Around the NBL - Week 27 - Hoopsfix.com

Around the NBL – Week 27

The regular season in the NBL has officially come to an end with the final weekend in D1 taking place as the 2015-16 campaign now moves on to next week’s with the playoffs quarter-finals across all four divisions.

Division One

Reading Rockets (19-7) secured third place in D1 after closing the regular season with victories over the top two teams. Manuel Pena Garces’ side defeated Derby Trailblazers (19-7) 85-76 on Saturday after overturning a seven-point deficit at the half behind a 30-point display from D’Montre Edwards, before beating the champions, Manchester Magic (23-3), 83-89 on the road after coming from behind once again.

Meanwhile, Team Northumbria (16-10) finished with an 83-76 win at home to London Lituanica (16-10) with Chuck Duru top scoring with 16 points as six players hit double figures. The visitors ran with a five-man rotation with Northumbria pulling away with a 28-8 third period, before being handed a 20-0 win against Leicester Warriors (10-16) the next day. Marc Steutel’s side face a trip to Hemel Storm (18-8) in the post-season with Hemel rounding out their campaign with an 86-80 victory against Bradford Dragons (6-20) with Tom Adorian netting 33 points.

Prior to their defeat against Reading, Manchester had crushed Kent Crusaders (3-23) 99-47 with Jack Minister top scoring with 19 points and dishing out nine assists. However, the Crusaders bowed out of D1 in style after easing to a 47-82 win on the road at Tees Valley Mohawks (4-22) with Jack Burnell top scoring with 15 points.

Elsewhere, Lancashire Spinners (16-10) defeated Essex Leopards (16-10) 89-77 with Steven Gayle netting 23 points, while Kyle Carey added 18 in the win. Worthing Thunder (10-16) saw off Leicester with an 85-75 success as James Cambronne racked up 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Westminster Warriors (6-20) claimed a 92-82 victory over Tees Valley. Mantas Adomaitis scored 25 points, while Yannick Bulambwe added 23 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Final D1 standings: Manchester Magic 23-3; Derby Trailblazers 19-7; Reading Rockets 19-7; Hemel Storm 18-8; Team Northumbria 16-10; Essex Leopards 16-10; Lancashire Spinners 16-10; London Lituanica 16-10; Leicester Warriors 10-16; Worthing Thunder 10-16; Westminster Warriors 6-20; Bradford Dragons 6-20; Tees Valley Mohawks 4-22; Kent Crusaders 3-23

D1 Playoffs Quarter-Finals:
Manchester Magic (1) v London Lituanica (8)
Hemel Storm (4) v Team Northumrbia (5)
Reading Rockets (3) v Essex Leopards (6)
Derby Trailblazers (2) v Lancashire Spinners (7)

Division Two

D2 runners-up Loughborough Student Riders (17-4) finished their regular season with a 74-86 victory over Liverpool (12-10) in a dress rehearsal of their upcoming encounter in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Arif Sempala netted 33 points to lead East London All Stars (13-9) to a 77-85 win on the road against Worcester Wolves II (3-19), who face relegation.

Final D2 standings: Solent Kestrels 18-4; Loughborough Student Riders 17-4-1; London Greenhouse Pioneers 16-6; Nottingham Hoods 15-7; Ipswich Basketball 13-9; East London All Stars 13-9; Liverpool 12-10; Derbyshire Arrows 11-11; Brixton Topcats 6-15-1; London Westside 5-17; Worcester Wolves II 3-19; Eastside Eagles 2-20

D2 Playoffs Quarter-Finals
Solent Kestrels (1) v Derbyshire Arrows (8)
Nottingham Hoods (4) v Ipswich Basketball (5)
London Greenhouse Pioneers (3) v East London All Stars (6)
Loughborough Student Riders (2) v Liverpool (7)

Division Three

Playoffs Quarter-Finals
Team Newcastle University v Team Solent
Doncaster Danum Eagles v Oxford Brookes University
Thames Valley Cavaliers v Sefton Stars
Brunel University Ducks v Newcastle Under Lyme College Knights

NBDL

Playoffs Quarter-Finals
Gateshead Phoenix (1) v Sheffield Hallam Sharks (8)
Sussex Bears (4) v Cardiff Met Archers (5)
University of Chester (3) v Southwark Pride (6)
Kent Crusaders II (15) v Preston’s College Titans (7)

All of the quarter-finals in the NBL Playoffs take place this weekend (2/3 April).

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