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Post by drivethebody on Feb 9, 2021 14:29:16 GMT
25 years ago today -the Docklands got bombed by the IRA.
I remember it so well- we got tickets from school and our year 4 (or 5) class all went (The excitement in crossing over the water to East London )
Terrifying really
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Post by Solly on Feb 11, 2021 11:04:37 GMT
And here was my programme article reflecting on the matches at Newcastle and Sheffield, ahead of the quick return match hosting Eagles.
Bachynski & Ojo - both sometimes hot (ish) and both sometimes decidedly tepid
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A step forward, but then a step back…
I had hoped to report back on a double of wins from Sheffield and Newcastle but, disappointingly, our only consistency seems to be our inconsistency…
After our narrow home loss to Sharks it was excellent to overturn them 91-80 a few days later.
How many of you recollect the bald-headed bulk that was Arturas Masiulis? How often was he our early go-to-guy – feed him down low and he inevitably got three or four baskets before defences worked out how to stop him/he got tired. Well Alex Navajas seems to be our new Arturas, in the thick of it early doors.
Points, assists and steals before taking a breather. And Ojo also goes off on one with an incredible four first-quarter threes.
By HT we had established control and clever clock-management saw us through to victory.
Unfortunately the focus failed to carry over to Newcastle. Alex had another great start hitting eleven early points, but with scant support from elsewhere.
New boy George M. was one to get going in Q2, though we still trailed 36-45 by the break. But then George B. takes the spotlight, whacking in a sizzling sixteen third-quarter points and we draw level.
The win was awaiting but we somehow allowed our hosts to twice snatch offensive rebounds in the final half-minute and sink to an 83-86 reversal.
Optimistically, our latest LWLWL record tips a W today to complete the pattern...
The 2-game breakdown –
George Beamon – 41pts. Swashbuckling
Alex Navajas – 37pts, 18 rebounds. Fast-trapper.
Trayvon Palmer – 21pts, 20 rebounds. Machine.
George Marshall – 31pts. Promise.
Michael Ojo – 27pts. Quiet vs Eagles.
Dallin Bachynski – 14pts. Ditto.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2021 12:28:53 GMT
You've slowed down Solly. I'm very disappointed in you. It's like you've been locked away forever and you're losing the will to live. Back in the days people were allowed in venues we had Bob Donewald as our coach. He was entertaining, today's marks the 21st anniversary of a quite epic meltdown.
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Post by Solly on Feb 14, 2021 6:47:47 GMT
And it was quite a Friday the Thirteenth Fright Night for Newcastle.
Am still high from watching Wolves' stunning pre-Valentine's Day comeback at Surrey - Mrs S is even joshing me that she would prefer wine & roses from the fourth-quarter fitzcarraldo Brandon Anderson to a mug of piping hot tea and a dish of syrup sponge & custard from me
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Friday 13 April 2018
Worcester Wolves 87-65 Newcastle Eagles Worcester Wolves delighted a packed University of Worcester Arena on Friday by trouncing Newcastle Eagles, the British Basketball League’s second-placed side.
After racing into a 29-14 first-quarter lead, Wolves never looked back in rampaging to a ruthless 87-65 victory.
The hosts quickly stated their intent when Dallin Bachynski connected from the opening tip-off. By the third minute Wolves led 9-2 and had rattled their former player Jamal Williams into a carless turnover and a seat on the bench.
His replacement, England International Darius Defoe, was soon back off-court when called for a double of fouls as he struggled to stay with the blistering pace around him.
A series of confident George Beamon drives were accompanied by accurate outside shooting from Trayvon Palmer and back-to-the-basket moves from Bachynski.
New point guard George Marshall secured his first home points wearing a Wolves vest as his side rolled to a comfortable 48-33 interval advantage.
Beamon was the man who effectively killed off any chance of an Eagles comeback when drawing Defoe’s game-ending fifth foul in a crowd-pleasing four-point play early in the second half.
Alex Navajas also wowed a packed arena when cheekily passing the ball behind his back for Beamon to convert and an overwhelming 63-35 lead.
Stifling defence blocked Newcastle’s inside chances and when they turned to the outside option they were hurried into hurling up embarrassing air-balls.
Coach Paul James praised his players’ efficiency, saying: “We were disciplined tonight. We got off to an excellent start and never relented.”
Beamon topped the scoring charts with 28 points and was supported by three double-double performers. Bachynski tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds, Palmer posted 21 and 14 and Navajas also impressed with an 11-11 return.
“We talked with each player individually this week about what is expected of them,” added James. “Everyone responded in great style.”
Wolves travel to London Lions this Sunday (4pm) where James is hoping for a quick follow-up win, saying: “We’ve just beaten a tough Newcastle team, but the weekend is only half-done. London have won six or seven in a row so they’re on a roll but if we carry over what we’ve done today then we can get another win.”
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Post by Solly on Feb 17, 2021 16:16:24 GMT
And Wolves quickly downed another of the title-challengers, London, featuring a barrelling Flo Larkai
But, of course, neither of these regular-season success would mean much without similar success in the post-season that would shortly follow...
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Sunday 15 April 2018
London Lions 77-86 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves have sent out a message as they move towards the post-season playoffs by following up Friday’s victory over high-flying Newcastle Eagles with an outstanding 86-77 success at London Lions on Sunday.
Their double-win weekend puts Wolves firmly in the mix for a top-four finish in the British Basketball League with a fortnight’s fixtures to play, leaving Coach Paul James excited about his team’s current form, saying:
“We’ve had a fantastic weekend, taking down two of the league’s top contenders.
“First we took care of Newcastle and now we’ve got past a London team that had just won eight in a row.
“The players have banded together and are working really hard for each other. I’m very proud of them.”
Wolves recovered from an early deficit to draw level by half-time. The second half was a back-and-forth encounter until the visitors capitalised on London foul trouble to draw clear. Former Worcester forward Paul Guede rattled in a swift eight points to open the afternoon. Trayvon Palmer replied with a similarly-impressive eleven points but was then forced to the bench after collecting his third foul.
Lions led 27-16 with a couple of minutes left in the first quarter before the Wolves comeback commenced.
Michael Ojo sank triples either side of the quarter interval and George Beamon scored on a fast break following a Dallin Bachynski block.
When Bachynski confidently stepped back for a three-pointer it moved Worcester in front for the first time at 36-34 approaching the half.
Alex Navajas featured heavily in the early moments of the third quarter. As he drove to the hoop he served up an easy basket for Palmer.
As the shot-clock wound down on his side’s next possession he nailed a three. Another long-distance score finalised an 8-0 tear and a 47-39 advantage.
However, Lions displayed the resilience that had set them on their hot streak of wins to tie matters up at 60-60 as the final period opened.
The teams then took turns to lead. At four minutes remaining the contest was again even at 72-72 before London began to see players disqualified from the action. Jonathon Thompson went first, quickly followed by the dangerous Cory Dixon.
Bustling big man Flo Larkai clumsily barrelled into Palmer to curtail his involvement and allow Wolves to see out the win with repeated trips to the free-throw line.
Palmer and Bachynski led the way for Worcester with 24 points apiece. Beamon tallied 13 points, closely followed by 12 points each for Navajas and Ojo.
James paid tribute to his side’s team ethic, saying:
“Getting five players in double-figure scoring shows that we are getting people into the right places. Everyone understands the value of the extra pass.
“Allied to that, I’m really pleased with our intensity in defence. London have been hitting big scores lately, yet we held them down to just 77 points. That speaks volumes for our focus and concentration.”
Wolves face another double of matches next weekend, both games taking place on the road. On Friday, (7.30pm), they travel to Sheffield Sharks before making the trip down the M5 to Bristol Flyers, (7.30pm), the following day. Forward Robert Gilchrist will fly back from representing England at the Commonwealth Games in Australia to bolster Wolves’ squad.
“Getting Robert back will be a boost for us and help with our numbers,” added James.
“We’re all really excited at the moment at how we’ve played and we’re raring to go again. We’re looking forward to another massive weekend.”
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Post by Solly on Feb 20, 2021 15:39:25 GMT
And Sheffield were duly dismissed.
But, as I said before, would Wolves continue to be so effective at the business-end of the 17-18 season
Mrs S. is currently preparing a bumper Shepherds Pie - I have instructed the inclusion of sweetcorn in her doings
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Friday 20 April 2018
Sheffield Sharks 79-97 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves confirmed their place in the post-season playoffs by sweeping aside Sheffield Sharks 97-79 in South Yorkshire on Friday.
Wolves led at the end of every quarter and parried away every Sheffield attempt at a comeback. Their third win in a row boosts them into fifth place in the British Basketball League and has them hitting form at just the right time of the year.
Coach Paul James beamed as he summarised his team’s latest success, saying:
“We wanted to keep the momentum going from beating Newcastle and London last weekend. We took tonight a quarter at a time, followed the game plan and got another fantastic win.
“The guys are playing with tremendous spirit and togetherness. Everyone has each other’s back and that’s why we’re getting the results.”
Alex Navajas pounced on a loose carry to set up a George Beamon triple and Worcester’s first lead at 14-13 at four minutes into the evening. A score of his own for Navajas had his side 22-17 ahead entering the second quarter.
A trio of baskets from latest signing George Marshall soon doubled the advantage to 34-24. Trayvon Palmer brushed off flailing Sharks defenders as he sprinted to a coast-to-coast success and Michael Ojo debuted on the scoresheet, aiding a 49-41 half-time lead.
Wolves’ confidence continued to ooze after the interval. Navajas froze the Sheffield defence, giving an easy conversion for Beamon. Beamon then stole the ball at half-court and threw down a demoralising tomahawk jam.
As the third-period clock ticked down Marshall cleverly found Navajas in the left corner allowing the Worcester captain to float home an unchallenged three-pointer at the buzzer, finalising a 74-59 cushion.
The final quarter saw more of the same as across-the-board scoring set the seal on an overwhelming victory.
Beamon led the way with 22 points, supported by 19 apiece for Navajas and Palmer. Ojo and Marshall rounded out five double-digit scorers with 15 and 14 points respectively.
Worcester now face a quick turnaround, travelling to Bristol Flyers this Saturday, (tip off 7.30). “We’ll be ready to go again,” added James. “We want to carry on our rich vein of form.”
Robert Gilchrist was back in a Wolves vest after recently returning from representing England at the Commonwealth Games, but saw no action. “Rob is still recovering. We managed without him today but we’ll see if we can get him on the floor at Bristol,” explained James.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 12:40:11 GMT
Unlike Mr Solly, I pre-post my retro articles so no matter how bad a hangover is or whether i actually get to go to basketball, there will always be details of what happened today during Leopards' history. It's not finished, but I'm getting there. Today was a big day for the club
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Post by Solly on Feb 24, 2021 17:06:30 GMT
And, approaching the play-offs, there was a blip for Wolves in Bristol.
BTW, I am at the moment mostly reading a Jordan book - When Nothing Else Matters - reminds me somewhat of Sam Smith's Jordan Rules in that it is pleasingly un-sycophantic .
I have just finished Nick Nurse's book Rapture's - this was a decent read, albeit somewhat lightweight. I was most interested in his BBL stories but he never really dished the dirt - his story about a liaison between Dennis Rodman and one of Sven Eriksson's former squeezes was about as revealing as he got.
Anyway, I am glad that rather than wedging out £20 odd and feeling a tad ripped off, I was instead able to chivvy Wolverhampton Library to spend a very small portion of my considerable council tax payments in purchasing the tome - if anyone else lives in the vicinity, thanks to my altruism, they can now obtain a freemans and only very lightly-soiled copy for their own viewing pleasure.
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Saturday 21 April 2018
Bristol Flyers 80-78 Worcester Wolves After the high of winning at Sheffield Sharks on Friday, Worcester Wolves came out on the wrong end of a scrappy encounter at Bristol Flyers on Saturday.
Wolves stood back and watched their hosts build a huge 19-point first-quarter lead before battling hard to overhaul the deficit and set up a comeback victory. However, late lapses allowed Bristol to snatch a slender 80-78 success.
Flyers’ Daniel Edozie returned from Commonwealth Games duty with a tiger in his tank, rattling home ten points in an 18-5 tear after only five minutes had elapsed.
Edozie’s England team-mate Robert Gilchrist also made his first appearance after his Australian adventures to sink a turnaround jumper, but this would be just a small dent in Bristol’s commanding 29-14 opening quarter.
Worcester found their feet in the next period, limiting Bristol to a single field goal in the first four minutes and beginning to click offensively.
Dallin Bachynski blocked an attack to set up a Trayvon Palmer three-point play and George Beamon danced to repeated scores. Wolves’ rotations were disrupted as half-time approached when Michael Ojo was called for his third foul and further muddied matters by attracting a technical foul when disputing the referee’s decision.
Flyers’ advantage had been hauled back to 45-42 as the second half began, with the pendulum swinging firmly in Wolves’ favour.
Beamon continued his forays to the hoop and Bachynski now pabasketball kited the space close to both baskets, pushing their side 65-60 in front entering the final quarter.
A Palmer triple had a large band of travelling supporters celebrating a 75-67 lead with five minutes to go, before Flyers revived.
Bachynski left the court on his fifth foul, shots went astray and Bristol had swept 79-75 ahead by the final minute.
Beamon provided hope with another three-pointer, but Alex Navajas’ desperation hurl as time expired missed the target to leave the visitors deflated.
Beamon dominated the statistics with 32 points and 10 rebounds while Bachynski fought to a 19 point and 12 rebound return. Palmer with 13 points was Wolves’ only other significant scorer.
Coach Paul James stated his disappointment, saying: “We dug a hole early on, fought back well to get ahead, but lapses of concentration at the end cost us a win.”
Just two regular-season fixtures remain for Wolves. This Friday (7.30pm) they welcome Cheshire Phoenix to the University of Worcester Arena, before travelling to Glasgow Rocks on Sunday 29 April.
“We’ll review the tape of the match next week and get ready for the final weekend,” added James. “We want to finish things off in the right way and then prepare for the playoffs. We want to give our fans something to celebrate.”
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Post by Solly on Feb 28, 2021 20:37:42 GMT
And, ahead of the hosting of Chester, here was my programme article reflection on the Sheffield W and the Bristol loss (including diplomacy about some of the player-performances).
BTW, this evening of Sunday 28 February, I feel strangely light-headed and giddy in my thoughts
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Here we go then, the last weekend of our regular-season – it’s all been something of an up-and-downer…
After our thumping of Newcastle a fortnight ago we finally broke the win one, lose one pattern by also triumphing at London Lions. That put me in cautiously-optimistic mood for last weekend’s trips to Sheffield and Bristol.
First was our incredible seventh-season-matchup vs Sharks. We led by five minutes gone and never looked back, rolling to an uplifting 97-79 success.
It was all so uplifting to have garnered a hat-trick of Ws that I got a bit light-headed for the next day’s M5 trip to Bristol. I was so giddy that I consumed a quite hideous lukewarm pair of supermarket hash browns as the game began.
The greasefat was as turgid as our start as we staggered into a whopping 19pt deficit before Q1 had expired.
But it got much better after that, (the game, not the hash browns), as we hauled back the arrears to just 42-45 at HT prompted by Bachynski blocks, Palmer parries and Beamon bounces.
At five minutes left we led 75-67. That should have been enough, but we then let Bristol rattle off eight unanswered and we eventually slipped to a disappointing 78-80 reversal. Oh dear.
The 2-game breakdown –
George Beamon – 54pts. The Man.
Trayvon Palmer – 32pts. The Man next to the Man.
Alex Navajas – 27pts, 16 rebounds. Reliable.
Dallin Bachynski – 27pts, 17 rebounds. Presence.
Michael Ojo – 15pts. Quiet in Bristol.
George Marshall – 14pts. Ditto.
Robert Gilchrist – 2pts. Back.
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Post by Solly on Mar 7, 2021 15:17:58 GMT
And, with the playoffs looming, Wolves thumped Chester.
It seems that Bachynski had decided to put one of his (intermittent) game faces on, in order to best Gettys.
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Friday 27 April 2018
Worcester Wolves 110-78 Cheshire Phoenix Worcester Wolves warmed up for next week’s British Basketball League playoffs by blasting past Cheshire Phoenix 110-78 at a jam-packed University of Worcester Arena on Friday.
Wolves moved in front by midway through the first quarter before pressing their foot on the gas to race to an overwhelming 60-39 half-time lead and subsequently ease to victory.
It was a battle of the big men in the early going as seven-footers Dallin Bachynski and CJ Gettys put their game faces on. Gettys leapt highest to grab the opening tip-off and the first score. George Beamon found Bachynski unmarked under the basket to open his account.
Worcester edged 13-11 ahead when Bachynski lost his defender. Both centres threw down dunks and Gettys produced an alley-oop as the initial period ended.
Other players emerged in the second quarter. Scores from Michael Ojo and Robert Gilchrist aided a 30-19 advantage that had Phoenix calling for a time-out.
The interruption did nothing to halt Wolves’ momentum. Ojo floated home a double of three-pointers in under a minute. Gilchrist slotted home a triple as the shot-clock expired and Dominic Ives also connected from afar with his first touch of the ball.
The opening eight points of the second half all belonged to Beamon as he mercilessly brushed aside flailing defenders to push matters to 68-39 and put the match out of sight.
The final stages saw Beamon and Bachynski continue to dominate, allowing Coach Paul James the opportunity to give useful court-time to University students George Emms and Demi Ogunbona.
Bachynski rampaged to a 30 point and 12 rebound performance with Beamon also in the double-double sphere on 24 points and 10 assists. Gilchrist tallied 17 points, closely followed by Ojo with 16. “That was a really pleasing win,” said James. “We did what we had to do, building momentum for the playoffs with a complete team performance.”
Wolves’ last regular-season outing will be a trip to Glasgow Rocks on Sunday (5pm). Afterwards the playoff first-round matchups will be confirmed, with the winners decided on aggregate score over home and away meetings.
James wants to round out the season in good style, saying: “We’ve finished our home fixtures on the right note and want to finish off in a similar way on Sunday in Glasgow.
“After that we are all looking forward to whoever we face in the playoffs. The players did a great job in entertaining another packed crowd today. We want to do the same again next week.
“The fans give us fantastic support at both ends of the floor - there is no other atmosphere in the league like we’ve built here in Worcester.”
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Post by Solly on Mar 10, 2021 12:06:29 GMT
And Wolves' last regular-season outing of 2018 was not the sort of result you need to log when you are entering the playoffs
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Sunday 29 April 2018
Glasgow Rocks 90-75 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves have confirmed their playoff opponents after rounding out their regular-season fixtures with a scrappy 90-75 defeat at Glasgow Rocks on Sunday.
A final 19-14 win-loss record fixes Wolves into seventh place in the British Basketball League and sets up a two-legged encounter this weekend against second-placed London Lions.
Though behind by double-digits for large parts of their game in Scotland, Worcester battled back to trail by just 71-77 with five minutes to play before eventually succumbing.
Despite the defeat coach Paul James applauded the application of his team, saying: “Rocks played very well today whereas that was probably our shakiest display in our last six or seven games.
“Nevertheless, I can’t fault the efforts of the players. There were too many turnovers, and we weren’t as intense as we’ve been lately on defence, but we fought hard to give ourselves a chance to grab a win.”
Wolves were hampered by the second-half withdrawals to injury of Alex Navajas and Dallin Bachynski, but James is hopeful both players will be ready to play their part in the playoffs, saying:
“Alex took a hit to the little finger on his left hand and Dallin has a bruised thumb which limited his game, but we’ll look to get things sorted this week.”
Trayvon Palmer and George Beamon combined for a dozen early points and Robert Gilchrist produced a baseline drive and slam to nudge Wolves 18-17 ahead with a minute left in the opening quarter.
But a prolonged spell of careless ball-handling was pounced upon by Rocks in a 14-3 tear over the next four minutes that left the visitors reeling.
By half-time the deficit stood at 32-44. Gilchrist toiled close to the basket and George Marshall came to life with a pair of three-pointers, but the arrears stayed steady at 58-69 entering the final period.
A Michael Ojo scoop put the Wolves man onto the scoresheet for the first time and got his side within a half-dozen points of their hosts, before turnovers and wayward shooting re-emerged to confirm the loss.
Beamon with 22 points and 13 rebounds and Gilchrist on 21 points and 11 rebounds dominated the Worcester statistics.
Playoff dates will be confirmed shortly though it is likely that the first leg against Lions will take place this Friday 04 May (7.30pm) at the University of Worcester Arena, with the return leg at London’s Copper Box Arena the following Sunday (4pm).
James added: “We lost to Lions in our very first fixture of the season but after that we beat them twice at their place. We match up well against them. This is the most exciting tie of the playoffs.
“We’re hoping for yet another big Worcester crowd to get behind us in the home leg. The players definitely feed off the support. Our fans have been special all year and can now help us get an edge ahead of the second leg.”
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Post by Solly on Mar 15, 2021 14:56:34 GMT
And it was now time for Wolves to participate in the play-offs.
Flaky London Lions were first up - here was my pre-game programme article.
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What time is it – playoff time! London should hold no fears for us.
Yes, Lions feasted on us here in our season-opener, but we then overturned them twice on their own court. Having said that, I had thought that our double-besting of Cheshire prior to the Cup Final would stand us in good stead…
Time to cast aside our unpredictability and hunker down.
In a spirit of optimism for today, here’s a look back on everyone’s highs of the year –
George Beamon – “strap me up and I’m ready to go” was his cry as he defied injury to turn in a 34pt belter vs Plymouth back in February. Gets it done every game.
Trayvon Palmer – another consistent performer. 24pts, 10 boards and 5 assists in our February W in London.
Robert Gilchrist – hit his straps in an early Wolves display vs Bristol with 19pts, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks.
Michael Ojo – also put up numbers in the Bristol win with 19pts and 5 assists.
Dallin Bachynski – 30pts on 14-16 shooting, as well as a dozen rebounds last week vs Phoenix. Bully ball.
Alex Navajas – reliable blue-collar grafter. 18pts and 10 boards in a Bonfire Night victory in Glasgow was just one example from El Capitan.
George Marshall – 16pts and 14pts in two recent triumphs in Sheffield.
George Emms – floated home 3 x 3ptrs in the shorthanded win vs Plymouth.
Dominic Ives – 5pts, 4 rebs and 4 assists was another nice return against Raiders.
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Post by Solly on Mar 19, 2021 14:49:26 GMT
And here's what transpired in Wolves' 2018 first-round first-leg playoff vs Lions.
Turns out I was right about one of the teams being 'flaky'
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Friday 04 May 2018
Worcester Wolves 84-85 London Lions Worcester Wolves produced a thrilling late comeback on Friday to give themselves a great chance of progressing to the semi-finals of the British Basketball League Playoffs.
Wolves trailed by a dozen points entering the final quarter of their first-leg encounter with second-seeded London Lions at the University of Worcester Arena and looked to be heading for the exit door before a storming fightback narrowed the gap to just 84-85 heading into Sunday’s return leg in London.
Coach Paul James praised the spirit of his players, saying: “London were very aggressive and got after us from the outset. We were down but we have been resilient all year and showed it again today.
“We weathered the storm and clawed back the deficit. We did a great job to restrict them to only nine points in the final quarter while we kept scoring. Game on for Sunday.”
Worcester slept-walked to just a solitary score from the field in the opening six minutes, allowing their visitors to build a comfortable 18-5 advantage.
London’s command maximised at 32-15 early in the second quarter before the host’s offense finally got into gear. Guards George Marshall and Michael Ojo opened their scoring accounts while Trayvon Palmer and George Beamon pecked away at the basket.
Lions Great Britain international Justin Robinson scooped up his side’s first eight points of the second half as they held serve at 60-45.
A trio of Beamon three-pointers had Wolves clinging to a 64-76 deficit as the last period commenced. Ojo also connected from afar, London threw a possession out of bounds and the arrears were suddenly reduced to single figures.
With big men Dallin Bachynski and Robert Gilchrist now solidifying their positions under the hoop Lions’ scoring routes became blocked. Beamon banked in another triple and Alex Navajas split a pair of free throws to nudge Wolves 82-81 ahead.
Coach James called a timeout at 29 seconds remaining after Lions had regained an 85-82 edge. From the re-start Ojo brought a raucous home crowd to their feet with a solo drive and slam to leave the tie in the balance.
Beamon led Wolves’ scoring with 25 points, supported by 14 points from Palmer and 13 for Marshall.
The aggregate-score decider takes place at London’s Copper Box Arena, tipping off at 4pm. James pledged that his team will be ready for another battle, saying:
“We had the best of the match late on and need to carry that forward on Sunday.
“It was feisty tonight. There was a lot of stuff going on out there under the basket but we fought through it.
“We want to back here in Worcester for the next round. We’ll fight tooth and nail to make that happen.”
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Post by Solly on Mar 22, 2021 15:00:04 GMT
And here's what happened in the return two days later in London.
Joe Ikhinwim from the corner
All in all a real anti-climatic end to the season, disappointing...
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Sunday 06 May 2018
London Lions 94-90 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves’ season ended in cruel circumstances on Sunday at London Lions after a double-overtime thriller.
Going into the second leg of their British Basketball League Playoff Quarter-Final trailing London by a single point, Wolves put themselves within a few seconds of progressing to the next stage before being hauled back.
With 16 seconds left in regulation time Worcester were 79-75 to the good. A Lions three-pointer went astray but the rebound was scooped up by ex-Wolves forward Paul Guede.
A desperation second triple attempt by London stalwart Joe Ikhinmwin swished through the net to level the aggregate scores and force overtime where the hosts would eventually prevail 94-90.
Coach Paul James echoed the dismay of his players and a sizeable bunch of travelling fans at seeing the season end, saying:
“This is a very difficult defeat to take. We were one defensive rebound away from making the semis. Then a freaky shot from the corner extends the match.
“I’m so disappointed for everyone. London played well but so did we. The players are devastated. I can’t fault their effort – I’m proud of them.”
The afternoon was a chess match from the outset. Trayvon Palmer cleaned up a George Beamon miss and the latter man took the next score for himself. Alex Navajas sank a three to aid a 10-2 lead after three minutes had elapsed.
However, the next seven minutes’ moves all belonged to Lions who moved 20-14 ahead opening the second quarter. By midway through the period a Palmer dunk had reversed matters to 30-29 in his side’s favour.
By half-time London had again got the upper hand at 42-37 before Beamon went to work with repeated scores and Dallin Bachynski put in a shift close to the basket.
Worcester’s rotations were dealt a blow when Robert Gilchrist picked up his fourth and fifth fouls in under a minute to end his involvement before the third quarter had expired.
The last ten minutes of regulation time began with a Lions edge at 62-61. The back-and-forth nature of the contest perpetuated until the last few moments when Wolves hopes of success were harshly dashed.
London’s Great Britain international Justin Robinson put his side 86-83 in front in the first period of overtime before more Beamon heroics levelled the aggregate score at 87-86.
London failed to get a shot away on their next possession leaving a three-second window for Wolves to snatch the tie. On this occasion Beamon’s shot went astray, setting up a further five minutes of added time.
While their opponents were still able to call upon a greater number of senior players, a tiring Worcester team could sustain their exertions no more, securing only a single field goal and having to finally acknowledge defeat.
Beamon led the line with 26 points and a battling eight rebounds. Bachynski fought his way to 17 points and 16 rebounds. Michael Ojo and Palmer tallied 15 and 12 points respectively.
“We’ve had our ups and downs this season and today really hurts,” added James. “We have undoubtedly had some quality players on our roster. It will now be a time for everyone to reflect on what has taken place and to look towards what they want to happen going forward.”
London are joined by Leicester Riders, Glasgow Rocks and Bristol Flyers in the hunt for glory at the capital’s O2 Arena on Sunday 20 May.
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Post by Solly on Mar 26, 2021 14:09:22 GMT
And, these recollections are now drawing to a close.
Last (part-) season is obviously too recent to be retro and the season before that, 2018-19, if not also classed as non-retro is just too painful to reflect back on in any detail, (at least until several more seasons have passed).
And yet that 2018-19 season's roster seemed to promise good times ahead, as shown in my first Wolves programme article of the year...
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Welcome back to everyone returning to watch the Wolves, and a warm welcome to any new fans. Welcome to all our players, most of them Wolves first-timers.
Last season was unfortunately yet another of the ‘what-might-have-been’ type that we have endured since our double-winning year in 2014.
Despite our traditional stumbling start we began to get our act together, peaking with a fabulous pre-Christmas feasting of Sheffield to prompt mad celebrations for a Cup Final trip to Birmingham.
But sadly we then failed to match the intensity of underdog opponents Cheshire and sank to a sorry surrender. A tidy end to results saw hopes raised for the post-season before we were cruelly edged out by London Lions.
However, as we now set out on a new era let’s put aside past disappointment and aim up. Here’s my very early take on our new roster -
Jordan Whelan – British guard. Club quote: “Scoring threat.” Solly’s verdict – “Excited attention in Manchester last year.”
Filip Kramer – Austrian power-forward. Club quote: “Key part of our plans.” Solly’s verdict – “European experience.”
Adam Thoseby – to Worcester via Australia. Club quote: “Will bring a different dimension.” Solly’s verdict – “Commonwealth scorer.”
Darell Combs – US point-guard. Club quote: “Can lead the team on court.” Solly’s verdict – “Interesting.”
Quadir Welton – 6ft 8in American centre. Club quote: “Strong body.” Solly’s verdict – “Man in the paint.”
Robert Crawford – completes our US trio. Club quote: “Passion, commitment and execution.” Solly’s verdict – “Worker.”
Terrel Martin-Garcia – London-born first-year pro. Club quote: “Skilled athlete.” Solly’s verdict – “Intriguing.”
Miki Servera – this season’s Spanish connection. Club quote: “Can play at the 1, 2 or 3 positions.” Solly’s verdict – “Endorsed by Alex Navajas.”
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Post by Solly on Apr 1, 2021 10:27:12 GMT
And here's what wonderful happened on that opening night for Wolves in 2018.
Unfortunately that would be just about as good as it got for the club that season...
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Worcester Wolves 93-81 Plymouth Raiders Worcester Wolves rewarded a packed University of Worcester Arena with a thrilling victory in their British Basketball League season-opener on Friday.
It was a case of the new overcoming the old as Wolves’ new director of basketball Ty Shaw revelled in a 93-81 triumph against former head coach Paul James’ Plymouth Raiders squad.
An absorbing contest saw the teams frequently tied together. With three minutes remaining Worcester trailed 76-77 before an overwhelming late burst of scoring powered the hosts over the finishing-line.
Shaw beamed as he paid tribute to his players, saying: “This was a great start for our programme and for our players.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of separation until the last few minutes. We fell behind but we kept battling, put our heads down to play hard on defence and really turn up the offense.
“Today’s effort was special. The players put their chests out and said it’s our time.”
The back-and-forth nature of the evening was set early. Javis Howard connected for Plymouth but on the next play had the ball slapped out of his hands by Robert Crawford, setting up an Adam Thoseby three-pointer.
Wolves’ latest signing Dean Wanliss shone with his first touch for a score and a bonus free-throw to nudge his side 13-12 ahead. By the close of the first quarter the advantage had swung 22-17 in favour of the Raiders.
Three minutes later it was Wolves’ turn to take the upper hand at 31-24 on the back of triples from Wanliss and Crawford. With just seconds left in the first-half Plymouth’s Josh Wilcher sank a three only to see Worcester’s Jordan Whelan race coast-to-coast to do likewise and level the scoreboard at 40-40.
The third period featured a remarkable feat of long-range shooting from Crawford. Each time he was found by his teammates he immediately pulled the trigger to float the ball through the net.
Four treys for Crawford and one from Whelan gave Worcester a 65-60 lead entering the final quarter. But Plymouth refused to be subdued, edging ahead before Spanish point-guard Miki Servera calmed matters with several successes and Crawford brought spectators to their feet with further sharpshooting.
Crawford led all scorers with 28 points, including a stunning eight three-pointers.
Thoseby and Whelan contributed 17 and 16 points respectively, while Servera tallied 14. Power-forward Filip Kramer posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Crawford was keen to deflect praise to others for his shooting prowess, saying: “It was my teammates who got me my shots. We’ve got some great ball-handlers who kept finding me. We came together as a team and we got the job done.”
Paul James reflected on his return to the city, saying: “Worcester did a good job today and shot the three-ball really well. My side didn’t get the win but it was nice to come back. I had plenty of fun years here and have always appreciated the great crowds.”
Shaw also praised supporters. He said: “Our fans were fantastic. They were loud, excitable and really gave us a boost when we needed it. I can’t wait to see them all back here next time out."
Wolves will next be in action at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday 5 October against Bristol Flyers. Before then they face a double of road matches at Cheshire Phoenix this Sunday (5.30pm) and at London Lions on Saturday 29 September.
“We’ll enjoy this win for now,” added Shaw. “But then the players will get their nutrition and re-hydration and we’ll get straight back into preparation for Cheshire.”
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2021 10:36:53 GMT
Happy anniversary
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Post by Solly on Apr 1, 2021 11:03:57 GMT
Thanks - didn't realise what you meant until I checked back to see it was this time last year that I opened this thread.
But there isn't much mileage left in these posts unfortunately as it would be too dire to reflect in detail on the 2018-19 Wolves. And I can always plead that the real reason I'm avoiding discussing detailed direness is that 18-19 cannot really qualify as retro
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Post by Solly on Apr 5, 2021 14:57:07 GMT
And, as said earlier, my last few retrospectives will not go into much detail about Wolves' awful 2018-19 campaign.
As an example of why, after all the excitement of an opening-night win over Plymouth, there swiftly followed a couple of hideous performances at Chester & London, setting the tone for what was to follow...
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Sunday 23 September 2018
Cheshire Phoenix 91-83 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves were unable to follow up their first-night win in the British Basketball League when going down to an 83-91 defeat at Cheshire Phoenix on Sunday. After working hard to establish a 46-38 half-time lead, Worcester’s intensity lessened after the interval, leaving director of basketball Ty Shaw forthright in his appraisal of what took place, saying:
“We didn’t get back on defence and we didn’t get defensive rebounds. We let Cheshire get one easy break after another. At certain points out there it looked like a dunk contest.
“But this is part of our learning process. There’s some things that we will definitely change in order to fix things up.”
Wolves began brightly with a 7-0 run and forced former Worcester player Ashton Khan into a double of fumbles on his opening possessions.
Khan recovered to nail a quick ten points before Robert Crawford continued his long-range shooting prowess from Friday’s victory to sink another three-pointer, aiding Wolves’ 30-25 first quarter advantage.
A minute into the second period the sides were level at 30-30. Repeated exchanges of scores kept the scoreboard tied at 38-38 with two minutes remaining in the first half when Adam Thoseby ignited an eight-point unanswered surge.
Spying a clear path to the basket, Thoseby powered forward with a two-handed swinging slam through the hoop. Dean Wanliss then connected, as did Crawford, before Wanliss produced another big man move to finalise the burst.
Unfortunately Wolves’ momentum disappeared when returning to the court for the second half. By the close of the third quarter they had fallen 61-64 behind.
A few minutes later the deficit had widened to 64-72. Filip Kramer narrowed the gap by converting a score and a bonus free-throw despite carrying a Cheshire defender on his back. But Worcester’s failure to show similar vigour at the defensive end allowed Phoenix to score at will and roll to a comfortable win.
Thoseby led the scoring with 23 points. Kramer posted a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds while Crawford and Jordan Whelan contributed 12 points apiece.
Wolves will be on the road again next Saturday at London Lions before returning to the University of Worcester Arena on Friday 5 October against Bristol Flyers.
Friday 28 September 2018
London Lions 82-65 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves had no answer for a free-running London Lions side as they fell to a 65-82 defeat in the capital on Friday. On a night when Wolves struggled to set up in attack and missed a slew of free throws, they also found themselves repeatedly out-rebounded around their own basket. Giving up a dispiriting seventeen offensive rebounds gifted London numerous second-chance points.
Just three minutes had elapsed when Wolves captain Adam Thoseby was forced to take a seat on the bench after picking up two quick fouls. A quiet opening quarter saw Lions edge 16-13 ahead.
Newly-arrived American guard Darell Combs drove coast-to-coast to bring Worcester level at 22-22 by midway through the second period. A few seconds later he connected with a triple but this would be his team’s final first-half production.
A 25-32 shortfall worsened after the interval. Jordan Whelan contributed two of half-a-dozen Wolves three-pointers in the third quarter but no one was able to similarly move the scoreboard on the inside.
London had no such difficulty penetrating to the hoop. Even when their shots went astray their players were invariably first to grab rebounds.
Ladarius Tabb typified the host’s dominance when wrenching the ball out of Robert Crawford’s hands for an easy put-back and a 58-43 advantage. The last quarter saw little change to the balance of power. Even when Worcester managed to get to the foul-line they frequently spurned the chance to lessen the deficit, missing eleven of nineteen charity points and sinking to a 65-82 reversal.
Whelan led the scorers with 18 points. Combs with 12 points and Miki Servera with 10 were the only other Worcester players able to nudge into double figures.
Next up for Wolves will be Bristol Flyers who visit the University of Worcester Arena this Friday 5 October (7.30).
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2021 14:59:10 GMT
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Post by Solly on Apr 5, 2021 15:38:56 GMT
hersey427 - you're not wrong. Brilliant nostalgia for the old folks (and at the very moment I type this, coincidentally, The Archies - Sugar, Sugar is playing on the radio).
A couple of points to make though.
1. Although there was big crowd at Wembley that day for the Bullets match, I'm pretty sure that those who stayed behind to watch the Sky coverage of the Leopards OT match did not quite number in the thousands
2. I was probably on the Sky coverage somewhere as one of those fans urging Sharks on - I think we probably pulled up the bench chairs that the Bullets/Towers players had used a few minutes before, confirming that we couldn't have been a throng of more than double-figures, never mind three or even four-figures. Admittedly quite a few watchers were also standing, but I seem to think that the TV that someone wheeled over was like one of those schools used to employ for educational purposes, on elongated legs, such that anything above a smattering of viewers would have enveloped it!
3. I can state that at that time the league title really meant something (a 9/10 vs about 6/10 in our present times).
4. Bullets put the disappointment of such a narrow league title miss behind them to duly proceed to secure the (10/10) Playoff Title
Remembering those brilliant days has moved me (and at the very moment I type this, coincidentally, Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World is playing on the radio).
I love this game
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Post by Solly on Apr 7, 2021 16:19:34 GMT
And there were very few highs for Wolves that 2018-19 season.
But there was some February excitement at Manchester and at home to Surrey.
Willie Clayton & Mike McCall
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Sunday 03 February 2019
Manchester Giants 124-123 Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves came agonisingly close to pulling off a rare win after a rip-roaring marathon thriller at Manchester Giants on Sunday. A back-and-forth encounter saw the combatants tied up at 99-99 at the end of the regulation forty minutes.
With just five seconds left in the first period of overtime, Wolves led 111-108 before Giants’ Mike McCall missed a chance to level matters again. But the Manchester man secured a second-chance hurl at the basket that sent a boisterous home crowd into raptures and extended the afternoon by a further five minutes.
The second period of added time was similarly suspenseful. With his side 124-123 in front with 11 seconds remaining, Manchester’s Willie Clayton spurned consecutive free throws that could have sealed victory. However, he was able to atone for his misses by then swatting away Darell Combs’ last-gasp shot attempt that would have snatched a welcome success for Wolves.
It was a three-point party in the early going. Lester Prosper was the first to connect, followed by two more for Adam Thoseby and one for Robert Crawford to nudge Wolves 18-16 ahead.
After falling 21-28 behind by the close of the first quarter, Wolves regained a 36-34 lead at midway through the second quarter on the back of a 14-point burst of scoring from Combs.
Neither side could gain a decisive advantage as the game progressed. Combs impressed with dashes to the hoop and Thoseby continued to pulse from long-distance.
Worcester entered the final quarter 72-69 to the good. But each time they threatened to pull away, McCall provided a response. Ten points in the last three minutes had his team 99-96 in front with a half-minute to play.
Prosper produced a powerful drive to the hoop and displayed ice in his veins to slot in a bonus foul shot to cause overtime.
The slugfest continued throughout the remainder of a sizzling match until Giants were finally able to raise their arms in victory.
Combs top-scored for Wolves with 35 points, followed by 26 from Thoseby. Prosper toughed out a 20 point and 12 rebound double-double performance. McCall put forward a stunning 47 points for Manchester.
Wolves’ assistant coach Felix Hallam praised his players’ efforts, saying: “That’s a tough defeat to swallow. We had a chance right there at the end but it just didn’t drop for us.
“But what a great game of basketball. I can’t fault the guys’ efforts today.”
Referring to McCall’s impact for Giants, Hallam added: “He’s a great player. Towards the end we slowed him down a little but just couldn’t get an answer for him. He missed a three but then hits a three when he’s on the floor to put us into double-overtime – it was a heck of a play.”
McCall himself was modest about his performance, saying: “Worcester played well and played hard. My team trusted me to make plays down the stretch. I was hot and my team kept telling me to shoot the ball if I was open.”
Friday 15 February 2019
Worcester Wolves 84-79 Surrey Scorchers There was an explosion of love in the air as Worcester Wolves’ players and supporters celebrated a welcome victory over Surrey Scorchers in a post-Valentine’s party at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday.
Wolves raced into a 51-31 half-time lead and held onto a similar advantage with six minutes remaining before defying a strong Surrey comeback to emerge with an 84-79 success.
Interim head coach Tony Garbelotto applauded the victory, saying: “It’s a win for the fans – they’re the ones who needed this. I’m extremely happy for them.
“We played well in the first half to get twenty points ahead but then took our foot off the gas. But a win is a win and we now have to build on it.”
A Lester Prosper double got Worcester off to an inspired start. A Darell Combs finger-roll and a corner three had Scorchers calling for a time-out only five minutes into the evening, trailing 13-4.
When play resumed Combs immediately jabbed the ball out of Surrey hands to gift the opportunity for Deshawn Freeman to announce his long-awaited return from injury with a powerful layup.
A 22-12 first-quarter lead accelerated as Freeman got into his flow. At three minutes before half-time he accepted a defence-freezing assist from Prosper to thump in his sixth score of the evening and push his side 37-22 in front.
Combs typified Wolves’ brimming confidence when sprinting coast-to-coast to finalise the host’s healthy interval cushion.
However, matters slowed down when the teams returned from the locker-rooms. Scorchers’ dangerous guard combo of Tayo Ogedengbe and Quincy Taylor were able to repeatedly penetrate to the basket.
A 77-57 advantage ought to have been sufficient, but home fans were forced to endure a nervy ending. Taylor sank a triple and converted a bonus foul shot to reduce the arrears to 80-69 with three minutes remaining.
More points for Ogedengbe closed the deficit to 82-75 entering the final minute, before the visitors ran out of enough time to spoil Worcester’s triumph.
Freeman led all scorers with 23 points, supported by 16 from Robert Crawford.
Freeman expressed his delight at getting back on court and taking part in a win, saying: “I’ve been out a while, it felt like months. I’m just happy to be back out with my teammates and to get the win today was amazing.”
Garbelotto praised his American forward, saying: “We’ve really missed him. His energy alone is infectious. He’s a massive boost for us.”
Wolves swiftly return to action this Sunday (3pm) at Plymouth Raiders, an opponent they bested on the opening day of the British Basketball League in September.
“Both teams now have some different players,” added Garbelotto. “Plymouth have a lot of confidence with plenty of wins. It will be a really tough game. We will have to absolutely play at our best – hopefully the players will rise to the occasion.”
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Post by Solly on Apr 12, 2021 9:55:56 GMT
And here was my pessimistic programme article ahead of the next matchup vs Manchester, in March 2019.
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An agonizing 123-124 double OT thriller, Darell sinking 35 points and Mike McCall hitting a half-century…
That was last month up in Manchester, so let’s hope for a similarly entertaining matchup today, but obviously with a different victor.
Based on last weekend’s results we will certainly have some work to do to achieve the W as Giants only went and beat Leicester, while we suffered a reversal up in Glasgow.
A decidedly tepid Q1 saw us trailing 12-19 after a hideous seven turnovers. However, once the butterfingers had been wiped, it was a totally different picture up to HT.
Darell rages to fifteen points, Deshawn is dunking and Lester is prospering in the paint as a 16-4 outburst turns the tables on the Rocks and has us now 45-38 to the good.
But what goes up must come down. The errors of the early going return. Stepping out of bounds, letting the shot-clock run out etc.etc. put us once more in the red at 57-70.
Robs on his game in the final quarter to close the gap to 70-78 with four minutes remaining but Glasgow once more assert control to run out comfortable 92-79 winners.
The individual breakdown -
Lester Prosper – 12pts, 8 rebounds. Had a go.
Adam Thoseby – 7pts. Quiet.
Darell Combs – 17pts. Majored in Q2.
Robert Crawford – 20pts, 3 x 3ptrs. Majored in Q4.
Miki Servera – 4pts. A match to forget.
Alex Navajas – 2pts. Ditto.
Deshawn Freeman – 15pts, 11 rebounds. Trying.
Jordan Whelan – 2pts. Limited impact.
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Post by Solly on Apr 12, 2021 10:00:21 GMT
And here was my report on a surprising (and most rare that year) victory.
At least it saved me another post-match lashing from Garbo. Anyone would think it was my fault...
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Friday 22 March 2019
Worcester Wolves 98-79 Manchester Giants Worcester Wolves showed that they still have plenty to offer for the closing weeks of their British Basketball League season by thumping Manchester Giants 98-79 at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday.
A rampaging second quarter propelled Wolves to a 53-32 half-time lead that brought a standing ovation from delighted home fans. Although the advantage was later briefly hauled back to single figures, an effervescent display gave little opportunity for the visitors to triumph.
Coach Tony Garbelotto praised his team’s performance, saying: “We played with the sort of effort I’ve asked for since I came here. They came back at us but we handled it well and made some big plays.”
Worcester conceded the first eight points of the evening before they found their groove. A trio of three-pointers helped the hosts edge 19-17 ahead entering the second period.
A double of scores for Alex Navajas pushed the lead to 28-23. Deshawn Freeman sank a three and then stole the ball ahead of a crowd-pleasing two-handed reverse dunk.
Three minutes before the interval the advantage had stretched to 43-29 after Robert Crawford set up consecutive Navajas baskets.
In the final minute of the half Navajas again connected from distance and Freeman out-enthused his defenders in battling to multiple offensive rebounds to finalise Wolves’ stunning spell of play.
A calmer third quarter gave Giants hope as the scoreboard closed to 68-55. A layup from former Worcester captain Callum Jones had matters at 71-62 with six minutes to go.
But any comeback was curtailed once current captain Adam Thoseby set his feet for a confident outside shot and Freeman produced another dazzling score, threading the ball behind his back to Miki Servera who returned it skywards for a powerful jab through the hoop.
The irrepressible Navajas slotted home his fifth and sixth triples to ice Wolves’ dominance.
Freeman totalled 23 points, just behind Navajas’ 26-point outburst, as well as pulling down a mighty 19 rebounds. Crawford notched 17 points while Servera impressed with an 11 point/12 assist double-double showing.
“As well as Alex I have to credit Deshawn specifically,” added Garbelotto. “I thought his effort was off the charts. His pure effort, his desire, ignited us.”
Fans will have a quick opportunity to see what could be more breath-taking action when Wolves return to the University of Worcester Arena next Friday, 29 March, (7.30) to face play-off bound Newcastle Eagles.
“Our fans, everyone, had a great experience today,” continued Garbelotto. “If we play as hard as we have just done we can beat almost any team.”
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Post by Solly on Apr 20, 2021 10:50:33 GMT
And here was my programme article reflection on that (rare for that season) W vs Giants, just ahead of a remarkable hosting of Surrey.
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On the third day of February we lost out to Manchester, on the first day we let Newcastle do us.
Last Friday we gained revenge on Giants with a 97-78 walloping. Today we have a chance to do over Surrey.
And our marvellous victory against Manchester should have us well tuned up.
I bowed my head as we allowed our visitors to zip to 8-0. With Giants’ Clayton/Granic combo taking up space close to the hoop we needed to find our aim from the outside.
A swift three threes motored us to a 19-17 edge going into Q2.
And then we went off on one. Alex opens his account and just won’t stop, zooming to thirteen pre-interval points. Deshawn jabs the ball out of McCall’s hands and throws down a thunderous slam.
As the half ends Deshawn pogos up and down to grab repeated boards before finally tipping the ball in to round off a stunning 53-32 lead.
The crowd are on their feet but, us being us, we don’t think it’s all over. Accordingly, our advantage diminishes down to 71-62 with six minutes remaining.
But Mr Navajas steps forward again. His fifth and sixth triples and similar successes for Miki and Adam put everything to bed. Fabulouso.
The individual breakdown -
Lester Prosper – 4pts, 7 rebounds. Sturdy.
Adam Thoseby – 10pts. Lively.
Robert Crawford – 17pts, 4 x 3ptrs, 6 assists. Buzzing.
Miki Servera – 11pts, 12 assists. Quarterback.
Alex Navajas – 26pts, 6 x 3ptrs. Back.
Deshawn Freeman – 23pts, 19 rebounds. Wow.
Jordan Whelan – 4pts. Contributed.
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