REVIEW - Liverpool crowned NBL Division Two champions after victory over Westminster!

NBL Division One

 Team Newcastle 76 v 92 Worthing Thunder 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 2.30pm

Live Stats

Worthing Thunder extended their win streak to five games with a solid road win in the North East, improving to 18-4 in the process. The hosts got the first few scores of the game, but after the initial exchanges it was Worthing who took control, never relinquishing the lead as they jumped out to a double digit advantage quickly in the first period. Newcastle cut the deficit to just a single point just before the half-time interval, so it took an impressive second half performance to kept the Tynesiders out of this one. With the game evenly poised at a six point gap early in the fourth, the visiting Thunder unleashed a definitive run to pull away for good. The win sees Worthing keep a hold of the second position in the standings following Team Solent's double-header victories, as the Sussex-based side continue to hope for a slip-up from their south coast rivals.

Zaire Taylor led all scorers in this one with an eye-catching effort of 30 points, four rebounds, seven assists and five steals, while teammate Jorge Ebanks supported with a double-double of 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Tom Ward added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Brendan Okoronkwo chipped in with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. In a rare start for Naseem McLoughlin, he contributed nine points and three assists in just under 19 minutes of play. Newcastle were led by 17 points, three rebounds and four assists from Onyekachi Nzerem, while Ben Seipt added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tosan Evbuomwan finished with 10 points, six rebounds and two assists, while there was also a 10 point, six assist effort off the bench from Victor Fuentes. 

 

 Bradford Dragons 91 v 86 Thames Valley Cavaliers 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 6.15pm

Live Stats

After snapping their losing streak last weekend with a win over Newcastle, the Bradford Dragons picked up back-to-back wins for the first time since November as they grabbed a narrow victory over Thames Valley. Opening up their road double-header with a trip to West Yorkshire, the visiting Cavaliers started out slow as they allowed Bradford to take an early lead. A sharp run late in the first quickly brought them back on level terms, before swinging the momentum their way, as Thames Valley went on to lead for the rest of the half. The road team controlled the third stanza as they kept their noses in front, but a 12-0 run from the Dragons early in the fourth saw the hosts edge ahead for a narrow lead of their own. The visitors rallied to kept it close down the stretch, as Martelle McLemore scored the final 12 points of the contest for Coach Robert Banks' side - but Rafael Saipe held his nerve at the foul line to see Bradford sneak away with the win. Tipping off their double-header with an important triumph, Coach Chris Mellor's side improved to 8-13 as they begin to put breathing room between themselves and the relegation battle.

The Dragons got contributions up and down their roster, as four played scored in double digits en route to their vital win. Rihards Sulcs led the effort with 23 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while starting front-court partner Ricky Fetske picked up a double-double of his own with 14 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Allie Fullah came off the bench to add a third double-double performance for Coach Chris Mellor, as he finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Rafael Saipe paced the reserves with 19 points, two rebounds and five assists. Despite not being able to grab the points from this one, the Cavaliers enjoyed a well-balanced scoring attack which was led by 24 points, four rebounds and five assists from Martelle McLemore. Aiden Saunders supported with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Abdoulaye Sylla chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds. Bernard Hehetro matched Sylla's output with 14 points and nine rebounds of his own, while Charles Acquah-Davis came off the bench to contribute 11 points and four rebounds. 

 

 Nottingham McDonalds Hoods 61 v 77 Hemel Storm 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 6.30pm

Live Stats

Hemel Storm kept their playoff push going on Saturday evening as they led from tip to buzzer in a convincing win against the Nottingham McDonalds Hoods. After the visitors jumped out to an impressive 16 point lead in the first quarter, it looked like this contest was over pretty early from the Hoods' perspective - but they rallied with an impressive third stanza effort to get back into it. Having cut the deficit to just seven points heading into the fourth, the scoring dried up for the hosts as they mustered just eight points in the final 10 minutes. The impressive defensive effort down the stretch from Hemel saw them pull away by double digits once again, picking up a victory to improve to 9-12 on the season - just one win behind Leicester who occupy the eighth spot as things stand. 

Bode Adeluola led Hemel with 22 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while TrayVonn Wright added 22 points of his own to go with nine rebounds. Blayne Freckleton finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, while captain Tom Adorian rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points and six rebounds. Cole Welle paced the Hoods with an impressive 15 point, 15 rebound double-double, while Delaney Powell chipped in 14 points. Tom Ballantine came off the bench to contribute 11 points and seven rebounds, while David Watts added seven points, five rebounds and two blocks as another important spark off the bench. 

 

 Manchester Magic 71 v 68 Derby Trailblazers 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 6.30pm

Live Stats

Manchester Magic picked up just their second win of the season with an upset victory over Derby Trailblazers, behind a strong first quarter from the hosts. The North West side never trailed in this one, as they got off to a hot start and maintain their run to lead by double digits for large stretches of the second stanza. A renewed effort from the Blazers tied things up late in the third, but a quick four points in response from Ryan Lewis gave the Magic the advantage once again. After Oli Stanley cut the deficit to 67-62 with 3:39 to play, both sides went on a drought until Isa Brandon had a quick six points to make it 69-68 with 50 seconds remaining.

A crucial Simon Fisher time-out led to a vital turnaround jumper from Jonathan Barnes, as the Magic extended their lead to 71-68. Tre-Shawn Wilford came up empty on a triple to tie things up, before Barnes crucially missed two late-game free throws, allowing Brandon another look to tie the game as time expired. The Blazers couldn't find the mark on their last-second attempt, as Manchester escaped with their first win since November - sure to help morale in the Magic camp. However, results elsewhere this weekend means that Manchester are officially relegated, unable to catch Barking and Newcastle in their remaining four games; by virtue of head-to-head results. 

US import big man Jonathan Barnes led the Magic with a monster effort of 23 points and 19 rebounds, while Ryan Lewis added 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Andre Gayle chipped in 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Kayin Darbey and Danny Pilkington finished with six points apiece. Isa Brandon tied Barnes for a game-high 23 points, as he added five rebounds and four steals for the Blazers. Captain Oli Stanley finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Tre-Shawn Wilford chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Blazers were notably without the services of star import forward Malcolm Smith, leaving the East Midlands' side a little short-handed in the front-court in this one.

 

 Team Solent Kestrels 101 v 65 Leicester Warriors 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 8.00pm

Live Stats

A short-handed Leicester Warriors side could do little to stop the offensive clinic that Team Solent put on in front of their home fans on Saturday night, as Places Leisure Eastleigh was treated to a high octane affair by their table-topping team. Despite the final score-line, this contest started out relatively evenly, with the Kestrels edging ahead early on, before being reeled back in as they held a five point advantage after the first quarter. The second stanza saw the hosts begin to find their flow offensively as they poured in 28 points, before leading by 20+ points at times in the third period. The short-handed Warrior lineup could do little to stop the home side down the stretch, as the Kestrels poured in another 32 points in the final stanza, pulling away to complete the rout. 

Coach Matt Guymon got plenty of contributions across his roster as six players scored in double figures, led by 21 points, five rebounds and three assists from Nick Lewis in his return to major minutes off the bench for Team Solent. Herm Senor II paced the starters with 16 points, 12 assists, five rebounds and four steals, while fellow US import Travis Charles added 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Captain Louie Kirkman finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Elliott Dadds chipped in 12 points and Sam Turner contributed 10. With Raphell Thomas-Edwards notably absent for Leicester, Taylor Johnson led the visitor's effort with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, while Martyn Gayle supported with 11 points and seven rebounds. Carl Pearson came off the bench to add 11 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Alex Wilson chipped in nine points, while Pak Chingombe finished with seven. 

 

 Barking Abbey Crusaders 95 v 84 Reading Rockets 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 8.30pm

Live Stats

Barking Abbey picked up a vital win in the late game on Saturday, putting together a complete performance to take down the fifth-placed Rockets. The opening exchanges in this one saw the two sides trading single digit leads, before the Crusaders pulled away early in the second half to take the first double figure advantage of the contest. The deficit was quickly shrunk by some good play from Reading, but an 11-2 run to start the fourth was all Barking needed to build a definitive double digit lead that they would not relinquish. Following Team Newcastle's earlier loss against Worthing, the victory for Coach Lloyd Gardner's squad saw them climb out of the bottom two with a one win lead over the North East side heading into Sunday's play, as the relegation battle heats up down the stretch.

Ade Adebayo had an eye-catching game for the Crusaders, leading all scorers with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists, having knocked down 4-5 from behind the arc and converting on 9 out of 11 trips to the foul line. Robin Bedford and Nathaniel Powell came off the bench to add 14 points apiece, while Canterbury Academy product Jonathan Brown had 11 points, six rebounds and two assists on his return to Brompton Academy. AJ Carr had 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lead the Rockets, while skipper Danny Carter had 19 points, three rebounds and three assists in support. Adrian O'Sullivan continued his journey back from injury with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Sydney Donaldson knocked down three triples to contribute nine points, six rebounds and three assists. 

 

 Team Solent Kestrels 110 v 59 Barking Abbey Crusaders 

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 12.00pm

Live Stats

Team Solent made it an impressive weekend of blowout victories on Sunday afternoon as they notched triple figures for the second time in as many days in a rout of Barking Abbey. The Kestrels opened the contest by pouring in 36 points in the first quarter and never looked back as they gradually grew their lead throughout the game. Adding a further 28 points in both the third and fourth quarters, the margin ballooned late on as the hosts emphatically took control at the top of the NBL Division One standings. With three games remaining, all against teams outside of the top six, Team Solent control their own destiny with a perfect finish to the campaign securing the title.

Herm Senor II led six double digit scorers with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Travis Charles added 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Skipper Louie Kirkman had an efficient 16 point, two rebound, two assist effort, while Chris Scarlett chipped in 14 points and four rebounds off the bench. Nick Lewis contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in limited minutes, while Elliott Dadds rounded out the double figure contributors with 10 points, five rebounds and six assists. Jonathan Brown finished with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists to lead the Crusaders, while Robin Bedford came off the bench for 13 points and five rebounds in the low scoring game for Barking. 

 

 Team Newcastle 75 v 57 Essex Leopards 

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Following Barking Abbey's upset victory over Reading, Team Newcastle kept pace in the relegation battle by picking up their sixth win of the season - grabbing an underdog victory of their own against the playoff-bound Essex Leopards. The hosts jumped out to an early 21-11 lead after the first quarter, before extending their lead to 13 at the half-time interval. The Big Cats fought back well in the third and were able to trim the deficit back to single digits; trailing by nine as the game entered the final stanza. An impressive final quarter from the home side saw them pull away to clinch the result, crucial in their plight to maintain their Division One status. 

Tosan Evbuomwan led Team Newcastle with 21 points, while Ben Seipt added 15 and Nikola Urli chipped in 14. Asante Sandiford paced the Leopards with 13 points, supported by 10 points apiece from Sam Newman and Lee Hodges. 

 

 Manchester Magic 63 v 83 Bradford Dragons 

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 5.00pm

Live Stats

Manchester Magic were unable to complete their home double-header with a second victory on Sunday evening as Bradford snatched a second win in as many days to reignite their playoff push. The Dragons edged ahead of their hosts early on to build a double digit advantage, before the home side stormed back into contention in the second and took their only lead of the contest just before the half. However, Bradford came out refocused after the interval, holding Manchester to just nine points in the third stanza, while pouring in 27 points of their own to take control of the game. A competitive final quarter went the way of the Magic, but it wasn't enough to cut into the lead as they fell to 2-20 on the season, with relegation now a mathematically certainty following Newcastle & Barking's victories. 

Ricky Fetske led the Bradford win with 26 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, while Rihards Sulcs added 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Andreas Lycoudis chipped in 10 points and two rebounds off the bench, while Allie Fullah and Jermayne Laing contributed eight points apiece. Andre Gayle paced the Magic with 14 points and four rebounds, while Richard Bell added with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Ryan Lewis contributed 10 points and two assists, while captain Danny Pilkington came off the bench to add eight points and eight rebounds. The skipper's scoring effort was matched by young forward Ty Jordan who also came off the bench for an eight point outing which included hitting two three-pointers.  

 

 Reading Rockets 70 v 67 Thames Valley Cavaliers

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 6.00pm

Reading Rockets bounced back from their tough loss on Saturday against Barking to pick up a narrow victory in front of a packed house at John Madejski Academy. In a game that was even throughout, it was the Cavaliers who edged ahead after the first quarter, before the Rockets produced a solid second period performance to lead by two points at the half-time interval. Thames Valley were able to trim the deficit to a single point heading into the fourth, but a low scoring final stanza went the way of the hosts as they held on for a vital narrow win. Reading improve to 13-8 on the season, looking to use their final five games to continue their push towards a top four finish. 

Young JMA forward Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo led the Rockets' scoring with 22 points, while AJ Carr added 16 points and Trae Pemberton chipped in 15 points. Abdoulaye Sylla paced the Cavaliers with 25 points, with Martelle McLemore supporting with 16 points as Darnell Gumbs-Williams and Aiden Saunders each contributed six points. 

 

WNBL Division One

 Barking Abbey 59 v 86 Team Solent Kestrels 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 1.15pm

Barking Abbey closed out their WNBL Division One season with a tough loss against the Kestrels, falling behind after competing well early on. It was the hosts who got the best of the opening exchanges, leading 23-20 after the first period, but only mustering eight points in the second stanza hurt their cause as they fell behind by five points at the half-time interval. The Kestrels doubled down on their narrow lead as the third quarter got going, holding Barking to 11 points while pouring in 24 of their own. The lop-sided scoring continued down the stretch as the fourth quarter finished 13-29 to the visitors, as Coach CJ Lee's side pulled away for a convincing result. Barking finish their season 4-14 at the foot of the table, but with a crucial head-to-head over Team Birmingham they may not finish bottom if Elite are unsuccessful in an attempt to pick up wins in their final two games. Meanwhile, Team Solent improve to 12-4 to keep their hopes of a late push at the title alive. 

Geena Gomez exploded for 35 points to lead all scorers as she paced the Kestrels win, with Andrea Kurkowski chipping in 14 points as Krisztina Velkey added nine points. Loren Christie led Barking with 17 points, well supported by 16 points from Jolica Cadogan, while Lilly Annim finished with six points. 

 

 Southwark Pride 65 v 47 Sevenoaks Suns II 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 2.00pm

Live Stats

Southwark Pride got back to winning ways in their penultimate game of the regular season with a dominant second half performance that allowed them to pull away late after a rough start. A tough first quarter on the offensive end for Coach Jackson Gibbons' side saw the hosts put just six points on the board, allowing Sevenoaks to edge ahead for a narrow lead. The lead would change hands in the second, before the Suns maintained their slender advantage at the half, up by a single point. The third quarter saw Southwark come out of the locker rooms refocused on both ends as Coach Gibbons' squad locked up on the defensive end, allowing just eight points, while free-flowing offense saw them outscore their own first half production with 26 points in the period. With a commanding lead heading into the final stanza, the hosts were able to maintain their advantage as they completed a solid win. 

Khadija Conteh led the Pride with 15 points, while Amelia Watkins supported with 13 points. Esther Oluade finished with 11 points, while there was a seven point effort off the bench from Amelia Sandie. Kenisha Whyte had eight points off the bench to pace the Suns, while Chier Deng and Olivia Partridge had seven points apiece to lead the starting group. Molly Shaw added six points in the losing effort for Sevenoaks. 

 

 Reading Rockets 76 v 55 Team Birmingham Elite 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 4.00pm

Live Stats

An excellent first quarter for the Reading Rockets set the tone for a dominant win, as the Berkshire-based side extended their win streak to three games. The hosts came out locked in on the defensive end in this one as they held Team Birmingham to just four points in the opening stanza, quickly jumping out to a double digit lead that they would never relinquish - adding to the advantage in the second quarter as they cruised away into the lead. Despite strong runs in the third and fourth, the closest the visitors could get it was back to a 15 point deficit as their slow start meant they were down and out for much of the rest of the contest. With a 6-8 record and holding the seventh spot in the standings, the Rockets look to have finally locked up a playoff spot - with all to play for, they will hope to replicate their knockout success that led them all the way to the National Cup final.

Maria Angeles Valdeolmillos Gomez led all scorers with 20 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals, while JMA guard Paula Romero Tarrega supported with 11 points and four rebounds off the bench. Anabel Latorre Ciria had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Andrea Gomez De La Vara finished with nine points, two rebounds and two assists. Gabriela Sanchez Parodi Reveron chipped in seven points, three rebounds and five assists, while Carmen Segura Moreno contributed seven points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Lucy Buxton led Elite with 15 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Lisa Greenaway added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench. Sandra Hewakowska chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds, while Rebecca Brindley finished with six points, nine rebounds and four assists in a rare low scoring effort for the star guard. 

 

 Anglia Ruskin University 89 v 71 Ipswich 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 4.00pm

Live Stats

Anglia Ruskin kept their late run at the title going on Saturday afternoon with a solid win over fellow playoff-bound Ipswich, as a dominant fourth quarter allowed the hosts to pull away. With the two sides trading narrow single digit leads in the opening exchanges, the game entered the second stanza all squared up - before Ipswich led for much of the second quarter. Anglia Ruskin had their shot at holding the lead throughout much of the third period, before Ipswich rallied to hold a single point advantage as the contest entered its final 10 minutes. The Rhinos unleashed a 25-3 run early in the final stanza as the floodgates opened on the offensive end, as Ipswich had no answer on either end for the unrelenting play of the hosts. Ending the fourth having poured in 32 points, the Rhinos were able to ease to victory in the closing stages, improving to 12-3 on the season.

Jazmin Gyulai exploded for 30 points, 12 rebounds and two steals for the Rhinos, while Ilaria Zaffaroni supported with 16 points, three rebounds, five assists and six steals. Captain Katrin Hulme finished with a near triple-double of 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals, while Nadege Talva matched her skipper's scoring output with 14 points of her own to go with eight rebounds annd three assists. Esther Little had 23 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in an eye-catching performance to lead Ipswich, while Harriet Welham knocked down four triples en route to 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Suffolk-based squad also got seven points apiece from Ella Pearson and Susannah Rafiu in the losing effort. 

 

 Loughborough Riders 69 v 59 Anglia Ruskin University 

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 3.30pm

Live Stats

Anglia Ruskin were unable to complete their double-header with a second victory on Sunday as the Loughborough Riders used an impressive fourth quarter to pull away and grab an important win in their race towards a four finish. The hosts edged ahead in the early going, but it was the Rhinos who would lead at the half after a solid second quarter performance. Another even period saw the Rhinos still narrowly ahead after the third, but an impressive comeback from the Riders in the final stanza allowed them to come from behind and pick up the result in this one as they improved to 10-5 on the season.

Scottish guard Imogen Cook paced the Loughborough effort with 16 points, while Lauren Saa supported well with 15 points. Holly Davies and Niamh Kelshaw added nine points apiece to help lead the Riders to victory. Jazmin Gyulai followed up her scoring explosion against Ipswich with a 19 point outing to lead Anglia Ruskin, while Nadege Talva added 12 points and Barbara Gonzalez Palacios finished with 11. 

 

NBL Division Two

 Myerscough College 67 v 74 London United 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 2.00pm

Live Stats

A tough result on their home floor saw Myerscough College pick up their second loss on the bounce against top three opposition, while London United improved to 11-7 on the year to continue to chase promotion. The hosts edged ahead after one, with a three point advantage following the first 10 minutes of play. London United quickly gathered their composure with a good second stanza to hold their own three point lead as the teams headed for the locker rooms. Coach Neal Hopkins saw an improved effort from his home squad in the third, as the North West side led by a single point when the game entered the final period. However, the last 10 minutes would be all London United as they pulled the game back into their control to pick up the seven point victory as Myerscough dropped to 8-9 on the year. 

Tomas Butrimas led United with 22 points, while Modestas Krasauskas supported with 13 points and Marius Talijunas added 12. Sanmi Fajana finished with 24 points to lead all scorers as he paced Myerscough, while Rayon Brown had 12 points and Mate Okros chipped in 11. 

 

 Greenwich Titans 106 v 76 Ipswich 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 3.00pm

Live Stats

After a disappointing performance on the road last weekend, Greenwich Titans got back to winning ways with a blowout win over Ipswich, as the East London side impressed on the offensive end. After an even first five minutes, the hosts edged ahead to end the first period, before a dominant second stanza saw them lead by as many as 28 as they poured in 33 points in the quarter. The lead grew to 30+ in the third period as the hosts added a further 25 points to their tally, before Ipswich rallied to win the fourth with the game already out of reach. 

Jake Murphy led all scorers with 28 points and eight rebounds to lead the Titans, while Carl Williams came off the bench to add 18 points, three rebounds and three steals. Ray Akpofure chipped in 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Arturo Noha-Pascual finished with 11 points, including three triples. Ipswich were led by 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists from Veron Eze, while Ethan Price contributed 18 points and nine rebounds. Captain Cameron Hawes finished with 16 points as he knocked down five three-pointers, while Jed Robinson had six points and two rebounds. 

 

 Westminster Warriors 72 v 78 Liverpool 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 5.30pm

Live Stats

Liverpool overcame the biggest challenge to their undefeated season as they dealt Westminster Warriors their first home loss of the season, with the visitors improving to 17-0 on the season. After the hosts edged in front in the first quarter, Coach Delme Herriman's side took a double digit lead just before the half. The lead would change hands multiple times in the second half, with Westminster in front by five points as late as five minutes to go. The visitors went on an 8-0 run to retake control, but after Jon Johnsons knocked down two free throws the game was still evenly poised at 67-68. The Merseysiders answered with a 10-0 run, leading 67-78 with just 27 seconds remaining. Back-to-back baskets by Justin Hitchman and Adam Lovelock made it just a six point gap but, despite late game free throw nerves from Liverpool, that was the closest Westminster would get down the stretch. The victory sees the title race now over mathematically as the North West cannot be caught at the top of Division Two, congratulations Liverpool Basketball Club!

Playing with Kenny Ogunneye and Reiss Haggith, Liverpool were led by 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals from Jack Hudson, while David Ulph finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and two assists. Mark Rangeley and Kaphel Ulett-Waul added 11 points apiece, while Uche Umekwe and Tyme Regent-Bascombe chipped in seven points apiece. Justin Hitchman had an efficient 24 point effort for Westminster, adding five rebounds and two assists, while player-coach Jon Johnson finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals as the other major contributor for the Warriors. 

 

 London Westside 70 v 67 Derbyshire Arrows 

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 6.15pm

Live Stats

The final game of Saturday's NBL Division Two action came right down to the wire as London Westside picked up a narrow win to add to their resume as they aim to avoid the drop down into Division Three. Derbyshire had the better of the opening exchanges, but Westside quickly took control to hold a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the contest. Back-to-back scores from Abiodun Adedo gave the hosts a 64-58 lead with just under five minutes to play, before the Arrows were able to cut the lead to 64-62. With 2:26 on the clock, Przemyslaw Milak knocked down two free throws to make it 68-65, before Santiago Leon and Mansour Mbye hit crucial foul shots to extend the lead and keep the visitors at bay. Westside improve to 4-12 with the victory, now just one win back from the eighth spot in a congested lower half of the table, while Derbyshire fall to 5-12 as they are right in amongst the race for eighth. 

Santiago Leon led Westside with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Mansour Mbye had a double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds. Abiodun Adedo chipped in 12 points of his own to go with seven rebounds, while Jost Peterca finished with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Derbyshire were led by 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals from Joseph Baugh, while Przemyslaw Milak finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Matt Wilson chipped in nine points, three rebounds and two blocks, while Callum McKenzie contributed seven points, nine rebounds and two assists.

 

 London Greenhouse Pioneers 99 v 70 Sussex Bears 

Sunday 10 March 2019 - 1.30pm

Live Stats

The final game of the NBL Division Two weekend saw London Greenhouse Pioneers use a dominant third quarter to shake off the Sussex Bears, improving to 9-8 as they chase a top four finish. The Pioneers got back to winning ways with a convincing second half performance, after the teams entered the locker rooms for the half-time interval with the score all square. The hosts exploded for 37 points in the third stanza, as they built a 25 point advantage heading into the final quarter that ended the game as a contest. Sussex drop to 9-7 with the loss, but still have a good chance of grabbing a top four finish if they make the most of their four remaining games.

Kyle Diaz poured in 30 points to lead the Pioneers, to go with seven rebounds and two steals, while Teni Mango supported with 20 points, two rebounds and five assists. Timi Tinubu came off the bench to add 19 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Isaia Alexis had a 10 point, 11 assists double-double. Mariano Lussenhoff rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Mbombo Yebga had eight points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks as he contributed all over the stat-sheet. Cordaris Townes did his best effort to match Diaz with 27 points and eight rebounds, while Tomas Seduikis supported with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. James Felstead had 11 points and seven rebounds as the only other doubel figure scorer, while Jasper Chiwuzie had eight points and five rebounds off the bench. 

 

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