Around The EBL – Week 2

As teams begin to get back into the groove of competitive action it’s been another week of mainly cup competition basketball as EBL teams faced off in various knockout competitions.

For the EBL’s top teams it was time for another round of National Trophy games as the Tees Valley Mohawks hosted the Worthing Thunder and came out on top with an 83-71 victory, while Newham NASSA Neptunes also grabbed a 73-67 win over the Bristol Academy Flyers as NASSA’s Anthony Okereafor and Bristol’s Greg Streete going head to head with 18 points a piece.

An excellent weekend for the EBL Champions Reading Rockets saw them pick up back to back wins over the weekend, ousting the Manchester Magic 60-74 on Saturday before returning home to knock off the Tees Valley Mohawks 92-65 on Sunday.

There was disappointment for the Hemel Storm as they couldn’t make home court advantage count against Leeds Carnegie and suffered a 56-70 defeat in that one, despite 26 points from lightning quick point guard Bode Adeluola, while Team Northumbria on the other hand managed to grind out a 47-54 win away at the Leicester Warriors, led by 16 points from Jack Preston, who returns to the UK after a year in the States.

There were also three National Cup games this weekend to tell you about; NASSA took down Hackney 67-58 led by Dave Ajumobi’s 18 points – he joins the side after a couple of seasons up in Leeds. Meanwhile, Worthing Thunder secured a place in the second round by defeating Team Solent 79-65, while the Manchester Magic wasted no time jumping right into the third round by beating Team Northumbria heavily by a scoreline of 79-53 on Sunday.

With EBL D1 out of the way it was the turn for Division Two’s finest to go head to head in the Patrons Cup.

We go first to Huddersfield as the Heat continued their impressive start at this level making it 3 wins out of 3 with a thunderous 115-69 win over the Worcester Wolves II with British guard Mark Rangeley scoring 27 in the win, while down in Ipswich, Tom Sadler and Leigh Greenan combined for 39 points and 27 rebounds as Ipswich Basketball Club defeated the Eastside Eagles 72-54.

Wins were secured in the capital by London Utd who defeated the Mansfield Giants 93-83 and LSBU Brixton Topcats who beat London Westside 72-62. Another win for the Derby Trailblazers over the Loughborough Student Riders 71-63 leaves them looking to show how good they can be following their relegation from Division 1.

There was yet another forfeit from the PAWS London Capitals who gave a 20-0 to the Killamarsh Derbyshire Arrows; making it three forfeits for their first three games of the season.

Just the one game in EBL Division 3, as two of the early favourites for the title faced off in Stockport, with the heavily stacked Falcons faced the Northants Thunder in the first opportunity for these two teams to check each other out. Despite 25 points from former England junior international Josh Houghton it wasn’t enough, as that man Leome Francis again lead the Northants Thunder to victory by a scoreline of 66-77.

The National Shield is the cup competition for EBL Division 3 & 4 teams and with more and more high quality talent choosing to play at this level, the games are getting increasingly more entertaining for spectators.

We start off with a demolition job as the Birmingham A’s secured their spot in the next round with a seventy point victory over Loughborough Student Riders II coming out 112-42. Elsewhere in Birmingham, Dave Waite took control scoring 30 points as the Mets brought home a 55-86 victory over the Bromsgrove Bears. It was a much closer contest in the game between the Brentwood Fire and the Cambridge Cats with the Fire eventually grinding out the 83-79 victory to book their place in the next stage.

Streetball sensation and Sam Neter look-alike, Tarryn Algar helped secure a win for the London Phoenicians as he scored 23 points in the 99-45 victory (though it was Ray Akpofure who led the side with 24), while 31 points from D1 regular Josh Houghton gave the Stockport Falcons the crushing home victory over the Sefton Stars by 78 points to 48.

Places in the next round were booked elsewhere for the COWA Fury, NULC Knights and the MK Mustangs who were handed a free pass by the Leicester Warriors II with the 20-0 forfeit.

Mixed results for Oxford teams as both local teams went into action, with Brookes University winning away at Oaklands College 85-106, while Oxford Hoops went down 77-82 against the Bristol Academy Flyers II.

Up to the North East now as Gateshead Phoenix faced off against Local rivals Newcastle Eagles II with the Phoenix claiming the bragging rights for now as they came out on top 76-66, while in the Capital it was the turn of Greenwich Titans and London Westside II as their game ended up 63-59 to the Titans.

There were big games for two players as Rob Donaldson chalked up 37 points in Tees Valley Moahwks II’s win over the Leeds Tigers, while Bracknell Cobras Odulaja had 34 in their win over London United Harefield Academy 50-101.

The performance of the week however, goes to Andy St John of the Cardiff Capitals as his 41 points ensured that the close game remained within their grasp as the game finished Swindon Shock 84-92 Cardiff Capitals.

The level of basketball being played in D3 and D4 looks very encouraging as we hope for an entertaining EBL season.

Did you get to any games? Thoughts? Standout players?