BUCS Final 8s – Day 1 Recap

By Sam Neter on March 15, 2014

Saturday sees the return of the BUCS Final 8s, being held at UEL Sports Dock for the first time, where the last eight team standings in the country will battle it out for a place at BUCS Big Wednesday.

Opening quarter final games will be played on Saturday, with semi-finals on Sunday and then the final on Wednesday 26th March at Surrey Sports Park.

Game 1
Worcester beat UCL 88-57
UCL managed to hang around for a quarter and a half before heavy favourites Worcester ran away with it, 88-57, to book their place in the semi-finals.

Behind the inside duo of Will Creekmore and Kalil Irving, defending champions Worcester, who are looking for their fourth consecutive title, overpowered the smaller UCL side who provided little resistance if it weren’t for former GB U20 Will Hall.

Hall ended up fouling out in the third but finished with 15 points and a number of nice assists to lead the Premier South side, one of only two who have made it to the Final 8s.

Creekmore finished with 21 of his 23 points in the first half, and Kalil Irving added 9 for Worcester who rotated heavily and went deep into their bench.

Game 2
Durham beat Northumbria 95-61
Durham used a dominant second half to get past Northumbria, 95-61.

Having only eight players made little difference to Durham, made up primarily of their BBL squad, as Devin Ginty went off from beyond the arc, hitting nine threes on his way to 33 points and Kirk Crecco added 22.

Northumbria were led by Matt Martin’s 17 points, whilst Ricky Fetske added 9.

Game 3
Loughborough beat LSBU 66-60
Loughborough survived a scare from a determined London South Bank squad, ultimately prevailing 66-60.

Conner Washington had 12 of his 17 points in the second half to lead Loughborough, with captain Will Maynard adding 16 and big man Barry Lamble finishing with 9.

Branch led Southbank with 13, and Uche Umekwe added 10.

Game 4
Leeds Met beat Sheffield Hallam 77-66
In the only upset of the day, Leeds Met shocked second place finishers Sheffield Hallam, 77-66.

Leeds Met’s Branimir Mikulic banked in a dagger three at the shot clock buzzer with under a minute left to give Carnegie the cushion they needed to book their place in the semi-finals.

Jack Stannard had 23 points, Rowell Graham had 18, and Russell Permenter added 15.

Mike Tuck had 20 points to lead Sheffield Hallam, Zach Gachette had 16 and Nick Lewis added 14

Sunday Schedule

2pm: Durham vs Worcester (semi-final)/Northumbria vs UCL (points playoff)
4pm: Leeds Met vs Loughborough (semi-final)/LSBU vs Sheffield Hallam (points playoff)

Notes

Since moving from Sheffield last year and changing the format (to having the Final separate on ‘Big BUCS Wednesday’), the Final 8s just doesn’t have the same vibe/prestige to it. Really disappointing.
Durham’s Devin Ginty the undoubted standout performer on Day 1, was straight up stroking it from beyond the arc, having no hesitation in pulling up on the break at times.
More to come.

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