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DURHAM WILDCATS INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE
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07/06/08
Newton Aycliffe may not be the first place that springs to mind when you're thinking of basketball internationals, but as the home of the Durham Wildcats it is fast gaining a reputation as a comfortable and friendly venue, with enthusiastic crowds and a good promotion, in surroundings which would be the envy of many second and even first division clubs.
This was the setting on Saturday for a couple of matches staged to help Scotland's build up to the European Men's Division C Championships to be held in Edinburgh later this month. A good sized crowd eschewed the chance to watch the televised start of Euro 2008, or to bask in the warm summer sunshine, and they were rewarded by to thoroughly entertaining games.
Scotland, coached by legend Iain McLean, played back-to-back games, against a "BUSA Select" English Universities side, under Martin Ford, and the host club Durham Wildcats.
The Universities team contained a solid core of players from the two stand-out teams from Division 3, Leeds Carnegie and London Met, along with London South Bank, and also included players with BBL experience, in Rod Wellington, Barry Lamble and Tayo Ogedengbe, and they pushed the Scots all the way in the opening game.
A close first quarter was characterised by woeful free throw shooting on both sides, as between them the teams missed eight attempts from the stripe, before Ladi Brown finally sank a pair, and from open play there was little to choose between the teams. Matt Morley's vision and intelligence gave the "England" side the edge, at 18-16 at the end of the first quarter, though the key match ups were under the basket, with Ogedengbe, Daniel McSweeney and Papa-Dembe Kasse posting 14 of the Universities' points, while Gareth Murray (7) led the Scots.
By the end of the half Martin Ford's team had pulled away to lead 47-32, and the margin was still eight (59-51) at the end of the third quarter, and it would have been greater were it not for an incredible buzzer-beating running jump-shot from the halfway line by Keith Bunyan that took his tally to 12 points - all from beyond the arc.
The fourth period proved very different, as the Scotland team showed all the grit and determination that you would associate with Iain Mclean. They began to pressure the Universities' team, and raised their intensity on the boards, with Murray, Simon Flockhart, Roni Gordon and Ike Attah dominating. It was Bunyan, though, who dominated the scoring, as he drained "3"s from all over the front court, striking four times from beyond the arc, to take him to a remarkable eight "treys" in the game, and on one rare miss he made amends by sinking three from three from the stripe.
Bunyan's fifteen points in the quarter was major factor in the 32-point haul that took Scotland away to an 83-74 victory with an overall performance which showed that they will be highly competitive in their assault on the Division C title.
Scotland : Bunyan 27; Murray 17; Collins 12; Costello 8; Gordon 4; Flockhart 4; Steven 3; Attah 3; Gibson 2; Anderson 2; Lodge 1; Donnelly.
BUSA Select : Kasse 14; Ogedengbe 10; McSweeney 10; Lamble 9; Morley 8; Wellington 6; Tolowase 6; Williams 4; Anebo 3; Brown 2; P Elderkin 1; Omirin.
The Durham Wildcats fielded virtually their full-strength team for the second game, including a couple of trialists for next season, while playing again so soon after the first game gave McLean an opportunity to give his back-up players extended court time.
To be fair to the Wildcats, they grasped the opportunity that this presented with enthusiasm, and gave their opponents a good work-out. Durham kept their noses in front throughout, leading 20-14 at the end of the first quarter, 37-35 at the half, and 56-53 going into the final stanza.
In the fourth quarter McLean did introduce more of his starters together, but by that time the host team's confidence was high, and the Wildcats pulled away in the final minute to win by ten.
Scotland : Gordon 12; Steven 10; Anderson 9; Flockhart 8; Collins 8; Raeilly 5; Murray 4; Attah 4; Donnelly 4; Johnston 3; Bunyan 2; Costello 1; Gibson; Lodge.
Durham : Nicholson 27; P Elderkin 12; Pape 11; Consolati 11; Davies 6; Haar 5; M Elderkin 5; Stamp 3; Trigg; Nikolidis.
Scotland will clearly compete well once the Championships begin on 17th June, and they will be particularly strong inside and with their field shooting. What may hinder them, perhaps, is their lack of a point guard who can clearly control the tempo and outcome of a game.
For those who either missed the games on Saturday, or who wish for another "fix" during the so-called "close season", the event is repeated on Sunday at Spennymoor, with Scotaland taking on BUSA again at 2.00pm, and the Wildcats in action against martin Ford's charges at 4.00pm