Past Match Reports - NBL Shield

N.B.L. Shield semi-final 09/03/02
BARKING & DAGNEHAM ERKENWALD 70 - BRISTOL BOMBERS 94

Bristol Bombers showed exactly why they have gone unbeaten for over a year with a devastating display at Goresbrook on Saturday night to deny the Erks an appearance in the NBL Shield Final.

After the previous week's league clash between the 2 teams where the Erks threw away a 7 point lead in the final 90 seconds, the Bombers stepped up their performance and although the Erks competed well in a high quality first half, the Bombers relentlessly accurate shooting saw them pull away in a 3rd quarter where the Erks offense deserted them.

The opening quarter was dominated by the Bombers' ex-England international Panji Grainger who racked up 9 points and the Erks' Chris Olufeso who hit 11, the quarter closing with the Bombers leading 25-23.

The second period continued in a similar vein, the Bombers' Danny James this time taking the lead, hitting 9 points and Lee McCarthy replying for the Erks with a rare 3 pointer and a thunderous dunk to keep the Erks in touch at 41-36. However a careless last couple of minutes, when the Erks turned the ball over and then fouled the reliable James sending him to the free-throw line for 4 successive points, gave the Erks a mountain to climb in the second half as they trailed 47-37.

In theory the Bombers could hardly expect to shoot as well as they had in the first half, when they hit nearly 70% of their shots, but that theory was blown out of the water by Bristol centre Abe Ahmed's virtuoso second half performance.

The third quarter was to prove decisive, as it took the Erks 8 minutes before they hit their first field goal. In that time, Bristol extended their lead to 22 points as the Erks usual nemesis Ahmed went on an amazing shooting streak. After a quiet opening, the 6'10 centre hit an astonishing 26 points in the second half, revelling in the increased space he was afforded as the Erks defenders were forced to chase the ball.

The remainder of the game was played out in muted silence as the Erks just sought to achieve respectability, with Shab Niaz and Lee McCarthy continuing to play hard.

The defeat was a huge blow to the Erks confidence, but they can take solace in the fact that if they can defeat lowly Bognor in their final league game of the season on Saturday 23 March, then second place in NBL 2 South is theirs. This would guarantee a home tie in the first round of the play-offs and would also mean that the Erks, if they could manage to overcome Northern Division opposition twice, wouldn't have to play Bristol again until the play-off final!
Erks scorers: Olufeso 19, McCarthy 18, Churches 11, Niaz 11, Hussain 5, Hayden 4, Roof 2.

NBL SHIELD FIRST ROUND 27/10/01
BARKING & DAGENHAM ERKENWALD 89 - BOGNOR PIRATES 65

Erkenwald secured a NBL Shield second round trip to Stoke to face the Hanley Hornets with a hard fought victory over the Division 2 South basement boys Bognor.
The Erks have realistic hopes of winning the Shield, a competition for teams below Division 1 level, but the depleted Erks team, missing starting point guard Mike Richardson and shooting guard Roy Roof were forced to work hard by the young Bognor side. Ultimately however, the size and experience of the Erks prevailed.
The opening quarter was a close affair, Shab Niaz's customary opening burst gave the Erks a lead, but Bognor stormed back to trail only 21-20 at the end of the quarter, hitting a number of difficult jump shots and taking advantage of the Erks over aggressive defense to rack up 6 points from the free throw line.
Teenage guard Irfan Hussain had further reduced the Erks options at guard by picking up 3 fouls in the first quarter, so Erks coach Declan McCusker decided to try press home the Erks size advantage by putting a big line-up on the floor, 6'6 forward Ed Bailey joining the 6'8 Lee McCarthy and the 6'9 Dave Churches. This ploy worked as the Erks pulled away on the back of some
good work around the basket from Churches and Bailey and some more accurate shooting from Niaz. Lee McCarthy then had the crowd on their feet as he finished off an alley-oop pass from Dela Agbolegbe with typical ferocity and the Erks went into the break with a 15 point advantage.
The third quarter belonged to the visitors though, Bognor coach Dave Goss had reorganised his defense to cope with the Erks height around the basket and his shooters, headed by veteran ex-Worthing guard Paul Sparrowhawk lead a fightback. Only Dave Churches was hitting for Erkenwald, but his dunk as he cut to the basket along the baseline didn't stall Bognor's momentum, as
the Pirates closed the gap to single figures with the fourth quarter to come.
Frustrated by his side's poor ball movement, Coach McCusker restored the Erks more conventional 3 guard offense and Irfan Hussain who had been a spectator for the previous 2 quarters was the man to benefit. The young shooting guard picked up a couple of steals and converted them into lay ups and he hit 4 3-pointers as the tiring Bognor defense was stretched to
breaking point. Hussain's 18 fourth quarter points seeing the Erks home to a 24 point winning margin and a place in the next round.

ERKS SCORERS: Churches 22, Hussain 21, Niaz 20, McCarthy 14, Bailey 8, Agbolegbe 4.