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BBL McCord leads the way in Hadrian's derby
Edinburgh Rocks' charge towards a first play-off spot went on an impressive upward trajectory last night thanks with one of their most convincing results of the campaign. Jim Brandon's side demolished Newcastle Eagles 82-108 at the Telewest Arena, the Scots second victory over their closest Dairylea Dunkers Championship neighbours this season.
In a contest which the visitors retained control from the close of the first quarter through to the finish, all ten Rocks players made a scoring contribution. John McCord, who led his team with 28 points, wiped out a brief home lead with the final five points of the opening period to leave his team ahead 30-27.
They would never trail again, hitting a total of 11 three pointers in a shooting display which their hosts, who possess the worst record in the league, could not answer. Coming fresh off a two week break, Edinburgh ran away from the Eagles in the second period with a further 17-4 spurt and four consecutive points from McCord late in the third quarter made it 77-56 in the Rocks' favour.
Both Brandon and opposite number Craig Lynch handed their bench talent
some extended playing time in the final five minutes once the door to an
unlikely home comeback had been firmly bolted shut. Scottish internationals Iain Maclean and Keith Bunyan both added to their side's tally from outside the three-point arc and Berry added another, his fourth in total, to take his personal total to 18 points.The hosts, who must travel to Derby today briefly narrowed the gap to 13
points with five minutes remaining but their defeat was compounded when
they conceded the final eight points, with only a game-best 31 points
from Ralph Blalock saving their blushes."I'm really happy with the performance," declared Brandon afterward. "We looked like the kind of team I'd like us to look like a year from now, with all our young talents coming to maturity."
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