Hatters romp to Cup
crown
Sheffield Hatters romped to their ninth
National Cup Final in ten years, defeating Birmingham Quality Cats 75-47
at the Sheffield Arena.
The Sheffield double landed Hatters’ coach Betty Cadona a 22nd
piece of silverware – more than any other coach and breaking the record
previously held by Kevin Cadle.
The Hatters started brightly, with an 11-0 tear coming as part of a
25-6 run with which they finished the first half, building up a mammoth
47-17 lead.
It was a different story at the start of the second half, as the Hatters
went five minutes without scoring and the Quality Cats responding with
a field basket and two free-throws. But the Hatters then stretched their
lead to 31 points at 60-29 with 7:00 to go before Birmingham, who have
now been beaten in all three of their final appearances, added some late
points, Smith on 16 being the Brummie's best.
Sheffield’s Sharon Castanada was awarded the MVP for her game best 19
points.
Ley repeat as Mohawks step up
Teesside Mohawks took their first Sainsbury’s Classic Cola Men’s National
Trophy title with a 66-65 win over Plymouth Mohawks. It was a second
successive win for American Dennis Ley, who was also in last year’s winning
Richmond side.
A close game throughout saw the biggest lead come with a three-pointer
from Plymouth’s player-coach Gary Stronach, which put his side 52-41 ahead
with 11:36 of the match to go. But Teesside replied with a 5-0 run
to close the gap and set up a neck-and-neck finale.
With 27 seconds left, Plymouth’s Ray Blackwell landed a free-throw
to put his side 65-64 up – but he missed the second and when Dennis
Ley went to the foul line at the other end with nine seconds left, he landed
both to give the Mohawks the closest of victories. Joe Jones had 23 for
the victors to top the scoring tables, while Ralph Bucci added 17.
Nigerian international Daniel Okonkwo had 22 for the losers but for
Plymouth, it was a heartbreaking fifth defeat in a National Trophy final
– and Teesside’s victory brings the trophy back north after four years
of southern domination.
