WESTERN BUREAU:

Trelawny Tornadoes and Boys Club Warriors booked their place in the semi-final of the Western Conference Hi-Lyte Insports Men's Basketball Championship with contrasting victories on Saturday.

Third seed Tornadoes waltzed past Inner-City Avalanche by 11 points (74-63) to confirm their status as one of the leading clubs to lift the title, with Antoniel Watson hitting a double-double with a game-high 29 points and 16 rebounds, along with two blocked shots.

Fabian Julian was his team's best performer in the points category, top-scoring with 17 points in the loss, as Avalanche never got going offensively in a game that saw them struggling from the tip off. Orion Lammy added 15 points and three rebounds for Avalanche.

Daniel Henry was instrumental with 22 points for Tornadoes, who ripped through Avalanche in the first quarter to build a 14-point lead and 15 at the half, from which they never allowed their opponents any chance to recover.

In the opening match of the double-header, seventh seed Boys Club Warriors turned the tables on second seed Knibb Thunders, edging them by one point in a closely contested match to win 73-72 at Montego Bay Cricket Club.

Trailing for most of the game, the Thunders had the perfect opportunity to finally win the game when Huntley Dehaney stepped to the line for two free throws and with just two seconds left on the game clock. But after the forward missed the first, his team still had a chance of tying the game had he hit the second free throw, but he missed as the ball bounced on the rim and out, sparking jubilation on the Warriors bench.

Warriors' Guard Sheldon Lyle was the game's top scorer with 24 points and teammate Fabian Gifford added 15 points, three rebounds and six assists for the winners, while Michael Johnson was the best on the night for Thunders with 21 points.

Meanwhile, the game between number one seed MoBay Knights and eight seed Raptors was called off after rain interrupted proceedings on Sunday, with the game not yet a quarter old.

It has been rescheduled for tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Montego Bay Cricket Club.

- Paul Clarke