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NBL Review: Mohawks finally quelled by fiery Thunder
Worthing 88 Teesside 84
TVL Mohawks’ 20 match unbeaten run came to an unceremonious end at Worthing, where a four point reverse allowed Plymouth Raiders, who cruised to a 23 point home win over Coventry, to knock the side off top spot for the first time this season.
In a fast and entertaining game, Mohawks lost out by 88-84 despite a comfortable first quarter performance which saw them build up a 12 point lead as home star Paul Mundy-Castle lost control and found himself ejected from the game after earning two technical fouls.
The loss of the free-scoring point guard was greeted enthusiastically by the Mohawks’ bench, who may have harboured thoughts of the game being easier with him out of the way. How wrong they were.
Thunder more than made up for the loss of ‘Cherry’ with a top drawer defensive performance that Mohawks found difficult to breach, while their own rearguard was almost non-existent and allowed far too much room for Thunder, and particularly Dwayne Martin, who took full advantage by sinking four three pointers in his impressive 22 point total. Two consecutive scores from a long way outside of the arc at the end of the first half were one of the key points of the game. A little more effort at the back would have seen Mohawks go into the break 11 points up. But those two scores brought fresh impetus to Thunder.
Fans and club officials would be hard-pressed to remember the last time Mohawks were restricted to just twelve points in the quarter of any game. But that was all the side could muster in the third period as the frustration mounted with every misplaced pass or shot, of which there were far too many.
And coming so soon after another lowly return, of 17 in the second session while the home side bagged two 23 point returns, it was an uphill battle for a shellshocked Mohawks outfit, although they were never more than a couple of baskets behind their hosts and even sneaked into a brief but uncomfortable two point lead midway through the third quarter.
Head coach Tony Hanson, who was naturally far from happy with his side’s performance, admitted that he expected better. “The number of turnovers was terrible. It seemed like we were still on the bus,” he blazed.
And Hanson suggested that the loss of Mundy-Castle actually worked in Thunders’ favour. He said: “Cherry’s dismissal made Worthing play better. They became more composed and capitalised on the situation – we didn’t.
“It wasn’t the result we wanted. But at the end of the day Worthing outplayed us at our game when it counted. We’ve got to look at taking the positives out of the game and get back to preparing for the next one.”
Worthing gave Mohawks the best possible start when, after winning the tip off, Gaylon Moore gave the ball to Ralph Bucci, who allowed Jason Swaine to finish off the move with a three. But in one of Swaine’s less productive games, two first quarter fouls saw him benched until midway through the second period and that was his sole scoring contribution.
Mundy-Castle gave his side the lead with two consecutive ‘And Ones’, while it was another three minutes before Bucci put two more on Mohawks’ scoreboard.
It was virtually basket for basket until, at 18-18, Neil Hopper and Steve Butler entered the game in exchange for Pete Knechtel and Swaine. The side immediately found another gear and battered sixteen into the Worthing basket, while Thunder could manage just four.
There was a dispute with the last play of the session, when Thunder looked to have hit a three right on the buzzer. But after consulting with the commissioner the score was cancelled out to give Mohawks their 12 point comfort zone.
Bucci took the lead up to 14 with the first two points of the second quarter. And although Thunder were beginning to make inroads there was little sign of the troubles ahead until Martin’s two three pointers reduced the lead to a shaky six.
On the restart EJ Harrison made the first contribution, but the tide was to turn with the help of two sloppy passages of play. First Knechtel misjudged a pass, which fell nicely into Sean Hampton’s hands and gave Thunder two easy points that launched the side on a 17-4 run to leave Mohawks trailing in their wake.
And less than a minute later Lijah Perkins passed the ball straight to Moore, who sent Hampton on for another two unchallenged points.
Steve Butler made it three giveaways when, with the score at 66-61 in Thunders’ favour, he too gave the ball cheaply to Hampton who buried the opportunity to give his side a five point lead going into the final ten minutes.
Butler quickly made amends though when, with two baskets to add to Harrison’s three pointer while Thunder’s points dried up, Mohawks found themselves two up.
Despite coach Hanson’s advice at a couple of late timeouts, four further incidents sealed Mohawks’ fate. After a steal by Bucci and four points down, Swaine ran the ball out of play while attacking the Thunder basket. Knechtel then grappled with Moore, sending him to the free throw line where he sank one from two.
In the next play Harrison sank his shot, but the referee called a charging foul and the basket was cancelled. And in the final minute, with the score at 87-84 after two successful free throws from Bucci, Knechtel intercepted the ball and Mohawks launched an attack only for the referee to call a backcourt violation.
Bucci, who with 35 was the game’s top scorer, then pulled up Marvin Addy, sending the Thunder player to the free throw line where, with less than 20 seconds on the clock and four points ahead, he needed, and scored, the one basket that put the game out of reach.
Worthing players simply held on to the ball as the buzzer sounded to send home fans into a frenzy while a dejected Mohawks outfit made a hasty exit from the arena to reflect on what was, first quarter apart, a lacklustre performance.
Solent 80 Inter Basket 83
A superb last quarter performance saw Inter Basket London pull off the unlikeliest of wins over Solent Stars at Flemming Park Sports Centre on Saturday.
Early on it was all the South Coast team as they opened up a 12-4 lead after six minutes of play. However a 13-0 run for the Londoners, with Andrew Bailey and Ben Smart contributing 11, saw them take the initiative, although late scores from American Marlin Capers kept Solent in the game as they trailed 19-18 at the end of the first quarter.
The second period saw Capers and his compatriot John Bynam take over matters as Inter simply could
not buy a basket. The visitors failed to make a field goal for the first six minutes of the stanza as Stars stretched out to an 11 point advantage at 33-22, the Americans contributing all but two of the points. Inter made an 8-2 run of their own before Solent again pulled away to lead 43-33 at the half; Capers already with 20 and Bynum 14.The third period saw the London side make valiant attempts at a recovery with Perry Lawson and Mansour Mbye starting to score. But from being down by just 51-48, Inter could not retain their composure and with Bynum scoring six of his sides last eight points, the home side held a 62-53 lead at three quarter time.
But the visitors came out firing in the last period as three pointers from Lawson and Franck Batimba reduced the deficit to three. Solent moved out to seven but they were surely shaken as Inter upped their defensive intensity. Lawson, Mbye and Smart seemed to be everywhere as the home side began to wilt. A 6-0 run with scores from Ebanja and Mbye gave Inter the lead for the first time and although Solent got back level, cool shooting from the foul line gave the London side a deserved if unexpected victory.
Kingston Wildcats 77 Sutton Pumas 74
Kingston Wildcats got their first home Conference win 77 - 74 at the expense of local all English Sutton Pumas.
Jamie Whitaker open the scoring for Kingston, but nine turnovers and some poor defending allowed Sutton to get off to a flying start, mainly due to ten early points from Gareth Laws. The Wildcats, having one of their customary lethargic starts trailed 22 - 14 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter the teams roles were reversed, and a combination of Solomon Ayinla and Whitaker clawed the Wildcats back into contention. Whitaker had tied the game 25 - 25 in the fourth minute while the Pumas were struggling to score against the Kingston zone. Sutton only managed one field goal, a long range jump shot by Shaun Grey, in the first six minutes of the quarter. Things then changed, sparked by some full court pressure and a couple of lay ups by Brian Moore, Sutton jumped back out to a 33 - 25 lead. Just on half time Jamie Whitaker hit a buzzer beating three point shot to bring the Wildcats back to within a point at 35 - 34.
With the teams on almost level pegging the eventful second half proceeded with neither team managing
to pull more than two or three points ahead. Masai Ujiri stepped up for the Wildcats and Laws did similarly for the Pumas, both hitting ten points in the quarter. At the end of the third quarter Sutton held a 58 - 56 lead. Ex-Puma Alan Hopper, who had struggled to find the target earlier in the game knocked down a three and a two early in the last quarter, helping Kingston to keep their noses in front. With three seconds on the clock and a 76 - 73 Kingston lead, Marcus Knight and Masai Ujiri and were ejected after getting into an altercation. The resulting free throws left the Wildcats with a 77 - 74 win. The experience and poise of the Wildcats proved to be the deciding factor down the stretch as the young Pumas shot selection let them down, failing to connect on all six of their three point attempts in the final period.
Reading Rockets 77 Manchester Magic 90
When Manchester Magic started their game at Reading’s palatial Rivermead Centre on Sunday, they were the eighth of the Club’s teams to play last weekend and all of the other seven had won, so they had a special reason to put the previous week’s disappointing game behind them. They had had a wretched drive through wind and rain and were facing a side on a winning streak and brimful of confidence. Coach Jeff Jones included son James in his starting five and his faith in him, John Shaw and Haris Charalambous was not misplaced. Driven as ever by the skill, encouragement and experience of Wayne Mulgrave and Kevin St. Kitts, the youngsters acquitted themselves well against a talented, eager and well-disciplined team and held them to 25-20 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw the game slipping away from them and the Rockets showed why they are the surprise new outfit in the Conference, as they built up an 11 point lead. However, Matt Weedall and Sergio Lara-Bercial hit a good streak and the Magic showed plenty of character and team work to silence the crowd by ending the half only 42-40 down.
James Jones was moving the ball nicely, with an unpredictable mix of long and short passes and Iain Goodwin was showing his best form for some time. The Magic opened the third quarter confidently and were soon in a lead which they were to hold for the rest of the game. Adam Slater had some sound court time and, despite some great bench coaching by ex-England coach Dave Titmuss, the Magic went to the last quarter with a lead of five points. Iain Goodwin set the tone for the Magic with a brilliant three-pointer and the rest of the team responded with some slick and productive play. As is usual these days, Wayne Mulgrave was outstanding in every department, as was Kevin St. Kitts, who made some wonderful assists. Towards the end, with the Rockets getting into foul trouble, Goodwin sank two sets of free throws to settle his team’s nerves and they ran out convincing winners. With this win, they maintain their fourth place in this highly competitive league.
Jones was delighted by his team’s character in coming back from a big deficit and by the excellent discipline and team spirit they had shown. Both teams were missing key players, but the Magic showed that the coach’s blend of youth and experience should be the key to a great future for the Club.
NBL Men's Division One: NW London Wolverines 64 Derbyshire Arrows 94
The Derbyshire Arrows produced a blistering first three quarters to put the skids under the Wolverines to take their League record to an impressive
10 – 1. The Arrows, with Bevington & Davidson both outstanding led
84 – 41 going into the final quarter before securing a 64 – 94 road victory.The Arrows took command from the start with King & Gayle providing direction in the backcourt while the power was coming from Waite, Davidson & Bevington the Arrows took a 24 – 14 lead. The Arrows introduced Ellmer & Marsh into the action in the second quarter and they were both successful as the Arrows increased their lead to 29 – 48 at the interval.
The Arrows exploded offensively in the third quarter with a 17 – 0 run which left the Wolverines trailing 84 – 41. To their credit the Wolverines rallied in the final quarter with Ataha going on a burst of scoring that cut the Arrows advantage to 64 – 94 at the end.
Derbyshire Arrows 100 Liverpool 71
The Derbyshire Arrows moved to the outright leadership of NBL 1 with a comprehensive victory over Liverpool in front of another large crowd at the Queens Park Sports Centre, the Arrows winning 100 – 71. The game started and ended with a Shawn King “dunk” as the Arrows overseas star showed that a Championship is very much his ambition. The Arrows with their second win of the weekend extended their winning record to 11 – 1.
The Arrows started swiftly with King, Bevington, Gayle & Davidson all prominent as the Arrows raced into a 27 – 12 first quarter advantage. Hackett, Ellmer & Marsh were introduced to the action and made an immediate impression as the Arrows led 47 – 30 at the interval.
The third quarter saw the Arrows unleash an array of offensive weapons as they scored 38 points to lead 85 – 45, David Waite, Bevington & Davidson were at the heart of the Arrows scoring. The Arrows controlled the tempo in the last quarter although new guard Delroy Gittens entertained everyone with his own brand of attacking play as the Arrows secured the victory
100 – 71.
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