Around The EBL – Week 10

A relatively quiet weekend in the EBL this weekend as the divisions begin to take shape and we get an idea of who the front runners are going to be.

EBL Division 1

The Hemel Storm secured their place as the unbeaten leaders of Division 1 with back to back wins this weekend, helped by a stand-out weekend from Bode Adeluola.

On Saturday, Adeluola chipped in with 23 points to help the Storm to a 61-71 victory over Team Northumbria who will be disappointed with their season so far and find themselves bottom of the division having recorded only one victory.

Sunday proved even more impressive for Adeluola as he dropped 41 on the Tees Valley Mohawks in the 69-83 victory. The Storm now hold a 6-0 record in regular season action.

Leeds Carnegie, on the other hand weren’t as successful as they split the weekend with a win and a loss.

Saturday saw new signing Darrell Bethune debut against his old club the Westminster Warriors and a composed final quarter from Carnegie led them to the 74-83 victory with Armand Anebo and Jack Stannard combing for 50 points in the win.

A back and forth game on Sunday against the new-look Medway Park Crusaders as a strong late game showing from Medway led to a 75-65 win for the Crusaders.

The Crusaders have been dealing with some behind the scenes struggles over recent weeks, postponing three consecutive games, but were back in action after appearing to have created an informal partnership with GB Regional Institute, Barking Abbey. The weekend saw some BA players team up with Medway’s own players, along with coach Lloyd Gardner temporarily taking the reigns.

Leeds were without GB U20 international Rowell Graham due to injury but he is expected to be back to training this week.

Richard Sulcs has returned to the Bradford Dragons after a very brief stint in the early season with the Leicester Warriors, and led the team to a 56-79 victory over the Tees Valley Mohawks as he scored 24 points.

It was a reverse of roles in Leicester’s 70-68 victory over the Worthing Thunder. Former Bradford Dragon Rob Donaldson hit the game winner on the buzzer to secure the narrow win with Mansour Mbye leading with a game-high 22 points for the Warriors.

The Bristol Academy Flyers grabbed their second win of the season with a 70-60 win over the Medway Park Crusaders on Saturday with Spencer Wells scoring 18 points in the win.

The final win of the weekend in the Division came for NASSA as they defeated the Manchester Magic in a low scoring game, by 58-55 with Magic’s Ryan Lohfink leading all scorers with 17.

In a solo game in the National Trophy the Essex Leopards advanced after defeating the Reading Rockets, 80-86

EBL Division 2

Derby Trailblazers jumped up the top of the Division 2 table with a huge 92-107 victory over the Worcester Wolves. Alex Dorr continued his impressive from with 33 points while Daniel Watts will hope to be finding his form as he scored 31 points in the win.

Watts’ old team the Mansfield Giants weren’t as successful as they went down 76-80 at home to the Killamarsh Derbyshire Arrows, with Leon Best scoring a game-high 23 for the Arrows.

After starting the season so well, Ipswich Basketball club find themselves sitting mid table after their third loss of the season this weekend. Six players scored double figures in the game between Ipswich and the Eastside Eagles. In the end it was smart play down the stretch and poor defense from Ipswich (second week in a row) that secured the 68-66 victory for the Eagles.

Leigh Greenan led all scorers with 22 for Ipswich.

LSBU Brixton Topcats still remain join-top of the division after the big 72-50 win against the Loughborough Student Riders, Petkus top scoring with 19.

EBL Division 3

Northern Conference

Rossendale picked up the 81-70 victory over the Tees Valley Mohawks II, with new signing Papis Samb scoring 13 points as he looks to regain fitness following his move to the Raptors from the Manchester Giants.

Rossendale’s former Head Coach Jim Fry looks set to join D2 side Huddersfield Heat as their Assistant Head Coach pending the approval of a transfer this week.

Garnett Gayle is now 49 years old but continues to suit up for the Sheffield Saints as player-coach. This week his side faced off against a tough Stockport Falcons side at home. At 49 years old Garnett Gayle led all scorers with 24 points as the Saints saw off the Falcons with an 82-68 victory. The Saints now hold a 4-4 record so far this season.

The Northants Thunder took their place on top of the division with an 8-1 record following their 95-84 win against Leeds Carnegie II. Leome Francis led the Thunder with 19 while Mcdonald and Cepulis combined for 49 of Carnegie’s points.

Second place Birmingham Mets were just as successful, as they picked up the 30 point win over the Derby Trailblazers II with a 93-61 scoreline.

The Sefton Stars moved into third place on a 6-1 record as they secured two wins this weekend. First they faced the Nottingham Hoods away where they picked up the 53-64 win, while the next day was a much higher scoring affair as they grabbed the 98-66 win over Leeds Carnegie II.

Southern Conference

The London Greenhouse Pioneers sit top of the conference after defeating the Cardiff Met Archers, 68-73, while Plymouth Marjon now occupy the second place spot as they defeated Team Solent, 75-56.

Perre and MacCauley combined for 41 points as the Bracknell Cobras defeated Oxford Hoops 65-79, and the Solent Kestrels moved their way into the playoff spots following a 60-67 victory over Barking Abbey.

“We played well in three out of four quarters in today’s game,” said BA Head Coach Frank Holloway after the game.

“In the end we made some bad decisions as a team that cost us the victory. But that’s why we play the game, to learn from our mistakes and get better in the process.”

The other game in the conference saw the London Phoenicians pick up the 75-74 victory over the Hackney White Heat.

EBL Division 4

Northern Conference

Conference leaders Mersey Tigers took on 3^rd place Kingston Panthers, a team the Tigers felt could challenge their top position at the top of the Division 4 League table. However, that feeling was short lived when Mersey took an astonishing lead of 18 points in the first quarter and the gap was widened to a 34 point advantage at the half.

The third and fourth quarter were mere formalities and Mersey maintained their unbeaten run (7-0) in the league with a commanding victory by a scoreline of 108-47. Raheem May-Thompson had 22 points and Abe Matter scored 16.

Sefton Stars II picked up back to back wins for their first of the season. Saturday saw them defeat the Durham Wildcats II by 62-67, while on Sunday they returned home to see off Leeds Allerton High Carnegie with an 82-75 win.

Teeside Lions were thumped by Leeds Tigers, 43-84, while in a derby game up North, the Newcastle Eagles II defeated the Gateshead Phoenix by 54-69.

Midlands Conference

Bromsgrove handed the NULC Knights their first defeat of the season as they kept their own undefeated streak alive to jump into the top spot in the conference with a 44-67 victory.

There were wins elsewhere for the Sporting Club Albion and the Derby Trailblazers II.

South Eastern Conference

BC Medelynas London remain unbeaten on 9-0 after a 90-74 victory over the Ware Rebels, while the Southend Scorpions picked up the 90-70 win over the Peckham Pride.

There were other ins for the London Westside II and the Brentwood Fire, while the Medway Park Crusaders II thumped destroyed London United Harefield Academy by 53-109.

Midlands South West Conference

Oxford Brookes sit 9-0 atop the conference after the 53-88 victory over the Reading Rockets II, while the Milton Keynes Mustangs occupy second place following the 56-76 win against the Southampton Uni Sharks.

Middlesex LTBC jump into third place, while there were wins elsewhere for the Bristol Academy Flyers II and Cardiff City.

Did you get to any games? Thoughts?