However, there were mixed fortunes for the top-seeded teams across the divisions as the southern teams dominated the first round so far in NBL2.
NBL2 North champions Bristol Academy Flyers II were knocked out of the post-season race on home court, as Sable Cooper starred for NASSA in an 85-83 win.
Cooper had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for NASSA, who executed a game-plan to frustrate Bristol and play the game at their own pace, and it worked. The visitors’ lead peaked at 13 points and they mustered 28 points from their bench to support Cooper.
Bristol were led by Corey Hill’s 25 points, but they were let down by shooting just 40% from the floor. They did have a shot of winning the game with 1.6 seconds left, but Nassim Ladjimi’s heavily contested three-pointer missed everything.
However, NBL2 South winners Team Solent Kestrels did advance to the last four, but they were made to work hard for their 82-74 victory over Manchester Magic on the south coast.
Manchester had the better of the exchanges for the first three quarters, despite Solent having their noses in front 65-62 after three. From there, Solent turned up the heat and didn’t allow the Magic room to retake the lead, securing their place in the semi-finals.
The Kestrels shot an impressive 51% from the field, led by Russell Gariepy’s 19 points. The victors also had two players with double-doubles as Greg Durand (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Ashley Briggs (10 points, 12 rebounds) also impressed.
Ronney Ani had 18 for the Magic.
Barking Abbey prevailed in a low-scoring affair against Leicester Warriors, as Amarlie Wilkinson was a rebound-shy of a double-double in the 64-46 win.
Wilkinson had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead Barking Abbey to the final four, holding the Warriors to just nine points in the final quarter for the win. Ashley Ugo had a game-high 20 points for the Warriors.
The final first round match-up, pitting St Helens Saints and London Stars, unfortunately did not take place on Sunday. The contest has been referred to the Competitions Panel and an outcome will be decided as soon as possible.
Pool I champions Milton Keynes Breakers overcame a subpar start to beat East London Phoenix 63-51 at Bletchley. The Phoenix led 16-11 after the first period and looked good value for their advantage.
The Breakers recovered and stormed back in the second and third quarters, where they outscored East London 41-17, to take a sizeable advantage going into the fourth, and they saw it out from there. Sarah Round led the Breakers with 21 points.
The Breakers will host Team Solent Kestrels, who downed the City of Birmingham Rockets 44-30. The Kestrels were led by Glory Uzomefuna, who had a game-high 14 points in a low-scoring affair.
Pool II winners London All Stars took control of their quarter-final tie with Cardiff Met Archers from the start, holding their Welsh counterparts to just 13 first half points, en route to a crushing 73-42 success, with Josephine Maignomo enjoying 16 points for the All Stars.
London will host Bromsgrove Bears in the last four, as they dismissed Oaklands College Wolves II 64-55. Rebecca Brindley was a one-woman showstopper, leading all scorers with 30 points.
There were two top-seeded casualties in the first round of the NBL3 playoffs, as CoLA Southwark Pride and Oxford Hoops tasted defeat.
London Lions Foundation claimed the scalp of Pool III winners Oxford Hoops as a game-high 26 points from Tyresse Poku Mensah sealed a 76-65 away win.
Pool III runners up Crawley Storm edged Pool IV winners CoLA in a nail-biting contest to advance, with Balint Szilvagyi scoring a clutch basket in the final seconds to seal an 84-81 win.
Elsewhere, Pool II winners Birmingham City University cruised past Derby Trailblazers II 82-58, thanks to 18 points from Funganayi Chogugudza.
Pool I victors Sheffield Sharks also progressed to the semi-finals, as a strong 17-9 first period culminated with a comfortable 69-58 success over West Yorkshire Hawks at the Canon Medical Arena.
Bristol Academy Flyers II 83-85 NASSA - LIVE STATS
Barking Abbey 65-46 Leicester Warriors - LIVE STATS
Team Solent Kestrels 82-74 Manchester Magic - LIVE STATS
Team Solent Kestrels 44-30 City of the Birmingham Rockets
Milton Keynes Breakers 63-51 East London Phoenix
London All Stars 73-42 Cardiff Met Archers
Bromsgrove Bears 64-55 Oaklands College Wolves II
CoLA Southwark Pride 81-84 Crawley Storm (played in Crawley)
Birmingham City University 82-58 Derby Trailblazers II
Sheffield Sharks 69-58 West Yorkshire Hawks
Oxford Hoops 65-76 London Lions Foundation
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Words by John Hobbs
