REVIEW - Exciting weekend across the NBL includes plenty of high scoring matchups!

NBL Division One

 Leicester Warriors 82 v 76 Barking Abbey Crusaders 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Live Stats

After picking up back-to-back losses against Essex and Team Solent, the Leicester Warriors got back to winning ways by grabbing victory over Barking. The triumph sees the Warriors pick up their sixth win in their last eight outings, as the East Midlands' squad take another step towards securing the eighth and final playoff spot. An even start to the contest saw the two sides trade single digit leads throughout the first period, before a 12-0 that spanned either side of the half-time interval gave the Warriors a 16 point advantage - their largest lead of the game. The Crusaders responded late in the third stanza with a 14-2 run of their own to cut the deficit to just two points entering the final 10 minutes. The visitors' run continued as they took their first lead of the second half via a strong drive from Jonathan Brown, but the hosts hit back with another 12-0 run to lead 79-69 with just under three minutes to play. Chris Feeney and Theo Hughes cut the lead to five, before Taylor Johnson and Lamin Willan maintained the Leicester advantage with clutch shooting at the foul line.

Without Raphell Thomas-Edwards again, the Warriors were paced this weekend by 28 points, 10 rebounds and two assists from Taylor Johnson, while Martyn Gayle suppported with 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and three steals. Elhji Jabby finished with 10 points and four rebounds to round out the double digit scorers, while Coach Karl Brown got eight points apiece from Lamin Willan and Carl Pearson. Jonathan Brown led the Crusaders with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Ade Adebayo chipped in 12 points, three assists and two steals. Chris Feeney added 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Robin Bedford and Stephen Akpan came off the bench to contribute eight points each. 

 

 Team Newcastle 77 v 112 Team Solent Kestrels 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Live Stats

Team Solent extended their unbeaten run to six games, notching 100+ points for the third game in a row as they brought a dominant win back from the North East. The Kestrels led from tip to buzzer in this one, a game where the south coast shot an impressive 60% from the field and were never challenged by the relegation battling Team Newcastle. Holding a double digit lead within the first eight minutes, the league quickly ballooned to beyond 30 points as the third quarter progressed, as Coach Matt Guymon's side grabbed a convincing win to add to their title-chasing resume. 

The high-scoring performance for the Kestrels was paced by a game-high 37 points, four rebounds and three assists from Travis Charles, as the US import forward shot an effective 17-19 from the field and 3-3 from the foul line for an eye-catching 42 efficiency rating. Charles' scoring explosive was backed up by Elliott Dadds' 17 points, three rebounds and eight assists, while Chris Scarlett came off the bench to knock down five triples on his way to 16 points. Louie Kirkman and Sam Turner added 11 points apiece, while there was double-double of 10 points and 14 assists from import guard Herm Senor II. Captain Eric Stafford led by example in the Newcastle loss, finishing with a team-high 24 points and seven assists, while Onyekachi Nzerem was the other main contributor with 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tosan Evbuomwan added 10 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Alei Wol came off the bench to chip in nine points and six rebounds. 

 

 Thames Valley Cavaliers 89 v 79 Derby Trailblazers 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 6.00pm

Live Stats

Thames Valley got back to winning ways as they returned home to face the Trailblazers, needing a ferocious second half comeback to get the job done in this one. After getting the best of the early exchanges, the Cavs quickly fell behind as Derby took a double digit advantage. The Blazers' lead peaked at 12 points just before the half, with Thames Valley unable to make any significant inroads into the deficit throughout the second stanza. A rousing half-time team talk from Coach Robert Banks got the home side going in the third, as they opened with a 16-5 run to take their first lead since the first five minutes. The Blazers edged ahead once more, but Thames Valley ended the quarter on an 11-1 run to lead 66-61 entering the final stanza. This narrow lead would not be relinquished throughout the final quarter; when leading by just two points, the Cavs went on a sharp 10-0 run to lead 78-66 with around seven minutes remaining. Despite cutting the deficit to single digits, getting as close as five points with 2:36 on the clock, Derby could never quite get back on level terms as the Cavaliers picked up a crucial win in their quest for a top four finish, clinching the head-to-head over Derby in the process. 

Martelle McLemore led the Cavalier effort with 34 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and four steals, while Abdoulaye Sylla added a double-double of his own with 15 points, 16 rebounds and two assists. Bernard Hehetro came off the bench for a third double-double performance for Thames Valley, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Prince Larty rounded out the double digit scorers with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Without Malcolm Smith, the Trailblazers were paced by import guard Tre-Shawn Wilford who finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and two steals, while Jake Wesselingh knocked down four three-pointers to add 22 points and three rebounds. Matt Ward-Hibbert came off the bench to chip in 10 points and six rebounds, while Isa Brandon had 10 points of his own to go with five rebounds. 

 

 Hemel Storm 62 v 104 Loughborough Riders 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 7.00pm

Live Stats

Loughborough tipped off their tricky double-header weekend with a dominant win over Hemel Storm on the road, leading from gun to tape with an impressive scoring effort. Strong early play from the Riders' starters, including Lucien Christofis and Hosana Kitenge, saw the visitors with a double digit lead within the first three minutes. Hemel responded, but the road team continued to stretch their lead until the half-time interval, up by 15 points as the teams headed for the locker rooms. The second half was where Coach Mark Jarram's squad doubled down on their already established advantage, holding the Storm to 27 points after the break while pouring in 56 points of their own. 

A balanced scoring effort for the Riders saw five players in double figures, with eight players total scoring eight points or more. Alex Roberts had a team-high 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Hosana Kitenge supported with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jonas Dieterich added 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Lucien Christofis and Ellis Haggith rounded out the double digit scorers with 11 points apiece. Levi Noel had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists to lead Hemel, with former Riders big man TrayVonn Wright limited to 13 points on 5-18 shooting, while adding 11 rebounds.

 

 Worthing Thunder 149 v 91 Manchester Magic 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 7.30pm

Live Stats

An explosive perimeter scoring performance from the Worthing Thunder saw them pour in a jaw-dropping 149 points in their Saturday evening matchup against Manchester, a record-breaking mark in NBL Division One action. The Thunder got the job done around the arc in this one, shooting an 28/45 for an incredible 62% clip from deep. A competitive first eight minutes or so saw the Magic hold their own against the league's second-placed team, even holding a narrow lead of their own in the early going. The second period began with the Thunder finding their touch, as they poured in 40 points in the quarter, leading 70-41 at the half. The hot shooting only continued throughout the second half, with the phrase "when it rains, it pours" coming to mind - as Coach Simon Fisher's young squad were powerless to stop the triples raining down on them from all angles. Despite excellent defensive effort at times, Worthing continues to hit nothing but net over outstretched arms, bringing delight to a packed house at the Thunderdome. In a high-scoring, free-flowing contest, Manchester put a season-high on the board, with 91 points enough to win plenty of matchups this season - but not enough against an outstanding night by the Thunder.

With impressive stat-lines up and down the box score for Worthing, Zaire Taylor nearly grabbed headlines with a near quadruple-double of 22 points, 12 rebounds, 19 assists and nine steals. Meanwhile, the Thunder scoring was led by 36 points apiece from Alex Owumi and Jorge Ebanks, with Owumi knocking down an impressive 12 triples on the night. Ebanks also shot 5-7 from behind the arc, chipping in four rebounds and four assists to go with his scoring effort. Tom Ward shot 5-6 from deep to add 23 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Ishmael Fontaine came off the bench to contribute five rebounds and four assists. Sussex-native Richard Bell was a bright spark for the Magic on his return to the south coast as he led with a team-high 22 points, eight rebounds and two assist on 10-13 shooting. US import big man Jonathan Barnes added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Ryan Lewis chipped in 18 points, two rebounds and nine assists. The short-handed Magic travelled with just eight players and fielded four Under 17's, providing their young stars with excellent exposure to the top level of Division One, as Josh Grant took full opportunity to contribute 12 points in just under 15 minutes off the bench. 

 

 Loughborough Riders 58 v 105 Worthing Thunder 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 4.15pm

Live Stats

Sunday afternoon's triple-header tipped off with Loughborough and Worthing completing their double-header weekends, as the Thunder notched triple digit scoring once again while putting in a dominant defensive effort at the other end. The Riders led early, before Worthing edged ahead to end the first quarter; not relinquishing the lead again as the game progressed. The Thunder's dominance began in the second stanza, as a staunch defensive effort held the hosts to just nine points in the quarter, while Worthing poured in 28 points at the other end. An even third period saw the Riders find their scoring touch to be back level footing with their visitors, but unable to cut into the deficit before a fourth quarter that was all Worthing as they took the final stanza 28-10. The Thunder triumph sees the Sussex-based side draw level with Team Solent once again the the top of the standings with a 20-4 record, as the Kestrels now have two games to stay perfect to hold off the Worthing charge.

After nearly notching a quadruple-double in the rout over Manchester, Zaire Taylor went one better in this one and got the steals he needed to complete an impressive stat-sheet stuffing line. The import guard was everywhere in this one, finished with 21 points, 16 rebounds, 13 assists and 11 steals, while shooting 10-18 from the field. Alex Owumi continued his hot shooting from the night before by shooting 6-12 from behind the arc, adding 22 points, four rebounds and three assists, while captain Brendan Okoronkwo chipped in 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jorge Ebanks finished with 12 points, two rebounds and three steals, while Tom Ward contributed 11 points, four rebounds and five assists. 

 

 Bradford Dragons 100 v 85 Essex Leopards 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 4.15pm

Live Stats

Having recently began to bounce back from their torrid run of form to start the year, the Bradford Dragons grabbed a somewhat surprising victory over Essex to take their third win in their last four outings. A high-scoring effort from the hosts got the job done as Coach Chris Mellor's side moved the ball exceptionally well en route to 29 assists on 41 made field goals. However, the home side didn't have things all their own way at the Dragons' Den, as the Big Cats took the early lead with a bright start. Having fallen behind early, the Dragons sparked a 26-8 run that spanned either side of the first quarter break, to grab a lead that they would not let go for the remainder of the contest. A single digit advantage grew to a 17 point gap early in the fourth behind a 16-7 run to begin the period, allowing Bradford to maintain a double figure lead until the final buzzer sounded. The win gets the West Yorkshire side right back in the race for eighth, but with a tough schedule remaining they may fall just short of a post-season berth this year.

Ricky Fetske showed his scoring touch from inside and out in this one, as the Dragons' big man knocked down three triples and did damage around the rim en route to a game-high 30 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Andreas Lycoudis added 20 points, as the sharp shooter knocked down six from behind the arc, dishing out four assists as well, while Rihards Sulcs chipped in a double-double of 16 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Jermayne Laing contributed 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in an all-round effort, while Allie Fullah finished with eight points and four rebounds. The Big Cats saw all five starters scored in double figures, led by 20 points, two rebounds and three steals from import forward Asante Sandiford, while Findlay Wood had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists. Lee Hodges added a near double-double of 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Chuck Duru and Sam Newman chipped in 11 points apiece. 

 

 Hemel Storm 121 v 116 Reading Rockets 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 5.00pm

Live Stats

Wrapping up the NBL Division One weekend was a high-scoring affair in Hertfordshire, as Hemel completed their home-and-home double-header with a bounce-back win after an impressive scoring performance against Reading. The floodgates opened quickly, but it was the visitors who started the better - quickly jumping out to a 15 point advantage before seeing their lead trimmed back to five points just before the first quarter break. With the game poised at 43-48 to the Rockets midway through the second, Hemel unleashed an 11-0 run to lead 54-48, a lead that they would hold for the remainder of the contest. Holding a five point advantage when the game entered its final stanza, the Storm extended their lead to 15, but the Rockets weren't down and out just yet. An assertive 17-5 run from Reading was capped off by Trae Pemberton knocking down all three at the foul line after being fouled on a triple, making it 117-114 to Hemel with 17 ticks to go. The Rockets sent Bode Adeluola to the line, who calmly made it 119-114, before Adrian O'Sullivan got to the basket to make it 119-116 with 10 seconds to play. Again, Blayne Freckleton kept his cool at the stripe to make it 121-116, the final result after O'Sullivan and David Chive came up empty from three on the final possession. 

The Hemel victory, which keeps the Storm in with a chance of the playoffs, was led by 38 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals from TrayVonn Wright, while Bode Adeluola supported with 23 points, two rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Blayne Freckleton finished with 21 points, having knocked down four triples, while Levi Noel chipped in an impressive near triple-double of 20 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Will Ashby also provided a spark off the bench with an efficient shooting night which led to 12 points and two steals. Pacing the Rockets was Trae Pemberton with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Adrian O'Sullivan matched his back-court running mates' output with 21 points of his own, to go with eight rebounds and two assists. AJ Carr supported with 20 points, two rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Sydney Donaldson added a double-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Danny Carter chipped in 17 points as well, to go with three rebounds and six assists, while David Chive rounded out the double digit scorers with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists. 

 

WNBL Division One

 Bristol Academy Flyers 85 v 71 Team Solent Kestrels 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 12.30pm

Live Stats

Bristol Academy Flyers are now one win away from a league title after outlasting Team Solent with a strong second half performance. After trading baskets in the early going, Bristol grabbed a double digit advantage midway through the second quarter and led by nine a the half-time interval. The Kestrels kicked off the second half on a 14-5 run to cut the deficit to just two points, but Bristol rallied with an 8-0 run that spanned the third quarter break to regain control. The fourth quarter lead for the Flyers peaked at 15 points, when the hosts led 77-62, before Bristol finished on an 8-2 run in the final three minutes to clinch the win. The victory leaves Bristol needing a win against Loughborough to seal the regular season title, while a loss will gift the silverware to Anglia Ruskin who await on 14-4 with the head-to-head over the Flyers. 

Liisa Juul led Bristol with 17 points and 15 rebounds off the bench, while Flo Ward had 17 points, four rebounds, six rebounds and three steals. Cristina Bigica came off the bench for 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Mai Zilbeti finished with 11 points and three assists. Becky Cantin added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Hannah Wallace chipped in eight points, six rebounds and five assists. Geena Gomez led all scorers with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Kestrels, while Earleesha Jackson supported with 17 points and nine rebounds. Krisztina Velkey rounded out the double digit scorers witha near triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, with Chiara Di Stefano chipping in nine points, three assists and two steals. 

 

 Ipswich 62 v 56 Southwark Pride 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Live Stats

Ipswich clinched a .500 finish to the regular season with a narrow victory over Southwark, as they held off a last gasp comeback by their visitors. The Pride got the better of the early going, before Ipswich sparked a run either side of the first quarter break, to take a lead that they wouldn't relinquish for the entirety of the game. Leading by six points heading into the second half, Ipswich went on a run to take control and held their double digit until the closing stages when Southwark went on a ferocious 13-3 charge to finish the game. Southwark couldn't quite get over the hump to make it a one possession game, as they dropped to 8-10 on the season. Both squads await the culmination of the Rockets' campaign to confirm their final playoff seeding, with the race for fifth still undecided. 

Cameron Taylor-Willis led Ipswich with 16 points, seven rebounds and two steals, while Harriet Welham assisted with 14 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. Danielle Cazey finished with 11 points and three rebounds, while Susannah Rafiu came off the bench to chip in 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Southwark were paced by 11 points and three steals off the bench from Jade Guidolin Duncan, while Megan Haines supported with 10 points, two rebounds and two assists. Simona Henshaw added nine points and eight rebounds, while Maya Hyacienth chipped in nine points of her own to go with three rebounds and six steals. Khadija Conteh contributed seven points and eight rebounds, while Amelia Sandie finished with five points and seven rebounds. 

 

 Team Birmingham Elite 64 v 69 Anglia Ruskin University 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 4.00pm

Live Stats

Anglia Ruskin opened their double-header against Team Birmingham with a road victory that kept their title hopes alive, utilising a strong third quarter performance to gain the distance they needed to take the win. Birmingham started the stronger of the two sides to lead 18-15 after the first quarter, before the Rhinos bounced back to take a one point advantage into the half. A strong third stanza from the visitors extended their lead to six points, and down the stretch the hosts were unable to make significant inroads into the deficit as they eventually took a five point loss. The triumph left the Rhinos with a final league fixture at home against Birmingham on Sunday, needing another win to keep their title chances alive. 

The Anglia Ruskin victory was led by 19 points from Sofia Koutsourelaki, while Nadege Talva and Katrin Hulme added 11 points apiece. Lucy Buxton paced the Elite loss with 16 points, while Sandra Hewakowska chipped in 13 and Lucy Humphries finished with 10. 

 

 Loughborough Riders 39 v 49 Reading Rockets 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 4.30pm

Live Stats

Reading wrapped up an exciting Saturday in WNBL Division One with a low scoring win on the road at Loughborough, keeping hopes of a fifth-place finish within the Rockets' reach. The Riders started the game on top form on the offensive end, leading 20-14 when the first period came to a close. However, the scoring quickly dried up for the hosts as they failed to match their first quarter tally throughout the following 30 minutes of play - limited to single digit scoring outputs in the second, third and fourth stanzas. The Rockets started the second quarter on 1 3-2 to take control, and did not let go of the lead as their solid defensive effort kept the Riders at bay.

Andrea Gomez De La Vara had 15 points, five rebounds and two assists off the bench to lead the Rockets, while Monica Herranz De Antonio paced the starters with 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and nine steals. Candela Hermida Nunez added eight points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Maike Delow Fasbender chipped in five points and five rebounds. The low scoring performance for the Riders included no double digit efforts, as they were led by nine points from Lauren France, while Rebecca Morrison finished with eight points and 11 rebounds. 

 

 Anglia Ruskin University 75 v 68 Team Birmingham Elite 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 3.30pm

Live Stats

The WNBL Division One action concluded on Sunday with Anglia Ruskin finalising their regular season with another single digit win over Team Birmingham, as the Rhinos brought their title chasing campaign to a close with a 14-4 finish. Good enough for top spot as the weekend came to an end, Anglia Ruskin now await the result of Bristol's final league fixture against Loughborough to crown the league champion. The Rhinos led from gun to tape in this one, but didn't have things all their own way. Holding an impressive 21 point advantage as the fourth quarter commenced, the game looked over, but Elite rallied with a 13-0 run to start the period as they showed signs of life. Dawn Hall cut the deficit to just six points at 72-66 with 1:33 remaining, but that was the close Team Birmingham could get as Ilaria Zaffaroni and Sofia Koutsourelaki made clutch free throws down the stretch.

Rhinos' Skipper Katrin Hulme led their effort with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while Barbara Gonzalez Palacios came off the bench for 20 points of her own with five rebounds and two steals. Sofia Koutsourelaki finished with 12 points, two rebounds and four assists, while Jazmin Gyulai chipped in seven points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lucy Buxton led Elite in back-to-back games with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Lisa Greenaway finished with 15 points and four rebounds off the bench. Rebecca Brindley added 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals, while Sandra Hewakowska contributed 11 points and four rebounds. 

 

NBL Division Two

 Myerscough College 113 v 66 Derbyshire Arrows 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 2.00pm

Live Stats

Having dropped back-to-back games against top three opposition, Myerscough College got back to winning ways against NBL Division Two's basement side with a dominant high scoring performance. The Lancashire-based side got it done on both ends in this one, building a 28 point advantage at the half via a commanding second quarter effort. The lead just continued to grow for the North West side, as a short-handed Arrows side just couldn't keep up with their freely scoring hosts. Myerscough improve to 9-9 with the win, with just two games remaining against Westminster and Greenwich to hunt for a record above .500 to end the season. 

Bradley Kaboza led Myerscough with 16 points, while Lewis McGlasson had 15 points, two rebounds, five assists and three steals off the bench. Sanmi Fajana finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Samuel Keita chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds in limited minutes as a reserve. The depth of scoring performances continued down Coach Neal Hopkins' bench as Demi Adenuga offered 12 points and two rebounds, while Amari Williams contributed 11 points and five rebounds. The depth of the high scoring victory for the hosts was made even more impressive when you consider that their star back-court of Mate Okros and Callan Low each scored in single digits, while the sharp-shooting spark off the bench that is David Walsh only added nine points on the day. Meanwhile, Joseph Baugh led the Arrows with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Przemyslaw Milak came off the bench to add 13 points. Matt Wilson chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds, while Osemwegie Eboigbe offered 11 points and five rebounds. Callum McKenzie finished with a monster performance on the boards, contributing a near double-double of nine points, 17 rebounds, four assists and two steals, but struggled to look after the ball as he ended with 10 costly turnovers. 

 

 Sussex Bears 60 v 74 London Westside 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 5.00pm

Live Stats

London Westside picked up an important road win in the race for 8th-11th, weathering a rough start to take control in the second half of this one. The Bears got the better of the early going, holding a double digit lead after just a few minutes of action. However, the visitors stormed right back into this game with an impressive run as they took the lead to end the first stanza, and would lead much of the rest of the way before another run solidified their control late in the fourth. 

Donald Morris paced Westside with 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Jost Peterca had 17 points, two rebounds and four steals. Levi Edwards was the only other double digit scorer as he added 10 points and two steals, but Santiago Leon did chip in an important nine points, three rebounds and five assists. Cordaris Townes paced Sussex with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks, while Tomas Seduikis also had 15 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. James Felstead chipped in a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Joe Carter added nine points and seven assists off the bench.  

 

 Liverpool 94 v 86 Greenwich Titans 

Saturday 16 March 2019 - 5.00pm

Live Stats

Liverpool needed a vital comeback on their home floor to pick up their 18th win of the season and protect their unbeaten streak, having fallen behind early against the Titans on Saturday evening. Greenwich led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, before Liverpool got back on level terms in the second, trading baskets to head into the half-time interval down by just two points. The hosts showed some resolve in the third to gather their momentum and lead by as many as nine at points in the second half, before Mark Rangeley clinched the result with a timely triple down the stretch.

David Ulph had a big 26 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead the Merseysiders, while Uche Umekwe was similarly impressive with 23 points and nine rebounds. Mark Rangeley finished with 17 points on the night, while Jack Hudson dished out 11 assists to go with 14 points, five rebounds and five steals. Jake Murphy matched a game-high 26 points to lead Greenwich, adding five rebounds and two steals, while Arturo Noha-Pascual finished with 19 points, two assists and four steals. Ray Akpofure provided a spark off the bench with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Carl Williams rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points and two rebounds. 

 

 Liverpool 105 v 60 Ipswich 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Live Stats

After a tricky game on Saturday evening, Liverpool extended their perfect record to 19-0 with a comfortable win over the recent Patrons Cup runners-up. The hosts led from tip to buzzer in this one, not needing a comeback run like the contest against Greenwich, as they poured in 51 points in the first half while limiting their visitors to just 28. A dominant third quarter saw the Liverpool lead begin to balloon, as a depleted Ipswich squad struggled to cope with the talented table-topping roster in front of them at Archbishop Beck. 

David Ulph was clinical again on his way to 19 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks, while Kenny Ogunneye added 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists on his return to the lineup. After a scoreless Saturday, Kaphel Ulett-Waul chipped in 11 points and three rebounds, while Tyme Regent-Bascombe chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three steals off the bench. Chiz Onuora rounded out the double digit efforts with 10 points and three rebounds, while captain Jack Hudson finished with eight points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. The low scoring Ipswich performance was led by Copleston High School rising star Jacob Morgan who had 22 points, two rebounds and four steals, while fellow academy standout Veron Eze supported with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists as their other major contributor. 

 

 London United 81 v 92 Westminster Warriors 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 4.00pm

Live Stats

London United came up just short in a top three encounter at home, as Westminster made the cross-capital journey to clinch a result that could go some way to sealing second place for the Warriors. In a game that swung back-and-forth, it was United who took the first lead of any significance when their run to start the third quarter gave them a nine point cushion. The deficit was brought within five points early in the fourth, before a 14-2 by the Warriors gave them the lead in the latter stages; Westminster pouring in 34 points in the final stanza. 

Johnathan Lashley led Westminster with 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Jon Johnson had 16 points and seven rebounds. Justin Hitchman matched his play-caller's contribution with 16 points of his own to go with two rebounds, while Juan Manning finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks in a stat-sheet stuffing effort. Philip Lartey was the only other double digit for the Warriors as he added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. Player-coach Daniel Szatkowski led United with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Modestas Krasauskas came off the bench for 13 points and three rebounds, Marius Talijunas finished with a double-double of 12 points, 11 rebound and three blocks, while Khalil Afrasyab offered 11 points, three rebounds and five assists. Yonathan Napoleon rounded out the double figure scorers with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Dovydas Rudik chipped in eight points, three rebounds and two assists. 

 

 East London All Stars 81 v 50 London Greenhouse Pioneers 

Sunday 17 March 2019 - 5.00pm

Live Stats

The final game in NBL Division Two this weekend saw East London All Stars get back to .500 with a dominating victory over cross-capital rivals the London Greenhouse Pioneers. Aside from conceding the first basket of the game, the All Stars led for the entirety of this contest, limiting the Pioneers to just eight points in the first stanza to set the tone on the defensive end. Despite East London edging ahead, the lead was just eight points at the half, giving Greenhouse a chance to regain equal footing in the second half. However, the hosts doubled-down on their narrow advantage when the third quarter commenced, building a 20+ point gap entering the fourth period with the game over as a contest. 

Kyle Gouveia paced East London with 26 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, while Aaron Badibo supported with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists. Jonathan James had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Brian Nguru came off the bench for nine points, two assists and two steals. Four players scored in double digits to pace the Pioneers, with Kyle Diaz, Mariano Lussenhoff, Teni Mango and Isaia Alexis each chipping in 10 points. Alexis also added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Mango finished with four rebounds and three assists. Max Hufschlag came off the bench to offer a near double-double eight points and nine rebounds as the other major contributor in the visitor's loss. 

 

For full Scores & Schedules for this weekend's action, click the link below: