Around the NBL – Week 6

Check out our latest round-up of all the action across the four divisions of the NBL:

National Trophy

In the final game of the group stage, Essex Leopards secured top spot in Pool 2 with a 94-68 home win over Newham ‘NASSA’ Neptunes. Will Ashby top scored for the hosts with 16 points to lead five players in double figures, while Wayne Yeboah had a game-high 28 points for the visitors.

Quarter-Final Draw:

Manchester v Hemel; Bradford v Kent; Essex v Leicester; Worthing v Derby.

(all games scheduled to take place on 11th January, 2015)

Division One

Derby Trailblazers (8-1) extended their lead at the top to four wins with a successful double-winning weekend. Raheem May-Thompson stepped up with 30 points in 22 minutes from the bench in Saturday’s crushing 91-60 home win against Hemel Storm (4-3) – who bounced back the following day to beat NASSA (1-4) 109-82 as Tom Adorian and Walid Mumuni combined for 50 points. The second of Derby’s wins came on the road as they beat Bradford Dragons (1-6) 82-72, despite a game-high 27 points from Rihards Sulcs.

Essex Leopards (4-0) are still unbeaten and they lead a number of teams on four wins in second place after they edged past Westminster Warriors (2-5) 60-59 away from home. Manchester Giants (4-4) dropped to .500 with two defeats over the weekend, the first of which a 78-68 loss at home to Kent Crusaders (3-1). Ryan Lohfink had a big double-double of 23 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for Magic, who were then beat 75-73 on the road at Reading Rockets (4-3) on Sunday – with the participation of star player Ellis Cooper limited.

Reading are gradually overcoming their recent injury problems and are making their move up the table after back-to-back wins. Danny Carter top scored with 18 points in a 91-82 road win against Leicester Warriors (3-2) before they held on to beat Manchester in the aforementioned 75-73 result.

Northumbria (4-3) saw off the challenge of Worthing Thunder (2-5) as Chris Hatch led his side to an 84-77 victory with 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Damoy Robertson had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Worthing bounced back the following day to beat Tees Valley Mohawks (2-5) 84-82 thanks to Milton Chavis’ tip-in at the buzzer as he finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, while partner-in-crime Hank Rivers notched another double-double with 23 points and 12 boards.

Division Two

Lancashire Spinners (5-1) saw their unbeaten start come to an end in a 91-86 defeat at Loughborough Student Riders (4-3) despite a near triple-double effort from Steven Gayle – 28 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Ipswich (6-1) remain top after beating London Greenhouse Pioneers (4-2) 77-73, while London United (1-4) secured their first league win with a 74-61 success on the road at Brixton Topcats (2-4). Worcester Wolves II (2-5) edged past Eastside Eagles London (2-4) 91-90 behind 20 points from Caylin Raftopoulos as Dougie Bennett led the visitors with 23.

London Lituanica (5-0) have the only 100% record after they made it five out of five by beating London Westside (1-6) 83-73, led by Tomas Skardzius’ 27 point haul. Derbyshire Arrows (4-3) moved above .500 with a 86-64 home win against Birmingham Mets (2-5) with Corey Standerfer going off for 45 points to help his side overturn a 10-point deficit at the end of the first.

Division Three

Liverpool (9-0) remain unbeaten after being awarded a 20-0 victory against Sefton Stars (4-4) as they were unable to field a team. Nottingham Hoods (9-1) remain level on points with the unbeaten leaders after they earned a 79-63 road win against Team Birmingham (4-5). Newcastle Under Lyme College Knights (6-3) pulled off an impressive 85-79 away win at Derby Trailblazers II (7-2), while City of Sheffield Saints (4-5) beat Tees Valley Mohawks II (0-9) 85-76, despite 37 points from Logan Holloman. Mansfield Giants (3-6) beat Leeds Allerton High Force (2-6) 119-102 as Calvin Morant-Hudson (36) and Mike Buffalo (35) combined for 71 points.

In the South, Solent Kestrels (7-0) extended their unbeaten start with a 96-79 win at home to the Thames Valley Cavaliers (6-2) after battling back from being down 10 after the opening ten minutes. Team Solent (5-4) beat Barking Abbey (1-7) on the road, while Cardiff Met Archers (2-6) claimed their second win with an 84-70 away success at Oxford City Hoops (1-6). Northants Thunder (4-4) lost 85-66 to BC Medelynas London (4-2), while Middlesex LTBC (3-5) fell to a 66-51 defeat at home to Hackney White Heat (3-4).

Division Four

There were a couple of unbeaten records on the line this weekend. In the North, Team Newcastle University (8-0) defeated Myerscough College Giants (7-1) 82-47 on the road in a top-of-the-table clash. Tameside (7-1) moved into joint second after edging past Sunderland City Predators (2-6) 73-71. Meanwhile, Gateshead Phoenix (6-3) beat Lancashire Spinners II (3-5) 70-63, Prestons College (5-3) were also victorious at home after beating Leeds Tigers (3-5) 64-50 and there was another home win as Sefton Stars II (1-6) claimed their first victory, prevailing 77-61 over Kendal Warriors (1-7).

Brentwood Fire (5-1) kept up the pressure on East Midlands leaders Barking & Dagenham Thunder (7-0) with a 93-76 road win at 3rd-place Northants Tauras (4-2). Anglia Ruskin University (1-6) picked up their first win with a slender 72-71 triumph away at Oaklands College Wolves (1-6), while the College of West Anglia Fury (3-3) lost 82-73 at Cambridge Cats (4-3).

In the Midlands, Doncaster Danum Eagles (6-0) maintained their perfect record at the expense of Loughborough Student Riders II (6-1) own winning start with an impressive 86-80 victory on the road. City of Birmingham (6-4) claimed their sixth win after beating the winless Shropshire Warriors (0-6) 90-62, while Derby Trailblazers III (4-3) and Birmingham Mets II (4-3) also recorded home wins with victories against Kingston Panthers (1-4), 83-76, and Nottingham Hoods II (2-6), 76-47, respectively.

Crawley United (7-1) were made to work hard to stay top of the South-East group, seeing off the challenge of Kent Crusaders II (3-2) with an 88-85 win. Sussex Bears (6-1) are snapping at their heels after they crushed London Westside II (1-5) in dominant fashion, winning 113-41, which included an incredible 43-8 third quarter. Brunel Ducks (5-0) are not far behind and are still unbeaten as they beat London United II (2-7) 97-78 on the road, while Brighton Cougars (4-2) enjoyed an 86-51 home success against London Greenhouse Pioneers II (0-6).

In the South-West, Oxford Brookes University (8-0) continued their winning start with a 92-70 road win against Reading Rockets II (2-6). Second place Swindon Shock (6-2) beat Woking Blackhawk Flyers (3-5) 86-78 away from home, while Thames Valley Cavaliers II (5-2) also won on their travels, beating Southampton University (0-8) 73-56. Finally, Bristol Academy Flyers II (5-3) recorded a 73-60 home win against Cardiff City (3-3), and Oxford Stealers (3-5) ran out convincing 81-49 winners over Bristol Storm (3-4).

Get to any games? Anything worth mentioning? Let us know in the comments!