against Slayers, they were outscored 32-9 in the fourth quarter. Against Tivoli, the discrepancy was almost identical: 32-8, while Urban Knights outscored them 34-18.

"Perhaps it's fatigue and we don't have the strength in the fourth quarter," said player/coach Rodcliff Rhynie.

"We don't have a full roster. We usually have about eight or nine players, so some of them are playing too many minutes and then they are tired in the fourth quarter."

first win

Rhynie added that they are looking for their first win against Arnett Gardens, but they will have to do it without centre Jermaine Dillon. That leaves the bulk of the work on the shoulders of forward Jermaine Rerrie and guards Dave Black and Goyan Malcolm.

Rhynie added that he plans to bolster the squad with some of the players currently playing in the Western Basketball Association league.

Meanwhile, Arnett Gardens' assistant coach, Sheronette Mercurius, says the coaching staff has been preaching "free throws" to the team.

"We need to work on our free throws. Two of our losses have been by four and five points and in those games we missed like 10 and 13 free throws," said Mercurius.

She added that the missed free throws are just part of the team's bigger problem.

"We've been inconsistent," she said. "We need to work on our mental lapses."

Arnett have won three of their six games. Arnel Campbell, who is averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per game, has been the team's most consistent player and should be well supported by Kwame Lawrence and Delano Mallet, as they go for win number four against Catherine Hall today.