NBL Division Two Recap – Week 14 (4/5 January 2020)

There were six D2M fixtures to kick start the new year, as Hurricanes triumphed in the battle of Bristol, Manchester Magic saw off Newcastle and Derbyshire Arrows got the win against Sheffield.

Game of the day

Bristol Hurricanes 68 - 60 Bristol Academy Flyers

Hurricanes got their first win in the last game week of 2019 and started the New Year in the best possible way with a derby win against Flyers.

Zygimantas Kosarevas and Benas Andriekus starred for the hosts with 21 and 20 points respectively, as Hurricanes controlled the second quarter to give them a healthy 13-point half-time lead.

Flyers hit back in the third to bring them back to within three points, but the damage had been done as Hurricanes make it a remarkable two wins in a row.

Elsewhere in D2M

Ipswich enjoyed a happy road trip for their 85-77 win at Solent Kestrels. Jake Antony Eynon grabbed 29 points for the visitors, while Ethan Price recorded a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Manchester Magic sit in third after an impressive 86-63 win over top of the table Newcastle. Magic came out firing in the first quarter, giving themselves a 16-point lead which grew as the game wore on. Andre Gayle’s 25 points along with a further 20 from Richard Bell stood out for Magic.

Derbyshire Arrows saw off bottom side Sheffield with a 95-79 victory despite an impressive performance from the visitors’ Jacob Cauthorn, who recorded a 38-point, 11-rebound double-double.

Arrows’ Callum McKenzie recorded a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double of his own as the hosts’ 12-point lead after the first-quarter helped them on their way.

Full results and stats

Saturday 4 January - Division Two Men

6:00pm - Bristol Hurricanes 68-60 Bristol Academy Flyers STATS
6:00pm - Team Solent Kestrels II 77-85 Ipswich Basketball STATS
6:15pm - London Westside 91-108 London Greenhouse Pioneers STATS
6:30pm - Manchester Magic 86-63 Team Newcastle University STATS

Sunday 5 January - Division Two Men

4:00pm - Myerscough College 93-65 Derbyshire Spartans STATS
4:15pm - Derbyshire Arrows 95-79 Sheffield Hallam University STATS

Up Next

Week 15 sees 10 games take place in D2M, as Solent and Greenwich Titans get the weekend underway. Sheffield host Bristol Flyers, Essex travel to London Pioneers, while the in form Hurricanes will face the challenge of Chester.

Ipswich face Sussex, Newcastle will hope to get back to winning ways in Birmingham while it's a Derbyshire derby as Spartans face the Arrows.

On Sunday, Titans will be in action again as they host London Westside, Cardiff host the East London All Stars and Manchester Magic travel to Myerscough College.

Main image credit - James Darcy