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Post by Solly on Jul 8, 2020 9:59:15 GMT
And one of my pieces leading into the 13-14 Playoffs.
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Wolves plan to continue success
Going into the last weekend of the regular season Newcastle Eagles had already secured the British Basketball League title. However, the runners-up spot still lay unclaimed, with Worcester Wolves and Sheffield Sharks both in contention.
Although Wolves secured a double of successes, at home to Glasgow Rocks and away at Surrey United, Sharks did likewise, in Sheffield versus Manchester and on the road at Plymouth.
This means that Wolves and Sharks finished the year with identical 27 wins and six losses records, but that Sharks are awarded the higher placing due to winning the head-to-head decider between the teams.
Consequently, as the third-place finisher, Wolves will now face the league’s sixth-placed side London Lions in the first round of the end-of-season playoffs.
The first leg will take place at London’s prestigious Copper Box Arena this Friday (tip off 7.30pm), with the return leg to be played next Sunday 27 April, at the University of Worcester Arena (tip off 3pm).
Wolves’ president Mick Donovan is confident of his club’s playoff chances, and also reflected on what has already been Worcester’s most successful season ever, since joining the BBL in 2006:
“While I’m disappointed not to be BBL champions after being so close, and having such a talented team, I am of course thrilled that we won our first piece of silverware, the BBL Trophy.
“I think we have a realistic chance of winning the playoffs and believe if all teams play to their best and that includes the current Worcester Wolves - we have the ability to challenge and beat any team.”
This season has seen Wolves make the considerable step up to playing out of the University of Worcester Arena, a move which has seen attendances more than treble.
Last September’s opening game at their new venue, against Leicester Riders, attracted a capacity crowd, and there have been several games since where the house-full signs have had to be readied.
Donovan is pleased about the progress that has been made off the court as well as on it:
“This really has been a transitional year for the club, in a new venue and with increased home crowds, and in many ways as a club and as a business, we have been familiarising ourselves with a totally different environment.
“We have witnessed a successful pilot year in the Arena and now need to review all aspects of the club both off the court and on the court, development work with players, and our engagement in the community, and really build upon past practice.
“We continue to strengthen in many areas and have attracted some really good people to help behind the scenes, whilst also keeping some very valuable people who rarely get noticed, but without whom we would not be achieving what we are doing.”
The other two-legged ties that will begin the playoffs, with all clubs dreaming of a place in the BBL’s showpiece final at Wembley on Sunday 11 May, are: Newcastle Eagles versus neighbours the Durham Wildcats; a war of the roses clash between Sheffield Sharks and Manchester Giants; fourth-placed Leicester Riders taking on the side who rounded out the regular season just one place beneath them, Cheshire Phoenix.
All ties will be completed by Sunday, with the home and away semi-finals of the competition taking place the week after.
With demand already high for tickets for Wolves’ meeting with London, fans wishing to guarantee their seats are advised to visit the club’s website www.worcesterwolves.org
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Post by Solly on Jul 8, 2020 10:07:21 GMT
So here's the first-leg at Lions details.
1. A strong showing from Perry Lawson.
2. Veteran Rod Brown still getting work done.
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Friday 25 April 2014
BBL Playoff Quarter Final 1st leg
London Lions 78-92 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves will be delighted to have come away from the first half of a challenging quarter-final playoff tie against London Lions with a 92-78 advantage to take into the return leg at the University of Worcester Arena this Sunday, (tip off 3pm).
In Friday’s first leg, at London’s Copper Box Arena, the Wolves dominated early, roaring into a 35-14 first quarter lead, only to see the gap closed right back to 66-63 by late in the third quarter of the contest.
In the final period Wolves were once more able to put their foot on the gas, re-instating a healthy cushion.
On Worcester’s first possession of the evening a long-distance attempt from Will Creekmore went awry, but Kalil Irving was quick to grab the rebound, allowing Alex Owumi to succeed with a triple.
Stefan Djukic notched Wolves’ next basket, setting off on an impressive run of first-quarter scoring. By six minutes played he had converted a further four times, aiding his side to surge ahead at 21-6, prompting an urgent Lions time out.
As the initial quarter wound down, Djukic had already accumulated 13 points.
When Jamal Williams rose from the bench to contribute five swift points, it looked as if a rout could be on the cards.
However, Lions’ also had a one-quarter-wonder of their own, who then came to the fore, British guard Perry Lawson.
In the opening four minutes of the second period, Lawson tallied eight points while Worcester were held to just half that total across their whole team.
By half-time the visitor’s lead had been pegged back to 49-39.
Just as Lawson had stepped up before the break, so did his team mate Joseph Ikhinmwin after the interval. Seven points from Ikhinmwin helped keep his side in touch at 56-46, and a basket from veteran forward Julius Joseph finally brought the deficit into single figures.
Entering the last two minutes off the third period a Joseph three-pointer brought matters to 66-63, before a burst of scoring from Wolves’ point guard Zaire Taylor restored calm at 75-66.
Neither side was able to significantly affect the gap between the teams until the night’s final couple of minutes.
At a minute and a half left the score stood at 88-78. Taylor sank two free throws, and on the next London possession intercepted an errant pass. Setting off towards the hoop he was fouled by his trailing opponent Chez Marks to thereby gain another trip to the free throw line, where he was able to widen the Worcester lead to 92-78.
Coach Paul James commented afterwards:
“It was a good win, though I think we made things harder than we should have done.
“Even when they came back at us, I always felt we were in control.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s home leg at the University of Worcester Arena, James added:
“A fourteen-point lead is not insurmountable. We will need to stay on our game and finish the job.”
Taylor led the Worcester scoring with 22 points, followed by Owumi and Creekmore with 16 and 14 points respectively
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Rod Brown top-scored for London with 23 points.
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Post by Solly on Jul 8, 2020 10:11:13 GMT
And my prog article ahead of the second-leg back in Worcester.
I was confident, but cautious given how previously-hot regular-season Worcester rosters had underperformed in the post-season.
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So here we are, the final season done and dusted, and now we face London in the second-leg of our playoff matchup.
At the time of writing I do not know how we’ve fared in the nation’s capital, but surely it will have been a W, leaving us just needing to top matters off today and move on to the semis.
Before looking too far ahead, we really ought to pay tribute to a number of areas for the Wolves this season.
First off, the win-loss record: 27-6, our best winning percentage since taking the step up to the BBL in 2006.
Aside from a ridiculous stumble against Plymouth, the only other sides to down us in BBL action have been the Championship-winning Newcastle Eagles and the runners-up, Sheffield Sharkies.
It’s a measure of how far we have come that so few teams have managed to get the better of us this season. Contrast that to the dark days of our BBL debut year when we lost on a staggering 32 occasions.
Although we gradually inched away from quite such a dismal record after that, we actually had to wait all the way until the 11/12 season before we posted a greater number of victories than defeats.
We have, of course, had some wonderful players representing Worcester this year, or we could not have achieved all the Ws, and not have reached third in the table.
But before I give my breakdown on individuals, the off-court strides the club has made have to be acknowledged.
For most of our home games it would not be an exaggeration to say that we have already had more people present around 20-30 minutes before game time, than we had when the ball was actually thrown up for the tip-off at our former venue.
In addition, we had the sell-out of the first Leicester game, and near-capacity crowds at several matches since.
There have been many contributing factors to this boost to our attendances. Too many factors to list, but all leading up to some key words such as fun, entertainment, pride etc.
Oh yes, one other thing; we won a trophy, the BBL Trophy. What a marvellous, marvellous thing it was that the club finally secured silverware.
Brilliant. Just makes you want more though…
On to the individual breakdown of the Wolves mainstays, up to now:
Zaire Taylor – the razzle-dazzle ringmaster. We all knew he could score and will hustle big-time on defence. But, increasingly, he’s now also upping those assists.
Alex Owumi – has always been inputting, but seems to have been even more visible of late. Peaking at the right time.
Jamal Williams – quietly gets his work done, but, as he most definitely showed us by his MVP display in Glasgow, can occasionally explode to the fore.
Stefan Djukic – another grafter. Need a nuisance – call Stefan.
Will Creekmore – Mr Double-Double, as our MC delights in labelling him. Alongside Zaire, a most-serious contender for League MVP. Wow.
Kalil Irving – can drive to the basket, and has added treys to his repertoire. Nice.
Kai Williams – another man hitting form at the business end of the season.
We also of course have Daniel and Disraeli ready to contribute at the forward position, or Caylin and Calvin available to spell time at guard, or Harry, if called upon.
Here’s a footnote of caution though, in amongst all the back-patting. Today is our fourth appearance in the playoffs. We’ve been eliminated in the first round every time up to now. Time to write about progress. C’mon ma boys.
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Post by Solly on Jul 9, 2020 15:54:50 GMT
And my prog reflections on the two legs vs Lions.
A stumble of sorts in the second leg, but enough in the bank from the away leg to see Wolves on to the Playoff semis.
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One match from Wembley!
Our last home game of the season today, but hopefully not our last match altogether.
And who do we face in the semis, but our familiar BBL Trophy semi-final foes, the Sheffield Sharkies. And familiar is definitely the right word as today will be the seventh time we have faced them.
Yes they owned us in the regular season, but we did a number on them when it really mattered in the Trophy, and will now look to repeat the feat when the game again carries true significance.
This time last week saw us fall to an improbable defeat against London Lions. Improbable because we had two days previously aced the first leg in the capital by a sizeable fourteen points.
But that was most likely what swung it in the second leg, our already feeling home and hosed.
Both legs followed a mostly similar pattern. In London we raced to a 35-14 first quarter lead, with Stefan bursting to the fore with thirteen of those points, only for the gap to close right back to 66-63 by late in the third quarter of the contest.
In the final period we were once again able to put the pedal to the metal to re-instate a healthy cushion.
Come last Sunday and early doors saw me stretched right back in my seat, with legs crossed and arms folded, enjoying a 22-6 lead towards the end of Q1.
Again Stefan was the man with nine quick points. However, once more Lions refused to lay down, drawing a line in the sand and producing a 21-3 surge in just a four minute spell.
By the third quarter our visitors had tied it all up at 65-65.
In the last minute it was again all even stevens at 86-86.
On the closing possessions of the afternoon they scored, we missed, and we allowed the clock to run out with the aggregate standing at an unassailable 178-166. Job done.
On to the individual breakdown of our main men over the two legs:
Zaire Taylor – Game 1: 22pts, 14-17 free throws, 8 assists. Game 2: 11pts, 8 assists. You can’t stop the music for this disco dancer.
Alex Owumi – Game 1: 16pts, 4 x 3ptrs, 4-4 free throws. Game 2: 18pts, 4 x 3ptrs, 9 rebounds, 7 assists. Everywhere.
Will Creekmore – Game 1: 14pts. Game 2: 24pts, 12-16 free throws, 23 rebounds. A veritable machine.
Jamal Williams – Game 1: 8pts. Game 2: 4pts. Due another Trophy Final-esque explosion.
Kai Williams – Game 1: 11pts. Game 2: 3pts. Another player with the potential to blast.
Stefan Djukic – Game 1: 13pts. Game 2: 17pts. This man has just blasted. Has he got even more powder in his arsenal?
Kalil Irving – Game 1: 8pts, 2 x 3ptr. Game 2: 6pts, 7 rebounds. Hustler.
Disraeli Lufadeju – Game 1: Limited minutes. Game 2: 3pts. Useful minutes.
And who can we potentially meet down Wembley Way? Newcastle Eagles or Leicester Riders?
We’ve done them both over this year, so no fears there then. C’mon ma boys.
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Post by Solly on Jul 9, 2020 16:02:41 GMT
And my official report of the second-leg happenings.
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Sunday 27 April 2014
BBL Playoff Quarter-Final Second Leg
Worcester Wolves 86-88 London Lions - Wolves win on aggregate 178-166
Worcester Wolves did just enough in the second leg of their BBL quarter-final playoff against London Lions to ensure that they made it through to the last four of the competition. They will now meet the team that they defeated at the semi-final stage of the BBL Trophy, Sheffield Sharks.
Already carrying over a comfortable 14-point first-leg advantage into Sunday’s match at the University of Worcester Arena, it initially looked as if Wolves could do nothing but make the aggregate margin of victory yet larger.
By half-time the hosts held a 24-point overall lead, though, to their credit, the Lions refused to lay down, eventually coming up with an unlikely victory on the night, albeit by only a couple of points and therefore nowhere near the total needed for them to progress.
Just as in Friday’s match in London, it was Stefan Djukic who dominated the early scoring.
In the opening minute he sank the first of two free throws and, though missing his second attempt, harassed a London defender into tipping the ball out of bounds. When the ball was fed back into play, Djukic was quickly on the spot to claim a basket.
On Wolves’ next possession he took a bullet pass from club captain Alex Owumi, dunking the ball home, putting his side 10-0 up and raising his personal tally to eight points.
It took a full five minutes before Lions could claim a score from the field, and matters worsened as they went on to trail 22-6 approaching the last two minutes of the first quarter.
From here the visitors finally drew a line in the sand, producing a 21-3 burst in a four minute spell straddling the first and second periods.
The star of that spell was London forward Joseph Ikhinmwin. As well as three points before the break, he was able to notch a trio of successive baskets to begin the second quarter and drag his side back to 25-25, before his colleague Adrien Sturt then gave Lions their first lead of the afternoon.
While London coach Vince Macaulay must have been delighted to see his team nudge ahead, he was aware that their surge had come at a cost, namely foul trouble.
By half-time he was mired in a continual rotation of his charges, with three players already standing on three of their permitted five fouls and another, Michael Martin, teetering on the edge of expulsion with four fouls.
Will Creekmore was the main beneficiary of trips to the free throw line, making five of eight attempts to aid Worcester to regain a 46-38 interval advantage.
Lions were still held at arm’s length towards the end of the third quarter, at 60-51, before another late burst of action, featuring five points apiece for Sturt and for point guard Rod Brown, once more levelled the scores at 65-65.
A close to the hoop conversion from Sturt, and one from distance, moved the scoreboard to 70-67 in the visitors favour. A deuce of scores from Brown pushed the afternoon out to 76-71.
However the number of infractions committed by London had eventually become too many, with Martin and his fellow veteran Julius Joseph the first of three players forced to retire to the bench.
When Zaire Taylor drained the last of twelve Wolves’ final quarter free throw attempts, the leg was again tied at 86-86, with seconds of the contest remaining. After London scored and Wolves then missed on their last possession, the game clock was allowed to peter out.
Wolves’ coach Paul James was pleased to make progress in the playoffs, but unhappy not to win on the day, saying:
“Though I’m obviously delighted that we have made it through to the semis, I’m disappointed that we lost this leg.
“When you have such a big first-leg lead as we did, it can sometimes cause focus to wander.
“We had chances to blow the game wide open, but didn’t capitalise.
“The scoreboard was lit up like a Christmas tree with all the fouls, but we still managed to miss eighteen free throws on the day.”
Looking ahead to next week’s two-legged tie against Sheffield, James added:
“It will be a hell of a battle. We’ll need to play a lot better than we did against London.
“We’ll regroup in practice, and look to come out firing.”
Creekmore led the scoring with 24 points, as well as hauling down a mammoth 23 rebounds.
Owumi and Djukic were next-highest scorers with 18 and 17 points respectively.
Ikhinmwin led the way for London with 19 points.
The away leg of the BBL playoff semi-final versus Sheffield will take place this Friday (tip off 7.30pm), with Sharks visiting the University of Worcester Arena for the return leg on the following Sunday, 4 May (tip off 6.30pm).
The other semi-finalists who will duel for a place in the showpiece final at Wembley Arena on Sunday 11 May are Newcastle Eagles and Leicester Riders.
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Post by Solly on Jul 10, 2020 16:06:44 GMT
And just ahead of the semi-final I was reporting on ZT taking the Player of the Year honours.
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Zaire Taylor named League’s Best
Worcester Wolves star Zaire Taylor has garnered the outstanding honour of being named as Molten BBL Player of the Year for 2013-14.
A hugely influential figure during the most successful season ever for the Wolves, Taylor came to Worcester last summer, looking to continue the form which saw him play a leading part in propelling his previous British club, Leicester Riders, to treble-winning success.
At the end of March, the 27-year-old point guard helped his side lift the BBL Trophy to finally secure their first ever piece of BBL silverware. He averaged 21 points and just under five assists per game over the course of the competition.
A regular in the BBL Team of the Week, with no fewer than eleven appearances to his name, Taylor has regularly imposed his class on games at both ends of the floor.
A renowned defensive performer, he also demonstrated his creative and scoring ability. During Wolves’ drive to third place in the BBL Championship he amassed a stellar 19 points and 2.8 steals each time he stepped out, but it was his eye-bulging average of 7.1 assists per game which perhaps stole the show.
The award is decided by the votes of each of the twelve BBL Head Coaches. Runner-up position in the voting stakes went to the recipient of many of Taylor’s passes, Wolves’ centre Will Creekmore. Cheshire Phoenix forward Victor Moses took third spot.
Wolves’ President Mick Donovan is full of praise for the impact Taylor has had at the club, saying:
"It is turning into a season of first for the Wolves. A month ago we had our first competition win, the BBL Trophy, and now one of our players receives this massive honour, the first time someone from the club has taken such a high level of individual award.
"Zaire has been immense at the point guard position for Worcester this year, setting up numerous opportunities for others, as well as having the ability to take control of games and get his own points.
“Alongside that, I am sure he would want to pay tribute to the part his team-mates have played in helping him earn this prestigious award, especially the man who was the runner-up in the voting, Will Creekmore.
"They say good fortune comes in threes - can Wembley be the third success for Wolves this year?"
Fans will have the chance to see if Taylor and Creekmore can indeed help Wolves reach Wembley when the second leg of the BBL semi-final playoff versus Sheffield Sharks takes place at the University of Worcester this Sunday, (tip off 6.30pm).
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Post by Solly on Jul 10, 2020 16:16:44 GMT
And the first leg at (second-placed) Sheffield turned into a blowout 
Easee, Easee 
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And the first leg at (second-placed) Sheffield Sharks turned out to be a blowout.
Easee, Easee!
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Friday 02 May 2014
BBL Playoff Semi-Final First Leg
Sheffield Sharks 59-79 Worcester Wolves
A superb shooting display has put Worcester Wolves on the brink of a trip to Wembley for the British Basketball League’s showpiece Playoff Final, in just over a week’s time.
A couple of months ago Wolves travelled to Sheffield Sharks in the BBL Trophy first leg semi-final and despite at one juncture holding a twenty-point lead, allowed their hosts to reduce the arrears to just a couple of points by the end of the evening.
On Friday the eventual Trophy winners again built up a substantial buffer, but, on this occasion, firmly denied the Sharks any opportunity of a similar comeback.
The undoubted star of the show was club captain Alex Owumi who managed to connect on seven of his eleven long-distance shot attempts, on his way to contributing 28 points towards his side’s mightily-impressive 79-59 triumph.
An Owumi triple at the close of the opening quarter put Wolves in front at 26-16, a cushion that had been maintained by half-time when Owumi again floated in a shot from outside the arc just as the period expired, bringing matters to 43-34.
By the end of the third quarter the visitor’s advantage had bumped out to 60-44, and continued to rise during the match’s final ten minutes.
As the game clock ticked down, Owumi further demoralised his opponents when nailing his last three-pointer, before Zach Gachette did likewise for Sheffield and point guard BJ Holmes slotted home two free throws.
Zaire Taylor was Wolves’ next-highest scorer with 21 points. Holmes was Sheffield’s only double-digit scorer, with 15 points.
The second and deciding leg of the tie will take place at the University of Worcester Arena this Sunday, (tip off 6.30pm). The victors will take their place at Wembley Arena on Sunday 11 May, where they will meet the winners of the other semi-final, Newcastle Eagles or Leicester Riders.
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Post by Solly on Jul 10, 2020 16:26:01 GMT
It was a much more competitive second-leg back in Worcester.
But I'm still saying Easee, Easee for the overall win and progressing to Wembley the week after.
1. I was chuckling about PJ's birthday remarks.
2. Whatever happened to Colin Sing?
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Sunday 04 May 2014
BBL Playoff Semi-Final Second Leg
Worcester Wolves 67-60 Sheffield Sharks - Wolves win on aggregate 146-119
The University of Worcester Arena was the scene of joyous celebrations on Sunday as Worcester Wolves defeated Sheffield Sharks to secure a place at the British Basketball League Playoff Final.
Adding their 67-60 win on the night to their twenty-point margin of victory from Friday’s first leg resulted in a punishing 146-119 aggregate triumph.
Sheffield showed tremendous character to all but erase the first leg deficit as the half-time interval approached, but were unable to sustain their fight for the full forty minutes.
Wolves steadily chipped away at their opponent’s advantage, before finally overtaking and breaking their spirit.
The showpiece final will take place next Sunday afternoon at Wembley Arena versus the BBL Championship winners, Newcastle Eagles.
Sharks’ forward tandem of Mike Tuck and Olu Babalola notched all of their side’s initial nine points, with only a couple of Zaire Taylor free throws coming in reply.
Point guard BJ Holmes floated in a three-pointer to bring the score to 12-2 by midway through the initial quarter, before Jamal Williams did likewise and thus registered Worcester’s first points from the field.
Williams was able to repeat the feat to close the gap further to 20-15 entering the second period.
As the half progressed, Wolves struggled to break through Shark’s defensive wall. Though finding space to shoot from the perimeter, the misses far outweighed the successes.
By contrast, Sheffield had no such offensive woes.
Colin Sing was left unmarked to nail an outside score and Babalola was easily able to bustle his way to the basket for consecutive scores, boosting their team’s lead to 37-22 at two minutes before the half-time break.
Only a fortunate late burst of scoring from Taylor and centre Will Creekmore was able to bring the arrears down to single figures at 39-31 as players returned to the locker rooms.
The visitor’s eight-point advantage held steady throughout the third quarter, but began to dissipate in the final period.
At seven minutes remaining in the match, captain Alex Owumi sank his fifth triple of the evening to draw the combatants together at 53-53.
The next play saw Taylor steal the ball from Babalola at half-court and race forward for a dunk, bringing a capacity crowd to their feet.
More good news followed swiftly for home supporters when Shark’s dangerous forward Tuck was forced to leave the court, having picked up his fifth foul.
From here the Sheffield spirit wilted while the Worcester confidence soared.
Creekmore triumphantly pumped his fist in the air after slamming the ball through the hoop and reserve Disraeli Lufadeju caused similar celebrations amongst his team-mates when producing a dazzling spin move to finalise the 67-60 win.
Coach Paul James joined his players in high-fiving fans in a post-match lap around the court, going on declare his delight at seeing Worcester progress to their second final of the year, saying:
“We came to the game trying to forget about our twenty point first leg lead, but played horribly early on.
“But we settled down and came back as we know we can.
“It’s unbelievable to be going to Wembley and I’m thrilled for everyone involved with the club that we have made it through to another final.”
Following on from his 28-point outing on Friday, Alex Owumi made another significant contribution with 15 points. James joked about the significance of Sunday also being Owumi’s birthday, adding:
“It was Kai William’s birthday on Friday, and we won big. Today it was Alex’s, and again we won. I’m just hoping that someone else on the team has a birthday next Sunday.”
Creekmore led the Wolves’ scorers with 17 points, as well as grabbing 13 rebounds for another double-double performance. Taylor was just one assist away from his own double-double, with 14 points and nine assists
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Nick Lewis top-scored for Sheffield with 17 points, supported by Babalola with 14 points.
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Post by Solly on Jul 11, 2020 15:44:39 GMT
And one of several pieces leading up to Wolves day at Wembley.
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Wolves’ Captain in Birthday Celebration
Last summer Alex Owumi signed a contract to return to the Worcester Wolves for a second season, stating that he was disappointed that the club did not win any trophies in his first year.
He went on to say: “The Wolves organisation is putting their trust in me and I intend to repay everyone for that faith.”
At the end of March, Owumi made good on his pledge by captaining the Wolves to their first-ever silverware since stepping up to the British Basketball League in 2006, the BBL Trophy.
At the weekend he led his side past the Sheffield Sharks into the BBL Playoff Final, to take place this Sunday at Wembley.
In the first-leg of the semi-final tie in South Yorkshire, Owumi was in rampant form, leading all scorers with 28 points, including an impressive seven three-point baskets.
Talking about Worcester’s stunning 79-59 victory, he said:
“It was one of those nights where everything I threw up went in.
“We carried a lot of fuel into the game, having lost to them a few weeks ago at their place. We went out there with the intention of punishing them, and that’s what we did.”
In the return leg at the University of Worcester Arena, Owumi again showcased his shooting ability, producing a further five three-pointers during the eventual 67-60 win, a triumph that took place on his birthday.
He spoke of his delight at progressing to another final, saying:
“It’s a great achievement for the club and for the city of Worcester, as well as a great birthday present for me.
“We’re enjoying soaking it all in right now, but then we’ll be focusing on just one more game next week.”
Owumi was thrilled to be given the honour of captaining the Wolves this season, and is hoping to be an influential figure next week at Wembley against a team loaded with BBL veterans, the Newcastle Eagles, commenting:
“At thirty-years-old I’m an older guy on the team. I will be looking to bring all my experience to help others as much as I can in how to win.”
There was another bumper crowd on hand at the University of Worcester Arena to see Sheffield brushed aside, and Owumi was keen to thank them for their support, saying:
“The Wolves’ fans have been our sixth man all year. If we’re down, the noise they make definitely raises us back up.
“What is happening now is fabulous for all the supporters, many of whom have been with the club since it was formed fourteen years ago.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 11, 2020 15:52:18 GMT
And another of the build-up pieces.
Going to Glasgow in March was so thrilling, but to go to Wembley in May as well...  
I can't have slept much that week  
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Wolves Relishing Trip to Wembley
The University of Worcester Arena played host to euphoric celebrations last week when Worcester Wolves overcame Sheffield Sharks to move into the BBL Playoff Final, to be held at Wembley this Sunday, versus the table-topping Newcastle Eagles.
It took seven years of playing in the top flight of British basketball before Wolves secured their first honour, the BBL Trophy triumph up in Glasgow a couple of months ago, and the club is now just forty minutes away from a second competition success.
Wolves’ coach Paul James and his assistant Alex Radu, while relishing the prospect of another major final in such a short space of time, are both respectful of their latest opponents.
“It’s going to be one hell of a game. You will now be seeing arguably the two best teams in the league going against each other, and that’s how it should be,” remarked James.
“The experience of our game in Glasgow will certainly help, and we’ll probably prepare for Wembley in a similar way. But if we’re talking about experience then you only need to look at just how many finals Newcastle have been to over the years,” added Radu.
While the Newcastle organisation indeed boasts the most well-stacked trophy cabinet in the BBL, having secured no fewer than eleven competition wins since 2005, last season was a rare barren year for the club.
Instead, three of the four trophies on offer were snatched by Leicester Riders. One of the men who stood firmly in the Eagles’ way was Zaire Taylor, now directing the plays for Worcester.
Taylor is confident about Sunday’s contest, saying:
“It will be intense, playing against the team that won the league. They’ve beaten us twice this season, we’ve beaten them twice.
“Step one was getting to the final, step two will be taking care of business in the final.”
The Wolves’ point-guard garnered the outstanding honour of being named the Molten BBL Player of the Year for 2013-14, the first time someone from the club has taken such a high level of individual award, but still preferred to deflect praise away from himself, commenting:
“Winning the MVP award is a blessing, but basketball is about a team of players. The award won’t mean that much to me if we don’t win on Sunday.”
Taylor also commended the support that he and his team-mates have received from fans, adding:
“They’ve been superb all year. We want busloads of fans down at Wembley. I want it to feel like we’re playing at Worcester Arena.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 12, 2020 16:41:57 GMT
I've just noticed that the total number of views of this thread has now ticked past the 10,000 mark.
I began this thread a week or so into lockdown and it has been a good diversion for me to regularly re-contribute to this board, nearly 20 years since myself and perhaps no more than half-a-dozen others first began their presence here.
Respect to my fellow WhatsBev old-timers and thank you to you all current WhatsBev posters and viewers for your continued interest in my personal posts and your continued interest in the most-wonderful sport of basketball. 
I love this game.
Anyway, it's a nice coincidence that passing the ten-thousand landmark has occurred at more or less the same time as I wind up my reflections on what was Worcester Wolves most-winning season to date.
It had been an awful long time coming and an endurance-test of some horrendously-poor years, but then again other clubs have also had to swallow lean times before succeeding.
Newcastle & Leicester have now established themselves as perennial contenders, but I remember them also taking their lumps...
So, on to the final day of 2013-14.
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Sunday 11 May 2014
BBL Playoff Final
Worcester Wolves 90-78 Newcastle Eagles
Worcester Wolves overcame one of British basketball’s traditional powerhouses on Sunday to lift the BBL Playoff title.
Wolves’ 90-78 victory over Newcastle Eagles means that, coupled with their BBL Trophy triumph in March, they have secured two of the four competitions on offer this year, and now stand proudly as the premier side in the country.
After a season already full of plenty of successes, Worcester saved one of their finest displays for their final outing.
Coach Paul James had promised that his side would be well-prepared for the occasion, and so it proved to be as a highly-disciplined performance thrilled over eight thousand people packed into Wembley Arena.
Wolves roared into an early lead, saw their advantage hauled back to just a single point as half-time approached, but once more punished the Eagles after the break, and this time brooked no second comeback from their opponents.
In March’s final the Most Valuable Player Award went to one of Worcester’s unsung players, Jamal Williams, whereas on Sunday it went to someone who is most definitely one of the game’s more-lauded players, the MVP of the entire league, Zaire Taylor.
Thirteen of his game-high 30 points came in an unstoppable four-minute spell during the third-quarter, bewitching supporters from Worcester while bewildering those from Newcastle.
Two outside baskets from Eagles’ Great Britain International Darius Defoe and American guard Drew Lasker opened the afternoon’s scoring.
After three minutes a basket from Wolves’ captain Alex Owumi levelled matters, and from that juncture his side would never trail again, embarking on a devastating 23-9 run.
A deuce of Taylor scores ignited the burst, with Wolves’ forwards Kalil Irving and Stefan Djukic coming off the bench to register their names on the scoresheet. During the same spell, a rattled Newcastle turned the ball over four times.
Jamal Williams quickly added a couple of points to the 29-15 first quarter cushion, before the Eagles’ revival began.
At six minutes remaining in the half, Defoe and centre Scott Martin had both nailed consecutive scores to drag the deficit back to single figures at 35-27.
Three minutes later a one-handed dunk from veteran Charles Smith further shrank it to 40-35. After Defoe had notched the last of his 16 first-half points, matters stood perilously close at 43-42.
A layup from Will Creekmore preceded a long miss by Williams. However, Williams was first to pounce on the rebound and kick the ball back out for Taylor to float home a triple as the buzzer sounded to signal the interval.
Two scores from Smith in the opening minute of the second half reduced the lead to 48-46, but the Newcastle side of the scoreboard would then remain stationary for a full eight minutes.
The instigator of the rot was Taylor as he bundled Eagles’ guard Paul Gause aside and laid the ball home.
A moment later Irving rose up to swat away a Gause shot attempt and on the next play Creekmore stood firmly in the path of the frustrated Newcastle man to draw an offensive charging foul.
Defoe was next to vent his irritation as he incurred a technical penalty after a skirmish with Williams.
As Newcastle imploded, Taylor exploded with three successive scores, accelerating the Wolves lead from 63-46 to 65-46 to 67-46.
Entering the final ten minutes of the season holding a healthy 72-52 advantage, a well-earned brief exhalation of Worcester breath allowed Gause to sink seven swift points to help close the sides to 75-61.
After that short relaxation it was once more back to business as Wolves determined to put the icing on the cake of their impressive subdual of the Eagles. Taylor entertained with a three-pointer, and Williams did likewise.
By the time Creekmore had been clumsily bulldozed to the floor by another exasperated Newcastle attacker and Taylor had produced a dazzling spin move to the hoop, the triumph had been totally sealed.
Creekmore leapt to his feet to throw his hands in the air in delight and Taylor was encircled by a dancing mob of his team mates. As the match concluded, waves of Worcester fans swept on to the Wembley court to join the festivities.
Paul James praised his side for their strength in fulfilling his game-plan, saying:
“I’m overjoyed for the players, fans and everyone involved with the organization.
“We executed our plays brilliantly and performed superbly on defence, disrupting Newcastle when we switched from man-to-man to zone defence, and back again.”
Referring to the massive travelling support his team enjoyed, James added:
“It has been an awesome day with five or six coachloads of fans following us to Wembley. They played their part in our success.”
After Taylor’s 30 point display there followed a trio of Worcester players who all tallied 14 points apiece, namely Owumi, Creekmore and Williams.
Defoe led the way for Newcastle with 22 points.
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Post by Solly on Jul 12, 2020 16:46:38 GMT
And the last words of the season from PJ.
--------------------- Wembley Delight for Wolves Coach
It’s only been a few days since Worcester Wolves confirmed their standing as the country’s premier side by adding the British Basketball League Playoff title to the BBL Trophy they won in March.
While obviously wanting to soak in all the pleasure of what his side has achieved, Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James is also already laying down plans to maintain the successes, saying:
“I came here with the intention of helping to give the city of Worcester a basketball team they can be proud of.
“The players have been so focused throughout the year in delivering success.
“Clearly we don’t want to change a winning team so, ideally, I would like to have all of the players return next season.
“I think we could be even stronger in one or two areas so, if it is possible to address that, then that’s what we’ll look to do.”
Sunday’s 90-78 victory over Newcastle Eagles was played out in front of over eight thousand people at Wembley Arena.
A substantial number of those spectators travelled over from Worcester, thrilled to be able to witness their team’s dismantling of the Eagles. James paid tribute to their support, saying:
“I’m so impressed by just how many people came along to Wembley to support us.
“It was fantastic to see several hundred fans travel up to Glasgow to see us, but there were all those people and many more as well who came out on Sunday.
“The noise they made had us almost thinking we were playing back in Worcester. They spurred us on; they were awesome.”
This season’s move to the University of Worcester Arena has seen a huge boost in attendances, with near-full houses for games at either end of the campaign, the season opener against Leicester and the Playoff semi-final against Sheffield.
In-between times there have only been a couple of occasions when the crowd has dipped below 1,200. James is aware that a new level of expectation has been established at the club, saying:
“We’ve obviously raised the bar this year with what we present off-court, with the Arena and the match-day experience.
“At the same time we’ve also managed to match this with what we provide on the court.
“We most certainly want to do all we can to continue the successes and put out the best team we can.”
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Post by bullets92 on Jul 12, 2020 17:12:48 GMT
Loved following all these throwback articles Solly, thank you! Although a Knights fan that final year, it certainly took me back as i remember it well (I nearly said ‘fondly’ - maybe not the best choice of word)
Cheers again
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 8:48:22 GMT
After the 2014 double-success for Wolves, everyone was ever-so optimistic about the season to come...
And the first signing was the return of Alex Owumi.
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Owumi extends his stay in Worcester
Worcester Wolves have announced that Alex Owumi, the man who captained them to their double-winning success last season, is to return to the club for a third year.
Director of Basketball Paul James is delighted to see Owumi extend his stay in Worcester, saying:
“In the couple of years that Alex has already been here, he has been central to our successes.
“In his first season we came close to winning competitions, but couldn’t quite make it over the line. That all changed last year.
“He was the first player to re-sign a contract last off-season, and he’s now the first to re-commit himself to our cause this time out.
“He set an example to everyone last year with his leadership, and I fully expect him to carry this on.
“We will be going all out to maintain our position as one of the league’s premier sides, and I am thrilled that we have the first building block in place.”
29-year-old Owumi was a leading light in several categories in 2013.
Despite playing alongside the winner and the runner-up in the voting for the BBL’s Most Valuable Player award, he still managed to accumulate impressive personal statistics.
He averaged 18 points a game, and tallied just under six rebounds and four assists per outing. He was also the club’s leading threat from downtown, making more than a third of his three-point shot attempts.
Owumi is excited to be re-joining the Wolves, and is looking forward to having the chance to secure more silverware, saying:
“It was an easy decision for me to come back to Worcester.
“The club and the city of Worcester support everything I'm doing on and off the court and I appreciate them for it.
“Next season should be exciting for us and I'm looking forward to building on the success we had last year."
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 8:52:52 GMT
And Jamal was also happy to return.
------------------------
Trophy Most Valuable Player signs on for a second term at Wolves
In a Worcester Wolves team loaded with talent last year, one of the club’s less-heralded players came to the fore when it mattered.
Jamal Williams joined Paul James’ squad with a reputation as a hard worker, but then went on to prove he could offer much more than graft alone.
When Wolves triumphed over Glasgow Rocks in March in the BBL Trophy Final, it was not one of the team’s usual suspects that grabbed the individual headlines, but, instead, it was the 27-year-old Canadian.
Williams led the way with 26 points, including a burst of ten points in as many minutes in the critical last stretch of the victory.
James is thrilled that Williams was able to showcase his capabilities to a wider audience, and is equally thrilled that he has inked a new contract to return to the Wolves, saying:
“Jamal joined us last year after spells with several BBL sides. I knew when we signed him that the BBL had not yet seen the best of him.
“He’s always been a solid player, but he had the chance to go beyond that with us. He grabbed that chance with both hands and was a fundamental part of our success.
“It’s great that he’s back on board for another year and is ready to help our quest to continue winning trophies.”
Small forward Williams averaged an overall return of six points and four rebounds last season, while being on court for just over half of the forty minutes game duration.
Giving his thoughts on his return to Worcester, he declared:
“I’m looking forward to seeing familiar faces and to another season with the Wolves.
“I’m very thankful for another opportunity to play in an amazing arena and in front of the best fans in the BBL, the Wolfpack.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 8:56:54 GMT
And in at the centre position came "The Thurminator"
Started the season on fire but sadly soon proved to be somewhat hit and miss...
-------------------------------
American Centre Lands in Worcester
Trophy-winning Worcester Wolves will have a new man-in-the-middle when their BBL campaign recommences this September.
While popular centre Will Creekmore has moved on to pastures new, he left a parting gift for Wolves’ coach Paul James with his recommendation of 6 feet 10 inches American Robert Thurman.
Thurman played his college basketball at University of California Golden Bears, where he earned a reputation as a hard-nosed competitor.
Latterly he has plied his trade with Falcon Basketball Club of Denmark, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per outing.
James is happy to accept the advice of Creekmore, saying:
“I’m delighted to have Robert on the Wolves’ roster this season, and very much look forward to working with him.
“He has a tough act to follow in Will Creekmore, but I’m confident that he will do just that.
“Will brought Robert to my attention, and he should know what it takes to be successful in the BBL after the season he had.”
25-years-old Thurman knows all about the successes the Wolves had last term in winning the BBL Trophy in March, and becoming BBL Play-off champions in May, saying:
“I am excited to play for a club that does not accept mediocrity, and a club where winning is everything.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:00:37 GMT
And one of the many Holmes we have seen in the BBL took over from ZT in the playmaker role.
--------------------------------
Star Guard Returns to the BBL
One of the British Basketball League’s star names from a couple of seasons ago is to return to the country to take over guard duties at Worcester Wolves.
28-year-old Chavis Holmes was a major force for Surrey Heat when taking them to the brink of a Playoff Final appearance in 2013, and killing off the Wolves’ hopes on the way.
Holmes’ forty points during the two-legged quarter-final defeat of the Wolves’ has lived in the memory of Director of Basketball Paul James, and he is delighted to now have his former opponent suiting up in Worcester colours, saying:
“Chavis played for Surrey Heat two seasons ago and many people will remember that at one point during that season he was tipped to be the MVP of the league.
“He is a class act and just the player we need to lead the team for this new campaign at the point guard position.”
Over the course of his time at the Heat, 6 feet 4 inch Holmes produced impressive all-round statistics, averaging 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals per outing.
He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in the USA before embarking on his professional career in Spain, moving on to spells in Mexico, Iceland and, most recently, Germany.
Holmes is thrilled to have the chance to assist Wolves in their quest to maintain their position as one of the BBL’s leading clubs, declaring:
“I’m very excited to be joining the team this year, and am looking forward to working hard and having a great year.
“There are high expectations from last year’s successes, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:03:01 GMT
And a rather-underwhelming import signing.
----------------------------
Wildcat in Worcester
Following on from announcing the signing of star guard Chavis Holmes, Worcester Wolves’ head coach Paul James continues to bolster his backcourt troops with the recruitment of fellow American Sean Park.
24-year-old Park comes to Worcester fresh out of California’s Chico State University, where he helped the Wildcats reach the ‘Elite Eight’ of the NCAA Division ɪɪ tournament, the best achievement in the school’s history.
The 6 feet 4 inch guard is delighted to be moving between two organisations that have both tasted recent success, saying:
“I’m very excited to be joining the Wolves. As a rookie, it was important for me that I become a part of a winning situation.”
Last season’s considerable feat of having won both the BBL Trophy and the BBL Playoff Final means the Wolves will have a target on their backs for other teams to aim at.
Paul James is glad to have extra ammunition to fire back at the competition, saying:
“Sean is a player that will fit in well to our system and contribute to our team ethos.
“He knows how to put the ball in the hole and will be an asset and extend the depth of our team.”
In his final season as a Wildcat, Park averaged thirteen points per outing as well as pulling down five rebounds and serving up a couple of assists.
He is eager to serve his new employer, declaring simply:
“I look forward to doing whatever I can to help bring a championship to Worcester.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:05:43 GMT
And a couple of fillers.
-----------------------
Student Athletes returning to Worcester
A couple of Worcester Wolves’ rising stars are to prolong their blossoming basketball education at the club and, at the same time, will continue to hit the books in their studies at the University of Worcester.
Off the court, forward Kalil Irving is about to embark on the third year of a marketing degree and is delighted to have the opportunity to enjoy a third season of on-court action with the Wolves.
Similarly, shooting guard Disraeli Lufadeju is another student athlete who is being given the chance to impress Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James.
While Lufadeju’s debut year was hampered by a lengthy early-season injury, Irving was able to consolidate himself as a valuable member of James’ team rotation.
James praised their contributions, saying:
“Kalil and Dizzy are two of the brightest young English talents in the league at the moment.
“Kalil had a breakout season, earning himself a regular starting spot and, whilst Dizzy was hurt for most of the season, towards the end he showed the potential that got him here, and I’m now looking for him to step up his game this season.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:08:21 GMT
I'm afraid this one didn't end well...
--------------------------------
Euro forward joins Wolves
The new signings continue at Worcester Wolves with the exciting addition of 6 feet 7 inches forward Remi Dibo.
Dibo joins the Wolves from West Virginia University where he averaged seven points and three rebounds per outing, including making more than a third of his shot attempts from outside the three-point line.
Coach Paul James sees a lot of promise in what his latest recruit can bring to his side, saying:
“I’m very excited about the prospect of having Remi on the Wolves roster this coming season. He’s going to be a very exciting player to watch in the BBL.
“He has many tools and is a tremendous athlete. I’m sure he is going to put them to good use for the Wolves.”
23-year-old Dibo represented the French National team at junior levels before continuing his education in the United States. He is now ready to play his part in maintaining Worcester’s position as one of the BBL’s premier outfits, declaring:
“I’m looking forward to this season, and hope to contribute to the success the Worcester Wolves are familiar with.
“I believe that a great season is coming ahead of us, and I'm going to work extremely hard to help make it happen."
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:12:04 GMT
And someone who delivered much more at a previous club...
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Lithuanian Big Man comes to Worcester
Worcester Wolves have re-ignited their longstanding Lithuanian connection with the capture of Donatas Visockis from their BBL rivals the Cheshire Phoenix.
Last year was a rare one for the city without any Lithuanians on the roster, following on from several seasons where the likes of Arnas Kazlauskas or Arturas Masiulis prowled the court.
6 foot 10 inches Visockis was a dominant force close to the basket at the Phoenix, grabbing 12 boards per contest to put him amongst the BBL’s top five rebounders.
Director of Basketball Paul James is pleased to see the 28 year old centre making his way over to Worcester, saying:
“I’m delighted that Donatas has joined the Wolves.
“He impressed me when we played Cheshire last year and posted good numbers over the course of the season.
“He’ll do well for us.”
“We have had a strong tradition of Lithuanian players at the club, but last year was the first time for quite a while where there were none in the squad.
“There is a lively Lithuanian community in and around Worcester, as has been shown whenever their National team has played here.
I’m looking forward to seeing them come along to the University Arena to support Donatas”, added James.
As well as his rebounding strength, Donatas is also a capable scorer, averaging 11 points a game for the Phoenix.
He is excited to be making the switch to the Wolves, saying:
“I enjoyed my stay in Chester and felt I settled well into the BBL. The one thing that was missing for me was winning any competitions.
“Worcester won two competitions last year, including Wembley. They were the best team last season, so anybody would be proud to join them.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 14, 2020 9:15:37 GMT
And the return of Raftopolous.
---------------------------
Summer signings continue at Wolves
Worcester Wolves’ coach Paul James has been very busy over the summer in his recruitment of new overseas faces to maintain the club’s status as one of the country’s elite outfits.
At the same time James continues to give opportunities to young domestic talent.
21 year-old Caylin Raftopoulos now joins fellow University of Worcester students Kalil Irving and Disraeli Lufadeju in being given a chance to shine.
Irving has established himself as a major part of James’ rotation, and Lufadeju, once overcoming an injury setback, also began to make his presence felt towards the close of the season.
However, court time has been a little harder to come by for Raftopoulos, as he averaged little more than five minutes per outing last year.
Nevertheless James still sees a place in his squad for the second-year guard, saying:
“Caylin undoubtedly has a lot of potential and, having played last season within the Wolves programme, he knows what he has to do to impact on the team this season.
“If he applies himself I expect him to contribute to the team’s success this coming season."
Wolves will open their new campaign on 26 September by making the long trip up to the North East to face Newcastle Eagles, the team they defeated at Wembley in May to capture the BBL Playoff title.
The following Friday, 3 October, will be when the new-look Wolves parade out for the first time in front of their own fans, at the University of Worcester Arena when hosting Cheshire Phoenix.
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Post by Solly on Jul 15, 2020 18:10:56 GMT
And details back from Wolves 14-15 season-opener at Newcastle, ahead of the home-opener vs Chester.
When I mention dancing, that was literally what Mrs S and I were doing, in celebration of a rare W in the North East.
With a minute or so left, during a desperation Eagles timeout, I sashayed down the steps to high-five  Jamal Williams in congratulation of his pre-timeout play.
My actions earnt me a rebuke  from PJ. He said a post-match high-five would have been perfectly acceptable  but any in-match interaction was not 
---------------------
Last May we saw off Newcastle Eagles at Wembley to become BBL Playoff Champions. All of you who were present that day will recollect just how good it all felt.
Last Friday, who do we face in our season opener but those same Eagles, this time at their house.
Sure, Wembley was special, but what a cracker it was last week at the Toon. Good feelings all over again. Brilliant.
The game was a real back-and-forther. No more than three points in it after each quarter and then there was the final decisive minute.
Up 82-78 and I’m thinking perhaps we’re sorted. But then Andy Thomson hits a triple and three thousand Geordies are dancing.
31 seconds to go and Chavis sbasketball kits around until Robert gets free under the hoop. A perfect lob follows, which is jammed down with authority.
Who d’ya think is dancing now folks!
On to the individual breakdown:
Chavis Holmes – 11pts, 5-5 FT. Assured.
Alex Owumi – 10pts. Ditto.
Remi Dibo – 12pts, 4 x 3ptrs. Outside threat.
Jamal Williams – 13pts. Confident.
Robert Thurman – 27pts, 13 rebounds, 9-10 FT. Left his calling card. You’ve just been Thurminated!
Kalil Irving – 8pts. Swagger.
Donatas Visockis – 2pts. Quiet.
Sean Park – 3pts. Ditto.
Disraeli Lufadeju/Caylin Raftopoulos – Limited minutes.
On to Cheshire today – a tasty roster has been assembled. One of the pre-season favourites. But we downed another of those last Friday. More of the same please.
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Post by Solly on Jul 16, 2020 12:28:40 GMT
And here was my (jubilant, but I think balanced  ) official report of proceedings.
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Friday 26 September 2014
Newcastle Eagles 81-86 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves opened their 2014 British Basketball League campaign in stunning fashion by upsetting the highly-touted Newcastle Eagles on their own court on Friday.
Last May the Wolves overcame Newcastle at Wembley to lift the BBL Playoff title after a ding-dong battle; Friday’s encounter was just as ferocious, and once more it was the men from Worcester who emerged as the victors.
There was little to separate the teams throughout the match.
As the last minute of the evening approached, a thunderous dunk from Robert Thurman put Wolves ahead at 82-78.
However, Eagles’ Andy Thomson replied with a triple to once more put the outcome in the balance.
As a three thousand-strong home crowd roared their approval, Wolves’ coach Paul James calmly instructed his troops to run a final set-play.
Point guard Chavis Holmes walked the ball around the court until Thurman was able to position himself directly under the basket. Once the ball was floated into his hands, Thurman greedily slammed it home.
A couple of free throws put the seal on the 86-81 triumph.
It was Thurman who also began the night’s scoring, followed by another new recruit, Remi Dibo
.
While Newcastle similarly featured a number of debutants, it was one of their stalwarts, veteran forward Charles Smith, who made the biggest early impression.
Seven consecutive points from Smith helped his side into a 24-22 lead.
But, with just six seconds of the initial quarter left, young Wolves’ forward Disraeli Lufadeju intercepted a wayward Eagles’ ball and bulleted it to his fellow University of Worcester student Kalil Irving who nailed a three-pointer.
Holmes put his mark on the match in the second period, accumulating seven points before he was spelled by backup Caylin Raftopoulos.
Time and again it was Holmes, or fellow guard Alex Owumi, who found Thurman perfectly positioned to take advantage of their assists and make his way to 14 first-half points.
A 48-49 interval deficit was reversed when Jamal Williams made the first of a trio of successive baskets.
Back and forth went the advantage, until the dying seconds of the third quarter when Irving was once more the standout.
After a miss by Newcastle’s Drew Lasker, Irving galloped towards his opponents’ basket to throw down a score and also secure a bonus free throw after a clumsy Thomson foul.
With the game still poised at just 65-62 in the visitors’ favour, neither team gave significant ground.
Smith and Thomson lit up the arena with a duo of long-range scores, but Dibo just as quickly silenced matters by doing likewise.
So the contest moved towards the final moments of drama, and Worcester’s eventual 86-81 success.
Paul James was delighted to see his charges take the win, saying:
“It’s always hard to come to Newcastle, with a big crowd behind them, but this is the kind of game we needed, to establish where we are in the scheme of things.
“Right now our players will know that if we come out and execute our plays, and run hard defence, we will be a tough team to beat.”
Referring to the decisive final minute of the match, James explained:
“The end, where we ran the clock down for a big dunk from Robert Thurman, was an absolutely fantastic play.
“It’s something that we’ve worked on in practice especially for end-of-game situations, and it worked perfectly in killing the game off.”
Thurman sparkled on his BBL debut, leading all scorers with 27 points, as well as pulling down 13 rebounds.
In a night of balanced Worcester scoring, forwards Williams and Dibo tallied 13 and 12 points respectively, with guards Holmes and Owumi notching 11 and 10 points.
Lasker top-scored for Newcastle with 16 points.
Wolves will now look forward to beginning the entertainment for their fans at the University of Worcester Arena with the visit of Cheshire Phoenix this Friday 03 October (tip off 7.30pm).
James was keen to add a few words about next week’s home-opener, saying:
“We want to defend our own court. We’re looking for a big turnout to support us, and I know the players will feed off that.
“We’ll be looking for another spectacular performance like tonight’s, so that we can go 2-0.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 17, 2020 11:03:41 GMT
And the report of the home-opener vs Chester.
1. In the report I described Chester as one of the pre-season favourites, based on all the hype around Coach Coffino's signings.
2. Whatever happened to Brad Karp? -------------
Friday 03 October 2014
Worcester Wolves 83-67 Cheshire Phoenix
Worcester Wolves confirmed that they will be one of the teams to beat this year by comfortably seeing off one of the British Basketball League’s pre-season favourites, Cheshire Phoenix, 83-67, on Friday.
Last week the Wolves began their new campaign by overcoming reigning champions Newcastle on their own court; this week they gave their fans at a packed University of Worcester Arena a first chance to see what all the fuss has been about.
While Cheshire coach John Coffino has scoured his contacts to bring in a raft of new American signings, it was only the efforts of British pairing Gareth Murray and David Aliu who kept their side in the match.
For Wolves, there were contributions across the team, with centre Robert Thurman especially catching the eye as he powered to a second consecutive double-double of points and rebounds.
Pouring in 22 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, Thurman was once more the player in the right place at the right time, as his teammates continually found him open.
Liverpool-born Aliu began the night’s scoring with a neat turnaround jumper, and a few moments later Scotsman Murray drilled the first of his five three-point successes during the evening.
Worcester showed that they are also well-stacked with outside threats when forward Jamal Williams and captain Alex Owumi nailed a trio of long-range scores, establishing a 23-13 first quarter lead.
The advantage had widened to 33-19 before a Phoenix fightback ensued.
Guard Brad Karp hit a quick-fire eight points as the visitors tallied 13 points without reply, nudging to 33-32 by midway through the second period.
Thurman rose high to block another Karp effort, finally signaling a halt to Cheshire’s burst of scoring.
Spectators jumped to their feet in excitement as Thurman positioned himself perfectly to jam home a well-timed lob from Williams.
By the time Thurman had once more dunked the ball through the hoop as the first half expired, a handy 45-38 cushion had been re-established.
The third quarter was notable for the emergence of another of Wolves’ coach Paul James’ big man summer signings.
6’10 Donatas Visockis prowled around Cheshire’s basket, making sure he was the first to respond to any errant shots, tipping in three consecutive misses.
Comfortably ahead at 66-52 entering the final period, Worcester gave no opportunity for a Phoenix comeback.
Frenchman Remi Dibo added five points to become his side’s second leading scorer, with Owumi and fellow guard Chavis Holmes also adding buckets to finish on 12 and 11 points respectively.
Paul James was rightly pleased with the victory, saying:
“It was another great all-round performance. They came back at us in the second quarter, but we got back to hard defence and took control again.
“It was fabulous to see so many fans in the stands again and I was pleased that we could reward them with a victory.”
With his side quickly back into action at Manchester Giants on Sunday, James added:
“They beat Sheffield last weekend, so are likely to be fired up for our visit. We’ll be ready, and I’m confident that we can do what we have to do.”
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) official report of proceedings.