Past Reports: October; November; December; January; BBL Cup; BBL Trophy;

In a close game throughout, the Sharks led 63-60 going into the final stanza. The home side scored the opening basket of the final quarter, but the Rocks then enjoyed a 9-0 tear to take the score out to 65-69. Both sides traded baskets until the final minute.

With the Rocks leading 74-75 going into the final minute, an Eddie Cage lay- up, and a Blake Shelton free-throw with seven seconds remaining gave the home side the lead at 77-75. The visitors had an opportunity to steal the victory, but both Sterling Davis and Hugo Sterk missed with their three-point attempts as time expired.

Jeff Bonds led all scorers in the game netting 25 points for the Sharks, while Maurice Hampton led the Rocks scoring with 18.

25-02-07

It has been a good week for league leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford and their closest challengers Sheffield Sharks.

Heat are still top of the BBL after three fine wins. First on Tuesday they held off an in-form Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks team 88-82 and they followed that up with victories over Chester Jets 76-62 on Friday and at Worcester Wolves on Saturday 93-71.

Their lead is still only two points though because of a brace of wins for the Sharks. Sheffield saw off Marshall MK Lions 96-82 on Friday and then used an 18-0 fourth quarter run to beat Chester Jets 78-62 at the Northgate Arena.

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles are still third but they are now six points behind the Heat after splitting their two matches this weekend. Kularoos Plymouth Raiders were dispatched 99-75 on Friday but on the road at the Rocks they came unstuck 91-86 on Sunday.

In the week’s other matches DMU Leicester Riders kept up their fight for as high a play off spot as possible by crushing London United 107-70 in the East Midlands. Riders in eighth are now just two points behind United.

They could have drawn level with the capital’s club but lost on Sunday in Milton Keynes 92-79. The win for the Lions moved them into fourth position ahead of Rocks in fifth with Plymouth slipping to sixth.

Marshall MK Lions        92 (28,48,71) (Youngblood 24, Brown 19, Heizer 18)
DMU Leicester Riders 79 (22,47,71) (Alleyne 19, McGee 18, Y Williams 17)

Marshall MK Lions moved back into a home play off berth after a superb fourth quarter performance saw them past DMU Leicester Riders.

After a strong start by both teams a 7-0 run by the Lions took the score from 19-18 to 26-18 as the finished the first quarter 28-22 up. Two Shawn Jamison baskets stretched their lead to 37-32 before Riders hit back.

Andrew Alleyne contributed six points in a 12-2 burst which saw the visitors go 44-39 in front. However, a 9- 3 finish to the half by Lions ensured it was the home team that led at the interval (48-47).

There was little to separate the teams during the third quarter. Terrell Brown and Yorick Williams split four three-pointers between them and Williams’s teammate Terrance McGee nailed another to cap off the action 71-71.

Riders edged in front 76-71 early in the final frame before a 14-0 Lions run, with four points from Peter Heizer and five from Tony Windless, broke the match open 86-76.

Lions’ defence remained firm throughout the fourth quarter as Riders could score only eight points.

Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks            91 (17,38,63) (Davis 26, Sterk 20, Joseph 16)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 86 (25,43,62) (Robinson 20, Dorsey 20, Defoe 15)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks have severely dented Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles’ hopes of retaining the BBL title after beating them 91-86 in Glasgow.
The Rocks, who were without Rob Yanders, battled back from a 15-point second quarter deficit to stun the Eagles.

Eagles dominated the opening half as an 11-0 run helped them to a 25-17 first quarter lead. A further seven unanswered points to start the second put them in command at 32-17 before Rocks battled back with nine-points from Hugo Sterk. At half time the visitors led 43-38.

Rocks continued to chip away at the Eagles lead and they levelled through Julius Joseph at 53-53. By the end of the third quarter Rocks led 63-62.

A hard fought final stanza ensued with numerous lead changes until Rocks broke clear from 83-83 with a 6-0 run including four points by Joseph. Andrew Bridge hit a three to reduce the gap by the game’s top scorer, Sterling Davis, kept his cool from the line to seal the victory.

Chester Jets         62 (27,44,56) (Virgil 21, Cowan 18, McCullough 13)
Sheffield Sharks 78 (18,37,57) (Cage 26, Bonds 19, Lyons 12)

Sheffield Sharks refuse to lose any ground to league leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford after an excellent final quarter performance saw them beat Chester Jets 78-62 at the Northgate Arena.

Sharks put together an 18-0 run to break open a tied match (60-60) with 7.40 to play. By the end of their burst they led 78-60 with only 80 seconds remaining. Jeff Bonds scored 12 of the 18 as he continued his impressive week’s work.

Earlier the Jets had looked like they may pull off a shock victory. A 12-2 run in the first quarter put them 19-8 in front on their way to a 27-18 lead after ten minutes.

The home side went further clear in the second as Alto Virgil scored 13-points in the quarter to take his team to 42-28 up with 3.30 left in the half. However, a 9-2 run by Sheffield closed the gap to 44-37 at the interval.

Sharks took their first lead of the match with a 10-2 opening to the third quarter. Eddie Cage scored 10 of his game-high 26-points during the period as the teams exchanged the lead five times. Sheffield finally edging the quarter 57-56.

With Jets in foul trouble heading into the fourth quarter the sides were locked together at 60-60 before the Sharks embarked on their 18-0 run.

24-02-07

On Saturday night there were crucial wins for the title-chasing Poujoulat Heat Guildford and the playoff-chasing DMU Leicester Riders.

The Heat won 71-93 on the road at the Worcester Wolves in this top vs. bottom clash. Rod Wellington and Danny Gilbert were influential as each had 25 points.

Meanwhile the Riders notched a comprehensive 107-70 victory over close rivals London United courtesy of outstanding performances from Terrence McGee and Yorick Williams.

DMU Leicester Riders 107 (23,51,82) (McGee 37, Y. Williams 24, Alleyne 14)
London United                 70 (16,35,58) (Johnson 27, L.Williams 11, Knight 9)

The DMU Leicester Riders scored a vital victory in the race for BBL Championship Playoff positions as they crushed London United 107-70 in the East Midlands.

The Riders were led by inspirational performances from Terrence McGee (pictured) and Yorick Williams. The former had 37 points, 8 assists, and 6 steals whilst the latter shot 6/10 from beyond the arc on his way to 24 points.

McGee was hot from the off as he netted the home side's first 10 points as they leapt into a 10-5 lead. After a further 8 unanswered points and a Yorick Williams triple to close the stanza they led 23-16.

To open the second period McGee hit two three-pointers and Williams added another one that pushed the lead out to 32-16, before the teams exchanged baskets towards a 51-35 half-time score.

Yorick Williams scored half of his haul in an amazing two-minute spell that settled the game in the third frame. He netted four consecutive triples as he single-handedly put a 12-3 push on the Londoners, to give the Riders a 67-40 lead.

That lead peaked at 107-67 late in the fourth as 7 points from Barry Lamble and 5 from Adam Williams contributed to a 15-1 run.

United were led by 27 points from Tarick Johnson and also had 11 from debutant LaTaryl Williams in a game that both Chris Haslam and Bryant Feggins missed through injury.

Worcester Wolves             71 (10,27,50) (Perkes 22, Gayle 15, Sheard 13)
Poujoulat Heat Guildford 93 (17,44,66) (Gilbert 25, Wellington 25, Martin 17)

The Poujoulat Heat Guildford have a four point cushion at the head of the BBL Championship table after a 71-93 road win at the Worcester Wolves.

The win was their fifth consecutive in the BBL Championship and their third over the Wolves so far in this campaign, as Danny Gilbert (pictured) and Rod Wellington shared 50 points between them.

It was the hometown Wolves that started the better and they soon led 5-1, and still at 10-9. From there the league-leaders closed out the final 2:30 of the first period with 8 unanswered points to take charge at 10-17. In a physical encounter Wolves' point guard Matt Collins picked up a head injury and would feature no more.

After getting in early foul trouble, the visitors outscored their opposition by 10 points in the second stanza to establish a 27-44 half-time lead. The Wolves refused to go away and Michael Gayle netted a triple on the third quarter buzzer to make the score 50-66 going into the decisive stanza.

Once in the fourth the Wolves narrowed the gap to 61-72 but could get no closer as the Heat posted a decisive 19-2 surge that gave them an unassailable 63-89 advantage.

Gilbert and Wellington scored 25 points each to pace the scoring. Tom Perkes responded for the Wolves with 22 on the night.

23-02-07

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles scored a psychological advantage ahead of next week's BBL Trophy Final by scoring a comfortable 99-75 victory over the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders at the Metro Radio Arena on Friday evening. A 16-1 finish to the third quarter broke the game open and gave the Eagles a convincing 75-55 lead going into the final period.

In other BBL Championship action, the Sheffield Sharks kept up their Championship push thanks to a convincing 96-82 success over the Marshall MK Lions at the EIS, Sheffield, while Poujoulat Heat Guildford maintained their hold on top spot thanks to a 76-62 victory over the Chester Jets at the Guildford Spectrum.

Sheffield Sharks    96 (27,52,66) (Bonds 36, Shelton 27, Cage 13)
Marshall MK Lions 82 (27,44,61) (Brown 19, Heizer 14, Youngblood 13)

Sheffield Sharks maintained their chase for the summit of the BBL Championship thanks to a comfortable 96-82 victory over the Marshall MK Lions at the EIS, Sheffield on Friday evening.

Both sides traded baskets in the opening quarter and finished tied at 27-27 going into the second period.

The second quarter saw Blake Shelton net the first eight points for the Sharks to give them a 35-31 lead early in the period. The Lions came back, and a 6-0 run saw them trim the deficit to six points at 45-39, but the Sharks held on to lead 52-44 at the half.

The second half saw the Lions close the gap again to four points at 58-54 off the back of an 8-2 burst, but the home side kept the noses in front and lead 66-61 going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, the Sharks broke the game open with an 11-4 run to take the score out to 75-65 at the start of the period. The visitors attempted to claw their way back into the game, but could get no closer than seven points at 77-70, before Jeff Bonds broke their resilience with a three-point play to take it out to 82-70, and the Sharks held on for the all important victory.

Bonds led all scorers with an impressive 36 point haul for the Sharks, while Terrell Brown led the Lions scoring with 19 points personal.

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 99 (19,50,75) (Walker 17, Robinson 16, Dorsey 15)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders                  75 (22,45,55) (Lasker 23, Beasley 22, Moore 14)

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles gained a psychological advantage ahead of next Sunday's BBL Trophy Final by defeating the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 99-75 at the Metro Radio Arena on Friday evening.

After a close opening quarter in which the Raiders led 19-22, the Eagles came back in the second period to tie the score at 34-34 off the back of a 12-0 burst midway through the quarter. The Eagles continued to pressure the Raiders defence, and took a 50-45 lead into the locker room at the half.

The second half saw the home side break the game open with a combination of tremendous defence restricting the Raiders to just ten points in the quarter, and sound execution at the offensive end, netting twenty-five points of their own, including a 16-1 tear to close the period leading 75-55 going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, the Eagles continued to dominate, and a 6-0 burst midway through the period took the score out to 81-59 kept the home side in control through to the final whistle.

TJ Walker led the Eagles scoring with 17 points, but it was Raiders' Andrew Lasker who led all scorers with 23 for the visitors.

Poujoulat Heat Guildford 76 (16,35,52) (Gilbert 25, Wellington 15, Dux 12)
Chester Jets                       62 (20,36,52) (Cowan 23, Virgil 19, McCullough 10)

Poujoulat Heat Guildford maintained their hold of top spot in the BBL Championship thanks to a hard- fought 76-62 victory over the Chester Jets at the Guildford Spectrum on Friday evening. A close game throughout saw the Jets start the stronger, and a 14-3 burst in the opening period gave them an early 11-20 lead.

The second quarter saw the Heat come back into the game through an 11-2 run of their own to lead 27-26 midway through the period, but it was the Jets who led the way at 35-36 going into the half time break.

The second half saw both sides trading baskets throughout the third period, and was tied at 52-52 going into the final stanza.

The Heat broke the game open however with an 11-4 tear to open the final period to take the score out to 65-54. The closest the Jets got to their opponents was immediately afterwards at 65-56, before another 9-0 burst by the Heat to close the game gave the home side the victory.

Daniel Gilbert led all scorers with 23 points for the Heat, while Jaz Cowan led the Jets scoring with 22 points personal.

18-02-07

It has been a good week for the top two in the BBL. Sheffield Sharks won twice to move level on points with Poujoulat Heat Guildford. However, the Heat maintain their lead over Sheffield because of one fewer defeat.

Heat were in action once this week as they turned in a superb performance on Saturday to beat last year’s league champions Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 95-86 at the Spectrum.

Sheffield’s two wins came on the road. First on Wednesday they beat Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 72- 66 and then on Sunday they travelled the length of the country north to squeeze past Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks 77-76 thanks to two late Jeff Bonds free throws.

Eagles responded to their defeat at Heat by beating Marshall MK Lions 104-93 on Sunday, while Raiders did likewise by crushing London United 82-66 to move into fourth behind Newcastle in third.

Making up the other four play-off positions are the Lions in fifth who beat Worcester Wolves on Friday 92- 86. Then the Rocks in sixth and London United in seventh.

United beat Chester Jets 106-99 on Saturday night to maintain that position while the Jets remain ninth.

DMU Leicester Riders fill the final play-off berth in eighth despite losing at bottom placed club Worcester Wolves 84-79 on Saturday evening.

Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 82 (35,54,67) (Moore 20, Lasker 19, Love 15)
London United                         66 (8,29,54) (Johnson 34, Capers 11, Haslem 9)

Kularoos Plymouth Raiders kept up their hopes of a home first round play off match with a convincing win over seventh placed London United at the Pavilions.

The Raiders rode a strong first quarter performance which saw them lead 35-8 after ten minutes throughout the rest of the match with London never getting close enough to mount a real challenge on the lead.

After that shocking opening quarter London trailed 54- 29 at half time and 67-54 at three quarter time but could only score 12-points in the final stanza as the Raiders eased home.

Gaylon Moore (pictured) led the scoring for Plymouth with 20 while United’s Tarick Johnson hit 34 for his game high total.

Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks 76 (15,39,56) (Hampton 22, Wohlers 19, Davis 15)
Sheffield Sharks                          77 (21,35,61) (Bonds 22, Cauthorn 14, Shelton/Cage 10)

Sheffield Sharks remain level on points with league leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford after a thrilling victory at Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks last night in Glasgow.

The win completes a successful week for the Sharks after they travelled the length of the country twice and came away with vital wins. The Rocks match followed on from an away fixture at Plymouth Raiders on Wednesday.

Sheffield began brightly and an 11-1 run contributed greatly to a 21-15 first quarter lead.

However, this cushion was short lived as the Rocks, led by Moritz Wohlers who scored all 10-points in a 10- 0 run, took the lead at 28-32.It was an advantage that they would virtually maintain until half time as the teams went into the interval with Rocks 39-35 up.

Rocks biggest lead of the match came early in the third quarter at 54-47 before Sheffield responded with a 14-0 burst, including five points from veteran Todd Cauthorn.

Rob Yanders concluded the scoring in the period for Rocks as the home team trailed 56-61 with just 10 minutes to play.

It seemed as though the Sharks had the match wrapped up after a 10-4 start to the final quarter but Rocks slowly chipped away at their 71-60 lead. Another 10-0 run, capped by a Maurice Hampton basket, put them 76-75 in front with under a minute to play.

Sheffield responded well and when Jeff Bonds (pictured) was fouled with 40 seconds on the clock the forward stayed calm to slot both free throws to give Sheffield the lead for good.

Yanders had two shots blocked during a frantic closing spell as Sheffield’s defence held firm. Bonds led the scoring with 22-points, which was matched by Rocks’ Hampton.

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 104 (33,52,77) (Robinson 19, Sherlock 16, Hyatt/Walker 14)
Marshall MK Lions                                     93 (16,33,56) (Windless 18, New 13, Brown 12)

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles kept up their pursuit of the top two in the BBL with a comfortable home victory over Marshall MK Lions.

The Eagles are two-points behind Poujoulat Heat Guildford, but have lost three matches more than the Surrey club and trail 2-1 in the season series between the teams.

However, that didn’t stop the Eagles turning in a commanding performance on Sunday evening. Shawan Robinson (pictured) was in excellent form as his team ran out to a 33-16 lead which was consolidated up to half time at 52-33.

Lions, who remain in contention for a top four spot, battled hard in the third but the lead still stretched by two to 77-56 heading into the final stanza. And despite a 37-point quarter from the visitors the Eagles were never in danger.

Robinson’s 19-points led all scorers with Tony Windless on 18 the stand out performer for Lions.

17-02-07

Worcester Wolves        84 (30,45,60) (Perkes/Sheard 18, Noel 16)
DMU Leicester Riders 79 (17,41,60) (Y Williams 24, McGee 22, Alleyne 17)

Worcester Wolves picked up their fourth victory of the BBL Championship campaign thanks to an 84-79 victory over play-off chasing DMU Leicester Riders at Worcester University.

The Wolves started the game strongly and opened up an early 20-8 advantage midway through the opening period. The Riders got themselves back into the game in the second period, and bursts of 8-0 midway through the period and 12- 0 to close out the first half trimmed the deficit to four points at 45-41 going into the locker rooms.

The second half saw the Riders level the game at 52- 52 with a three-pointer from Terrence McGee and a two from Adam Williams, and then both teams enjoyed 8- 0 tears to keep the scores tied at 60-60 going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, both teams traded baskets early on, but it was the home side who broke the game open with a 7-3 run to lead 72-68 with four minutes remaining. Five points from Andrew Harper, including a long three-pointer with 38 seconds left took the score out to 77-70, and they held on to secure the victory.

In BBL Championship action on Friday night, the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders picked up an important 97-91 victory over the Chester Jets at the Northgate Arena on Friday night. Carlton Aaron was the star man for the Raiders netting 26 points, and the all important basket that gave them a 91-90 lead with two minutes remaining.

The other game saw the Marshall MK Lions leapfrog over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks into fourth place in the Championship table thanks to a 92-86 victory over the Worcester Wolves. Tony Windless starred for the Lions netting 8 points in a 19-2 burst midway through the third period to give the Lions a 67- 54 lead.

Chester Jets                            91 (28,53,72) (Virgil 27, McCullough 23, Hamilton 17)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 97 (25,47,72) (Aaron 26, Lasker 24, Gall 19)

Kularoos Plymouth Raiders picked up an important away victory as they defeated the Chester Jets 97-91 at the Northgate Arena on Friday evening.

It was the Jets that started the stronger opening up an early 22- 10 lead, before an 11-1 Plymouth burst trimmed the deficit back to two points at 23-21 with a minute remaining in the quarter.

The second period saw the Jets continue to maintain their advantage over their visitors and lead by six at 53-47 going into the locker rooms at half-time.

The second half saw the Raiders come back into the game, and through a combination of Andrew Lasker and Carlton Aaron bought the Raiders level at 66-66 with two minutes remaining, and the scores were still tied at 72-72 going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, both sides exchanged baskets throughout the quarter, but it was the visitors who broke the stalemate leading 91-90 with two minutes left in the game, and they were able to hold on for the victory. Aaron (pictured) led the Raiders scoring with 26 points, but it was Jets' Alto Virgil who led all scorers bagging 27 points for the home side.

Marshall MK Lions 92 (31,46,69) (Windless 22, New 20, Spinks 15)
Worcester Wolves 86 (23,49,62) (Noel 24, Harper 16, Sheard 15)

Marshall MK Lions leapfrogged over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks into fourth place in the BBL Championship table thanks to a 92-86 victory over the Worcester Wolves at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on Friday evening.

The Lions started the stronger, and opened up an early 19-9 advantage. The Wolves came back towards the end of the opening quarter, and trailed 31-23 at the end. The second period saw the Wolves edge their noses in front, and ended the quarter with a 7-0 burst, including 2 free throws from a disqualifying foul against Lions' Robert Youngblood, to lead 49-43 at the half.

The second half saw the Wolves maintain their lead at 48-52, before a Lions 19-2 tear to give the Lions a 67-54 lead towards the end of the third period.

The fourth quarter saw the Wolves valiantly attempt to get back into the game, and got to within five points at 89-84 with 20 seconds remaining, but the Lions held on for the all-important victory. Tony Windless (pictured) led the Lions scoring with 22 points, but it was James Noel who led all scorers netting 24 points for the Wolves

14-02-07

Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 66 (22,34,54) (Lasker 26, Beasley 10, Moore/Love 9)
Sheffield Sharks                    72 (16,32,51) (Bonds 16, Cage 16, Shelton 16)

Sheffield Sharks shook off the disappointment of losing in the BBL Trophy semi final on Sunday by moving joint top of the league after a 72-66 win at Kularoos Plymouth Raiders.

The victory gives them the same amount of points as leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford with the Surrey club having a game in hand. However, Sharks do hold the tie-breaker against Heat and in the event of a loss would replace them at the top.

Raiders missed out on a chance to stake their claim for a top four finish and with it home court advantage in the first round of the play-offs. The result leaves them in sixth.

After the long journey to Devon it took the Sharks a little while to get going. Raiders opened a 22-16 first quarter lead, which was fully deserved.

The match tightened somewhat during the second quarter. Sharks big four of Blake Shelton, Atiba Lyons, Eddie Cage (pictured) and January’s BBL player of the month Jeff Bonds worked hard at both ends of the floor to cut the gap to 34-32 by half time.

Sheffield took the lead during the third quarter at 37-36 for the first time courtesy of a Blake Shelton basket, but after an unsportsmanlike foul by Jeff Bonds the Raiders regrouped and were still in front 54-51 with one quarter remaining.

It was to be the Sharks’ night though as first Eddie Cage converted two free throws to tie the match at 59- 59 and then Lekan Popoola hit the go-ahead shot to make it 61-59.

Sheffield never trailed after that, stretching out to 68-62 with two minutes remaining thanks to a crucial 4-0 run

11-02-07

There have been further twists in the compelling BBL Championship title race this week after two of the top three both suffered defeats.

The Eagles were grounded by their biggest of rivals, the Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks, as a 73-77 victory propelled the Rocks up to fifth in the league and snapped the Eagles' eleven game winning streak.

On Saturday, the resurgent DMU Leicester Riders handed the Pojoulat Heat Guildford a 93-84 defeat in front of a large East Midlands crowd. The win renewed the Riders' playoff charge as they moved back into eighth in the BBL Championship table. Terrence McGee netted four three-pointers in the fourth quarter, as part of his 32-point haul, to lead his side to the victory.

The Heat bounced back on Sunday to strengthen their position at the head of the pack. An exciting game saw them edge the Marshall MK Lions by 102-99 as Brian Dux maintained his composure from the charity stripe late on as well as contributing 26 points

Also on Sunday, the Rocks continued their good form and capitalised on the Lions' defeat to leapfrog them into fourth place after a 107-83 defeat of the Chester Jets at the Braehead Arena. Sterling Davis scored 22 points, although a trio of three-pointers from Hugo Sterk in the second quarter proved to be the crucial scores.

London United had a mixed week as they looked to bolster their playoff position. They suffered a 107-64 defeat to the Marshall MK Lions on Friday night, before Tarick Johnson's 31 points led them to a tight 85-82 defeat of the Worcester Wolves.

Poujoulat Heat Guildford 102 (26,48,68) (Dux 26, Williams 22, Gilbert/Martin 17)
Marshall MK Lions               99 (18,36,70) (Windless 20, Griffin 15, Youngblood 15)

The Pojoulat Heat Guildford put a bit of daylight between themselves and the chasing pack as they defeated the Marshall MK Lions 102-99 in a thrilling game at The Spectrum.

Point guard Brian Dux had 26 points in the game; whilst British guard Dean Williams netted 22 points and captain Mike Martin had 17 points and 10 rebounds in an encounter packed with last minute excitement.

The visiting Lions finished the game with a 9-4 run to push the Heat all the way. That commenced when Dean Williams fouled out with 36 seconds left and the Lions made a pair of free-throws. Another Lions basket was followed by Robert Youngblood and Rod Wellington fouling out on a double unsportsmanlike, and they were soon followed by Tony Windless with his fifth foul. With 10 seconds left Liam Cort nailed a triple to narrow the gap to 100-97, but Dux settled the game as he held his nerve to sink a pair of free-throws.

Earlier in the contest the Heat established a first quarter lead as Dux scored the last five points of the period, as part of a 13-4 run which also included two three-pointers from Dean Williams, as the home side led 26-18 after one.

The sides traded runs in the second stanza as the Lions started 7-0 to narrow the gap to one at 26-25. The Heat responded with 13 unanswered points, including 7 from Williams, before the Lions hit back with a further 7-2 burst. A long three-pointer from Danny Gilbert on the half-time buzzer put the Heat up 48-36.

The third quarter was all Milton Keynes. A pair of early triples from Kevin Griffin and a further 7 consecutive points got them back into the game at 53-52. The visitors then took the lead late in the period as they closed with a 14-5 surge to lead 68-70, with Heat coach Paul James being called for a technical foul during that run.

However, the Heat demonstrated their championship credentials as they took charge early in the fourth with a 14-5 burst that put them back up at 82-75 prior to the dramatic close to the game.

Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks 107 (32,58,77) (Davis 22, Sterk 21, Yanders 20)
Chester Jets                                    83 (20,42,65) (Cowan 25, McCullough 22, Virgil 15)

The Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks won their third consecutive game, and moved up to fourth in the BBL Championship, with a comprehensive 107-83 defeat of the Chester Jets at the Braehead Arena on Sunday.

The Rocks took an early lead at 4-3 and did not give that up for the remainder of the game. A 6-0 burst later in the first quarter gave the Rocks a 23-14 lead which became 32-20 by the end of the first ten minutes.

An amazing trio of three-pointers from Hugo Sterk contributed to 12 unanswered points that saw the lead extended to 44-24, before it reached its first half peak at 55-33. The Jets narrowed the gap by finishing the second quarter with a 9-3 run of their own to make it 58-42.

After trading baskets throughout the third the Jets again managed to close the gap as they scored the last 4 points to set up an exciting fourth quarter, although the Rocks still led 77-65.

The home side sealed the game with a 15-2 burst in the final stanza that gave them a 96-71 lead before they closed the game out comfortably.

There were three big scorers for the home side in Sterling Davis (22), Hugo Sterk (21), and Rob Yanders (20). Although the BBL's leading scorer, Jaz Cowan, netted a game-high 25 points for the Jets.

10-02-07

The biggest crowd of the season at the John Sandford Centre were rewarded with a win as DMU Leicester Riders shocked league leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford 93-84.

The victory moves the Riders back into a play off position, but has dealt a blow to Heat who are now just one game clear of second placed Sheffield Sharks. In the night’s other match London United ended their winless streak at four matches by holding off Worcester Wolves 85-82 in the capital. 

DMU Leicester Riders      93 (20,40,65) (McGee 32, Alleyne 19, Y Williams 18)
Poujoulat Heat Guildford 84 (16,38,69) (Dux 22, D Williams 21, Martin 12)

The biggest crowd of the season at the John Sandford Centre were rewarded with a win as DMU Leicester Riders shocked league leaders Poujoulat Heat Guildford 93-84.

The victory moves the Riders back into a play off position, but has dealt a blow to Heat who are now just one game clear of second placed Sheffield Sharks.

After an even first half that Leicester shaded 40-38 it seemed like the Heat had taken control. A run of 10-2 put the visitors 63-56 in front on their way to a 69-65 final break advantage.

However, Riders’ guard Terrance McGee had other ideas as he hit five three-pointers from six attempts. His first broke a 71-71 tie and his fifth opened up a 92-84 lead with just over a minute remaining to make the game safe.

McGee led all scorers with 32 while Brian Dux had 22 for Heat including 14 in the third quarter.

London United         85 (13,38,69) (Johnson 31, Haslem 17, Capers 14
Worcester Wolves 82 (15,38,60) (Perkes 24, Harper 16, Sheard 14)

London United ended their winless streak at four matches by holding off Worcester Wolves 85-82 in the capital.

United had 31-points from Tarick Johnson to thank for the victory, which keeps them seventh in the BBL.

A tight first half ended level at 38-38 before United broke the game open at the close of the third quarter. A 14-4 run established a 69-60 lead, which would provide them, seemingly, with a cushion for the final period.

However, Worcester were as feisty as ever and tied the match at 78-78 before Marcus Knight hit back-to- back buckets to take the home side 82-78 in front. Wolves fought back but three free throws by Johnson sealed the match.

09-02-07

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 73 (19,36,59) (Flournoy 16, Walker 15, Robinson 12)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks            77 (25,40,58) (Davis 21, Sterk 12, Yanders/Joseph/Hampton 10)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks ended Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles unbeaten run at 11 games with a 77-73 win on Tyneside to move into fifth place in the BBL.

Sterling Davis led the charge for the Rocks with a game-high 24-points to deal a blow to the Eagles ahead of their BBL Trophy semi final at Sheffield Sharks on Sunday.

An 8-0 run for Rocks to close the first quarter put them 25-19 up before Eagles responded with a 9-0 burst of their own to take the lead at 28-27. By half time, however, the visitors were back in front 40- 36.

Eagles dominated the third quarter with runs of 9-3 and 10-0, which included 8-points from Fab Flournoy to lead 59-58 with just the final stanza to play.

After breaking a 63-63 tie to go ahead 71-65 the Rocks were pegged back to 71-71 before clinching the game from the foul line. Rob Yanders scored the go ahead point before Maurice Hampton sealed the win

03-02-07

Sheffield Sharks and Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles are the new leaders of the BBL after wins on Saturday night.

The Sharks leapfrogged Poujoulat Heat Guildford after a 98-86 win in Surrey while Eagles beat Worcester Wolves 91-67 on the road. In the night's other match DMU Leicester Riders edged out Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks 78-76 in Leicester

Poujoulat Heat Guildford 86 (14,39,63) (Dux 18, Martin18, McKnight 13)
Sheffield Sharks                98 (28,45,71) (Shelton 29, Bonds 21, Popoola/Cage 12)

Sheffield Sharks took over top spot in the BBL alongside Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles after beating previous incumbents Poujoulat Heat Guildford at the Spectrum.

The Sharks had Blake Shelton in fine form with a game high 29-points and it leaves them with a crucial series win over the Heat.

Sheffield meant business from the start as a 13-0 burst to open the match set the Heat back on their heels. By the end of the first quarter the home side could only close to 28-14.

It was much better in the second period for Guildford as runs of 10-3 and 6-2 brought the score back to 30-37. However, the Heat lost Chad McKnight through injury in the half’s closing moments and trailed 45-39 at the interval.

Despite the loss of McKnight Heat clawed themselves back to 59-60 with 4.23 left in the third before Sharks responded by an 11-4 burst to end the quarter 71-63 in front.

Sheffield broke the match open with an 11-2 start to the final stanza, which included threes from January Player of the Month Jeff Bonds and former Heat star Lekan Popoola.

The closest Guildford could get was 91-82 with 1.46 on the clock. An 8-4 run by Sheffield, with all the points coming from the line, sealed the match and put Sharks on top of the league.

Worcester Wolves 67 (21,35,53) (Harper 17, Sheard 14, Perkes 11)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 91 (18,48,62) (Bridge 21, Babalola 15, Flournoy 15)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles joined Sheffield Sharks at the head of the BBL and in the process extended their winning run to 11 league matches with a comprehensive win at Worcester Wolves.

The teams played out an even first quarter, which Wolves shaded 21-18 thanks to Michael Gayle’s long range three on the buzzer.

It was still tight in the second quarter until Wolves boss Josh Cooprider was handed a technical foul, which was compounded by the injured Urbonavicius also receiving a technical. Eagles Andrew Bridge (pictured) slotted all four free throws and then scored on the next possession as the visitors opened up a 36-27 lead.

After that Worcester never looked like challenging Newcastle’s supremacy with the closest they got being 50-54 midway through the third period.  

DMU Leicester Riders 78 (24,46,58) (McGee 28, Williams 20, Alleyne 11)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks 76 (18,35,63) (Hampton 22, Yanders 17, Joseph 15)

DMU Leicester Riders moved into the final play off spot after a hard fought 78-76 win over Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks in the East Midlands.

Terrance McGee (pictured) shot a game high 28- points, including seven of 18 three-pointers to lead the Riders to victory.

A tight first quarter was shaded by Riders thanks to a 4-0 end to the period and the home side still led (46-35) at the half time interval thanks to runs of 8- 1 and 9-2.

However, Rocks scored the first 17 points of the third quarter to turn the match around. That run was the main contributor to a 63-58 lead with just the final period to play.

Leicester responded with a 17-3 burst of their own, with McGee nailing three threes to take Riders 75-68 in front. Rocks battled hard and could have tied the match but Julius Joseph could only convert one free throw to make it 77-76.

And when Adam Williams hit one of two from the line with six seconds left it was just enough to see the Riders through.

02-02-07

There were home wins for the sides tied in second place in the BBL Championship on Friday night.

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles came from behind in the fourth quarter to overcome the Chester Jets 84-77 at the MetroRadio Arena; whilst the Sheffield Sharks beat the Worcester Wolves 91-70 at the EIS.

Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 84 (19,46,59) (Flournoy 23, Walker 15, Robinson 11)
Chester Jets                                             77 (20,39,62) (McCollough 30, Cowan 22, Singleton 11)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles won their tenth game on the bounce in beating the Chester Jets 84-77 at the MetroRadio Arena, maintaining their joint-second spot in the BBL Championship table.

The teams could barely be separated in the opening stanza, the Eagles managed a slight lead at 11-8 after 5 consecutive points but found themselves 19-20 down after the first ten minutes.

A Jeremy Hyatt triple capped a 6-0 burst from the home side to break an early deadlock in the second quarter, and make the score 28-22; although the visitors responded immediately with a 9-3 tear of their own to make it a one-point game again at 32-31. The reigning BBL Champions finished strongly with a 7-0 burst that helped them to lead 46-39 at the half.

However, it did not last long as the Jets came out strong in the second half. 5 points from new signing Louis McCullough inspired a 9-0 surge that handed them the lead at 54-57, one which they maintained through until the end of the quarter at 59-62.

The visitors had their largest lead early in the fourth at 59-67 on another triple from McCullough, before Molten Coach of the Month Fab Flournoy inspired the fight back. The defensive maestro shutdown the opposition's danger man and also scored 4 points in a 9-2 run that narrowed the deficit to 69-71 on a Hyatt three-pointer. A further 9 unanswered points, including three from Shawan Robinson and 4 from TJ Walker, gave the Eagles the lead at 78-74 and further baskets from Robinson, Walker and Flournoy sealed the game.

Flournoy led the victors with 23 points, although McCullough led all scoring with 30.

Sheffield Sharks    91 (29,51,81) (Burns 18, Bonds 15, Cauthorn 14)
Worcester Wolves 70 (22,40,55) (Perkes 20, Gayle 15, Sheard 13)

The Sheffield Sharks avenged January's defeat to the Worcester Wolves by beating them 91-70 at the EIS, and maintaining the pressure on the Poujoulat Heat at the top of the table.

The Sharks established an early 14-4 lead before the visitors hit back with 8 unanswered points. The Sharks pulled away again only for Michael Gayle to net a late three-pointer to keep it close at 29-22 after the first period.

The closest the Wolves got was early in the second as a 5-0 start made it 29-27. The Sharks posted an 8-1 burst and finished the quarter with triples from Joel Burns and Blake Shelton to lead 51-40 going into the locker rooms.

The hosts broke the game open as they began the third stanza with three-pointers from Shelton, Lekan Popoola, and Atiba Lyons as part of a 13-2 run that made the score 64-42. The game was put beyond any doubt shortly afterwards. Jeff Bonds made a deuce before Todd Cauthorn was fouled and Sergio Rodriguez was called for a technical. Cauthorn made 3/4 resulting free-throws and Bonds added a further 2 from the inbounds play to give the Sharks an unassailable 71-48 lead.

Burns and Bonds added further treys late in the third and the Wolves could get no closer than the final score in the remaining quarter.

Burns netted five three-pointers to lead the Sharks with 18 points, whilst Molten Player of the Month Jeff Bonds had 15 points and 8 rebounds and was presented with his award infront of the home fans. The Wolves were led by Tom Perkes with 20 points, whilst there were double-doubles for Solomon Sheard (13 points and 12 rebounds), and James Noel (10 points and 15 rebounds).