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Post by Solly on Jun 17, 2020 16:35:29 GMT
And the match report.
1. A rare draw.
2. Whatever happened to Adam Brown?
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Saturday 28 April 2012
Worcester Wolves 80-80 Cheshire Jets
Worcester Wolves needed a desperate late comeback in order to stay in contention with their BBL play off quarter final opponents the Cheshire Jets on Saturday evening.
A packed University of Worcester crowd saw the Wolves roar back from a 61-74 deficit with just six minutes of the game remaining, to leave the tie all square at 80-80 going into Sunday afternoon’s second leg decider.
A 12-3 start to the game from the Jets put them into the driving seat midway through the opening quarter, before five straight points from Carlos Fernandez got the Wolves right back into the game at 8-12.
The Jets once more opened up a double-digit lead at 20-10, but a three-pointer from Arnas Kazlauskas helped the Wolves halve the deficit to just five points as the period came to an end with the Jets leading 24-19.
Early in the second quarter Cheshire maintained their five point advantage at 33-28, before their first substitution of the night when centre Matt Schneck was forced to the bench with three fouls.
Six points from Kazlauskas and a Tommy Freeman triple put Worcester ahead for the first time, at 37-35 with four minutes remaining in the half.
However, a Bill Cole basket sparked a 10-3 finish to the half that saw the visitors head into the locker rooms in front at 45-40.
Influential guard Adam Brown soon added to his 16 first half points as the Jets stretched their advantage to 56-45 midway through the third period.
With just over a minute remaining the Jets lead had stretched further to 65-50, before the Wolves took the final five points of the period to trim the deficit to 55-65 heading into the final ten minutes of play.
A Brown score from distance began the scoring in the last quarter, helping the Jets to a 72-58 lead, before a trio of baskets from outside the arc by point guard Sherrad Prezzie-Blue brought the hometown Wolves right back into the contest.
With home supporters now on their feet creating a barrage of noise, a rattled Cheshire side were unable to puncture the Wolves defence, while at the same time falling victim to accurate shooting from Prezzie-Blue and Freeman.
A Kazlauskas three-pointer was the last score of a 17-2 tear for the Wolves to hand the home side the lead at 75-74 with three minutes of the evening remaining.
A basket from Richie Gordon with a minute and half to go kept Wolves in front at 77-76, but the Jets responded with a Nathan Schall bucket to retake the advantage.
A Freeman free-throw followed by a Sherrad Prezzie-Blue steal and lay-up took matters to 80-78 with 31 seconds to go.
The impressive Adam Brown concluded the night’s scoring, levelling the game at 80-80 to set up a thrilling decider at Chester’s Northgate Arena on Sunday (tip off 5.30pm).
Worcester Director of Basketball Paul James was relieved about how his team ended the contest, saying:
“We didn’t play for three-quarters of the game and Cheshire threatened to blow us away at one point. But we came right back into it towards the end and we will go into the second leg with a lot of confidence.”
Prezzie-Blue and Freeman were joint-top scorers for the Wolves tallying 22 points each, including eleven three-pointers between them. However it was Brown who led all scorers in the game, with 31 points.
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Post by Solly on Jun 18, 2020 13:13:58 GMT
And here is the final say of 2012 with the repro of my (most-diplomatic) first round second-leg playoff match report from Chester.
A most anti-climatic end for the Wolves after a highly-promising regular season.
-------------------- Sunday 29 April 2012
Cheshire Jets 87-77 Worcester Wolves
Cheshire Jets caused the biggest surprise of the BBL play-off quarter-finals after they knocked out third-seeded Worcester Wolves in a monumental tie to spark triumphant scenes on Sunday afternoon at Chester’s Northgate Arena.
Having already done the hard work by emerging from the first game on the road unscathed courtesy of a rare drawn game, it meant the second leg was very much a winner-takes-all affair for both teams with whoever emerged victorious punching the last remaining ticket for the semi-finals.
And it was the home team who prevailed after they held their nerve to produce an excellent 29-17 final quarter with a string of powerful performances throughout the spine of the team.
It had always seemed like the Jets were on the front foot and looking like the team who would make a decisive run to break the game open. Indeed they got themselves into a few positions of strength during the first half but, just as in Saturday’s first leg, the Wolves kept coming back.
This was no better illustrated than with just 90 seconds left until the half-time break, Jets were 44-33 ahead and yet Wolves finished with seven unanswered points to give themselves momentum for when they returned to the floor.
Consecutive triples from Wolves forward David Watts finally brought the two sides level at 52-52 with a couple of minutes of the third quarter remaining.
A few moments later Worcester nudged into their first lead of the afternoon at 55-54, following a score from Tommy Freeman.
Heading into the final period with a slim 60-58 advantage never looked as if it would be sufficient for the Wolves against an assured Jets side.
Brimming with confidence from a run of six victories from their last seven outings prior to the playoffs, Cheshire shot accurately from the outside and had the measure of play close to the basket.
With just over five minutes of action remaining the Jets had built a 72-63 lead with scores from distance by Kai Williams and Colin O’Reilly, and close range efforts from Adam Brown and aggressive centre Matt Schneck.
Two minutes later the Wolves had once more closed the deficit to 72-71 after three-pointers from Freeman and Wolves playmaker Sherrad Prezzie-Blue.
However the Worcester structure was then disrupted when Richie Gordon was whistled for his fifth and final foul of the game.
Although a Prezzie-Blue basket once more levelled the scores at 74-74 with two and a half minutes to go, this was to be the last time his team would trouble the scoreboard until the final seconds of the contest.
Another combination of scores from Brown and Schneck took the Jets out to 79-74, forcing a Worcester time out with a minute and a half remaining.
From the inbound of the ball Cheshire retained possession for almost a full minute as several shots went awry, but rebound after rebound was snatched, until Brown drove the final nail in the Wolves coffin with a three-pointer.
The match was sealed for the hosts from the free throw line, concluding their 87-77 upset victory.
Worcester Director of Basketball Paul James reflected on two difficult games, saying:
“Cheshire deserved to win the tie. They played two fantastic games and we always seemed to playing catch-up.
“But I’m really proud of my guys; we fought hard but just didn’t have enough.
“We’ve had a great year and will look to come back bigger and stronger for next season.”
Freeman top scored for the Wolves with 22 points, followed by Prezzie-Blue with 19. O’Reilly led the Jets scorers with 22 points.
In the other BBL play-off quarter finals the Newcastle Eagles and Leicester Riders fully justified their top two playoff seedings by easily disposing of the Guildford Heat and Sheffield Sharks respectively.
Meanwhile fifth-seeded Glasgow Rocks produced a minor upset when convincingly overturning a five-point first leg deficit against the Plymouth Raiders by trouncing their opponents 80-60 in the return match.
Next weekend will see Newcastle face Cheshire and Leicester take on Glasgow, for places in the BBL Play-off Final at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena on Saturday 12 May.
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Post by sleepytopcat on Jun 18, 2020 19:07:06 GMT
Just like to give a word of thanks for your efforts with this thread. On the most depressing day of the lockdown so far, its poured with rain all day here, I have enjoyed the memories your match reports have brought back.
Have followed Bullets and Worcester for nigh on 40 years, nice to be reminded there have been a few highs amongst all the many lows.
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Post by Solly on Jun 19, 2020 9:59:55 GMT
sleepytopcat - thanks for your thanks. For followers of the Wolves and the Bullets,(and several other Birmingham-based incarnations), it indeed has been many years of mostly hurt, but with a few fabulous bright spots here and there.
Its my pleasure to post up these memories and a pleasure to have lately been involved with the Wolves, having been allowed the freedom to produce features and reports and the even greater freedom to be a tad less by-the-book with the wording of the programme articles.
Can only think that the readers of WhatsBev are now too attuned to my humour to allow themselves to be wound-up by some of the content of my programme articles. At the time of their original publication I can recall needing to occasionally fend off indignation from the supporters of other clubs.
The fending-off made I laugh heartily.
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Post by Solly on Jun 19, 2020 10:07:07 GMT
And now we can look at the 2013-14 season, starting with the details of our home opener against those pesky Leicester Riders.
The prior season was a big letdown, ending in another first-round playoff exit, this time at the hands of Surrey.
But it was now a new year, a (mostly) new roster and the big move over from a sports hall to one of the best venues in the BBL.
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Well, I was going to use today’s page for detailing my thoughts on how I see each BBL team performing in the season ahead, but how can I use up the space on that, when I can use it to gloat over the Leicester result instead…
All week up to last Friday, things weren’t totally clear about what was likely to happen, both on-court and off it.
Off-court, I certainly expected the biggest crowd ever in Worcester to see a game of basketball, but just wasn’t sure how big.
Looks like somewhere well north of a thousand and a half people came along for the show, so that goes down as wow number one.
On-court, I again have to admit to some uncertainty. Yes, we’d walloped Surrey the week before, but Leicester had also just put Birmingham Knights to the sword.
Add to that, Leicester were just so dominant last year, and you can see justification for anyone being a little one way or another about it all.
Again, I was at least a tad too pessimistic in not envisaging that we would down the high-flying Riders and bring up wow number two.
GB captain Andrew Sullivan immediately dunks from the opening tip, and I’m thinking oh deary me.
But who goes and gets the next score but former Leicester star man Mr Zaire Taylor; and he lets everyone know about it. Game on.
Nip and tuck ensued for the best part of three-quarters of the evening.
Some strong moves from Leicester’s import centre Rashad Hassan and their young English guard Connor Washington drag matters back to 57-55 over the next four minutes.
But then Zaire goes off on one again, tallying 13 points in the last quarter alone, and we start to ease clear.
Partying in the crowd, (except of course for the sizeable mob who made the trip over from the East Midlands), and its Goodnight Vienna.
Job done at 73-61. What a cracker!
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 22pts, 2 x 3ptrs, 4-4 from the line. Flash, dash and dazzle.
Alex Owumi – 13pts, 8 rebounds. Calm and hard-working.
Jamal Williams - 4pts, 7 rebounds. Defensive strongman.
Stefan Djukic – 12pts. Got stuck in.
Will Creekmore - 11pts,11 rebounds. A double-double of stats for the second game in a row.
Kalil Irving - 4pts. 0-4 from the line. Limited minutes.
Caylin Raftopoulos - 4pts. Ditto.
Disraeli Lufadeju - 4pts. Sank his three-pointer right on the half-time hooter, just when the score could have gotten away from us.
Great, great stuff all round then.
A delight to have been there to see Wolves’ first BBL action in a fabulous new home, and a delight to see us win what could be the first of many toughies this season against Leicester.
No slipups tonight vs Cheshire please, and let’s all say hello to the returning Kai Williams.
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Post by Solly on Jun 20, 2020 10:24:49 GMT
And here was my celebratory report of the home opener.
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Friday 04 October 2013
Worcester Wolves 73-61 Leicester Riders
Worcester Wolves laid down an early marker for what they could achieve this year, both on and off the basketball court, as they defeated the reigning British Basketball League champions Leicester Riders 73-61, at a sold-out University of Worcester Arena on Friday.
Both sides came into the evening on the back of wide-margin opening day victories, but soon found themselves embroiled in a much tighter contest where neither team was able to pull clear of the other until the later stages.
Urged on by over 1500 fans at their sparkling new venue, Wolves finally made home advantage pay as they edged clear of their opponents on the back of a strong defensive display.
With the start of the game delayed due to the large throng of spectators eager to witness the action, Leicester’s Great Britain captain Andrew Sullivan straightaway threatened to dampen the party atmosphere when rising high to dunk the ball home from his side’s opening possession.
The big summer story for the Wolves was point-guard Zaire Taylor turning down the chance to re-join last season’s treble-winning Riders and instead making his way to Worcester.
It was fitting that Taylor should be the first person to reply to Sullivan’s score, floating in a long-range shot and then celebrating by throwing a swaggering stare at the large contingent of visiting Leicester fans.
The next eight points went the way of the Wolves, forcing Riders’ coach Rob Paternostro to call a steadying time out with his side trailing 2-11 after just three minutes had elapsed.
At the end of the first quarter a more even score had prevailed, but with Worcester still in front at 18-13.
By midway through the second period matters had got closer still after a basket from Sullivan pulled his team within a point at 24-23.
Shortly afterwards, a three-pointer from Leicester guard Jay Couisnard was enough to edge his team ahead and leave Wolves’ coach Paul James as the man now requesting a break in the action.
With the hosts trailing 29-34 in the last minute of the half, their new signing 21 year-old Disraeli Lufadeju thrilled the crowd with an improbable shot attempt from the corner of the court which bounced off the backboard before dropping through the hoop.
A smooth turnaround shot from small forward Jamal Williams opened the second half and levelled the night at 34-34.
After a quick reply from Leicester’s bustling centre Rashad Hassan, Williams was on hand to tip in a Taylor miss, once more equalling the scores.
Consecutive triples from guard Caylin Raftopoulos and centre Will Creekmore opened a 44-39 gap for the Wolves.
As the third quarter wound down and with his side ahead at 51-45, Creekmore was whistled for a technical foul after showing dissent to the match officials.
Riders sank one of the two awarded free throws and their young English guard Connor Washington then hit home a triple from the turnover in possession, bringing the contest to 51-49.
At just five minutes to go in the match, the score still held close at 59-55. From there however, a combination of stifling defensive play and a breakout on offense was enough to pull the Wolves clear of their opponents.
Five points in a row from Taylor took matters to 64-57. After a score from his backcourt partner Alex Owumi, Taylor then produced an imperious dribble and lay-up around a flailing Washington, to open up the night at 68-57.
Forward Stefan Djukic rounded out the Wolves’ scoring with a two-handed slam, before Williams once more showed his defensive tenacity when blocking a desperation shot attempt from Washington.
Wolves’ coach Paul James was delighted with the 73-61 victory, and with the turnout from the Worcester public, saying:
“I’m thrilled with how we performed, especially defensively, holding back last year’s champions.
“I could see the staff at the arena were pulling out extra seating just before the tip off, and the fans created a fantastic atmosphere.
“The way everything turned out was a fitting start for the Wolves in a great new venue.”
Taylor led the Worcester scorers, hitting 22 points. For the second game in a row Creekmore registered a double-double of statistics with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Hassan and Sullivan were Riders’ only double-digit scorers with 17 and 10 points respectively.
Next week the Wolves will face a swift doubleheader of action when travelling to London Lions on Thursday, before returning home to the University of Worcester Arena on Friday to host Cheshire Phoenix.
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:24:31 GMT
And here's the first of the player intro's for what would be a stellar 13-14 season for Worcester.
Big Jamal.
I again particularly had fun with the headlines.
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City of Brotherly Love
While Worcester Wolves’ coach Paul James has stated that talks are ongoing with forward Kai Williams about a return to the city, he is able to confirm the capture of his elder brother Jamal from the Plymouth Raiders.
Canadian-born Jamal has played in the BBL for several seasons. After just a few weeks with Cheshire Jets at the start of 2010, he made the short hop over to Mersey Tigers where he was a member of their triple-trophy winning squad.
For the last couple of years Jamal has plied his trade in Plymouth, averaging five points and three rebounds in just under 20 minutes of action per game.
Jamal explained the reasoning behind his decision to join the Wolves:
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity in Worcester.
“My brother had nothing but good things to say about Paul James and about the Wolves office. As a result it was any easy decision to make.”
James is pleased to add 26-year-old Williams to his side, saying:
“Jamal is a really talented player, has plenty of experience of this league and more importantly has been a winner in the BBL.
“He has a blue-collar work ethic and will do whatever is asked of him to make the team better.
“Jamal is going to have an opportunity to show his full potential as a player within our programme and I’m very much looking forward to working with him.”
Asked whether there could be a pair of Williams in Worcester next season, James replied:
“I’d like to have Kai come back. He only played part of the season for us and will improve when getting deeper into our system.
“It’s great that Jamal is joining us and I certainly think that they would complement each other’s games.”
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:26:57 GMT
And, towards Xmas, Jamal was joined by the returning Kai.
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Brothers re-united in Worcester
Worcester Wolves Director of Basketball Paul James surprised home fans at Friday’s game against Surrey United by announcing the return of one of last year’s successful squad, further strengthening his table-topping team.
6 foot 6 inch forward Kai Williams recently ended a brief spell at Cheshire Phoenix, and James was quickly on the case to see if Kai could make it a pair of Williams in Worcester.
Elder brother Jamal has already proved a valuable acquisition for the Wolves, albeit that he is currently sidelined through injury.
James talked about the re-signing of the 25-year-old, saying:
“When I knew Kai was available, it was an easy call to discuss him coming back to Worcester.
“It’s great to have him back; he’ll be an extra threat for us from the perimeter.
“We all know what he brought to the team last year, so if he can do that again for the remainder of the season it will certainly help us.”
Williams is also excited about returning to Worcester, saying:
“I’m happy to be back and looking forward to the season.
“Everyone is really talented on this team and obviously playing alongside my brother is something very special and I’m fortunate to have that opportunity.”
Williams announced his arrival back in the city with a three-pointer on his very first touch of the ball against Surrey, before going on to hit ten further points, as well as grabbing a useful six rebounds.
Talking about his performance he added:
“The way this team is set up with guys like Alex, Zaire, Will and Andreas demanding a lot of attention, makes it easier to play out there.
“It means there are a lot of open shots to be had and I was able to knock a lot of those down tonight.”
There will be a double of matches coming up over the Christmas period where Williams will get the chance to further bed back into the team. On Friday 20 December Wolves welcome title-challengers the London Lions to the University of Worcester Arena, before Birmingham Knights make the short trip over to Worcester on Saturday 28 December.
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:29:03 GMT
Another returnee from the previous year was Alex Owumi.
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Owumi onboard again at Wolves
Worcester Wolves have announced that influential small-forward Alex Owumi is to return to the team next season.
Director of Basketball Paul James is delighted to see Owumi come back to Worcester for a second year, saying:
“Alex was a stalwart of our team last year. While we had some players who went up and down in their performances, Alex delivered consistently.
“I’m thrilled that he’s coming back to the Wolves and especially as several other BBL teams had tried to sign him.
“This is great testament to the club and where we are going. It’s very important that we are in a position to try and hold on to the most talented of players we are able to recruit.
“To hang onto a player of Alex’s calibre speaks volumes about the club’s intentions. I will now be looking to build the rest of the team around him”.
In his debut season for the Wolves, 28 year old Owumi was a leading light in several categories.
He played most minutes on the team, at around 35 minutes a game, and was the main scorer, averaging 19 points.
He was the assist-leader, averaging four each game, and was the second-highest rebounder on the team with just under seven boards per outing.
His standing amongst his peers was proved by several appearances in the British Basketball League Team of the Week.
Owumi is excited to be re-joining the Wolves, and is relishing the chance to build on his first year at the club, saying:
“I’ve really enjoyed being at Worcester and have been pleased with my performances. Having said that, I was disappointed that we didn’t deliver any trophies.
“I know that we can do better. The Wolves organisation are putting their trust in me and I intend to repay everyone for that faith.”
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:34:35 GMT
And the start of a short-lived stint in Worcester for Ian Salter.
Disappointed at Wolves, but later came back looking like a bearded lumberjack and went on to have some reasonable displays for London Lions.
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Salter weighs in at Wolves
There will be a new man taking up position close to the basket at Worcester Wolves for the new season.
While Lithuanian giant Arturas Masiulis is moving on to pastures new, a similarly imposing figure, 6 foot 10 inch Ian Salter, is soon to take up residence in Worcester.
24 year old centre/power forward Salter played his college basketball at the University of Toledo and, latterly, Texas A & M International University.
He flew in from America a couple of weeks ago for try outs with several BBL clubs, before accepting an offer of a place on the Wolves’ roster.
Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James was impressed by what he saw in Salter’s game, saying:
“Ian showed me that he has the ability to claim a place in the BBL. He has some nice touches for such a big man and is hungry to make an impact.”
There is an added bonus to Salter’s situation in that he will not use up a valuable import player spot in James’ squad.
Although born and raised in America, he qualifies for a UK passport due to both his parents being British.
Salter was delighted by what he encountered in his recent trip to Worcester and is thrilled to be joining the Wolves’ organisation, saying:
“After visiting Worcester, the facility, and meeting Paul James, I immediately knew that Wolves were the club I wanted to play for.
“It was incredible to see the fantastic arena, but more important was the obvious focus and enthusiasm of Coach James.
“Playing for a club that has a drive to go to the very top is a great opportunity for me. To be a part of the Worcester Wolves is exciting and challenging and I sincerely hope to be able to help the team achieve its goals.”
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:36:37 GMT
Salter would be replaced by Andreas Schreiber.
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Wolves swoop for Schreiber
Worcester Wolves coach Paul James has revealed that the club has swooped to sign highly-rated centre Andreas Schreiber, after his release last week by the Plymouth Raiders.
6 foot 10 inch Schreiber played only sparingly under new Raider’s coach Jay Marriott’s rotation this year, averaging just six points and three rebounds over three games.
However, he featured much more prominently in Plymouth last season, when under the tutelage of previous head-man Gavin Love, with a production of thirteen points and nine rebounds per outing.
It is that sort of previous performance that has now caught the eye of Paul James, who commented:
“Andreas has shown that he can be very productive in the BBL. He will be a major asset on the frontline for us. I’m delighted that he is joining us.”
Although born in Santa Cruz, California, 26-year-old Schreiber moved to Sweden at an early age and qualifies for a European passport, having played for the Swedish National team.
In order to make space on the roster for his new arrival, James also announced that centre Ian Salter has been released from the club.
James was keen to thank Salter for his input in the short time he was with the Wolves, saying:
“It’s unfortunate that Ian could not find more minutes on the court. I want to thank him for his contribution while he has been here.”
Schreiber will be included in Wolves’ squad for the two upcoming weekend games. On Friday the Wolves host Manchester Giants at the University of Worcester Arena (tip off 7.30 pm), following that with a trip to Birmingham Knights on Sunday afternoon (tip off 3pm).
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:37:49 GMT
And the really-effective big man arrived.
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Another Big Man onboard at Wolves
Just days after announcing the signing of 6 feet 10 inch Ian Salter, Worcester Wolves have now added another big body to bolster their frontcourt.
American centre/power forward Will Creekmore stands just an inch shorter than Salter and comes to Worcester carrying some serious credentials.
24 year old Creekmore played briefly last season in the NBA Development League for Tulsa 66ers, a team affiliated to NBA high-fliers, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Prior to that, he averaged solid numbers of eight points and four rebounds in the German Pro A League for Ehinghen Steeples.
Growing up, Creekmore attended Thomas Edison High School in Tulsa where he led the entire state of Oklahoma in rebounding during his junior and senior campaigns, concluding his stay there as the school’s all-time top rebounder.
He went on to join one of the top college basketball programs, playing for the Missouri State Bears. In his senior year at Missouri he posted impressive statistics of eleven points and seven rebounds a game.
Worcester Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James revealed he had been chasing Creekmore for a while, saying:
“Will has been on my radar for some time. Once I learnt he was available, I knew he would be a good fit for the Wolves.”
“He is a big body who can score steadily and will grab plenty of boards for us,” added James.
Creekmore is looking forward to coming to Worcester, saying:
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to play this season in the BBL for Worcester.
“Coach James and the rest of the staff have done a great job putting together a competitive roster.
“I look forward to doing my part in helping the Wolves compete for a championship this season."
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:40:06 GMT
Stefan Djucic was once a real valuable contributor.
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Wolves welcome European forward
Worcester Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James has moved closer to finalising his new-look squad with the capture of experienced European forward Stefan Djukic.
With Portuguese/Serbian nationality, 24 year old Djukic has already built a varied basketball CV, taking in a number of clubs in both Portugal and Serbia, developing a reputation as a player who is prepared to graft for points and rebounds.
Standing at six foot seven inches, Djukic began his career with various Portuguese junior sides and impressed enough to earn a call up to represent Portugal at under-20 level.
He then moved on to stints with several teams in the second division of Serbian basketball before returning to Portugal in 2011 when he joined one of their top-tier sides, Casino Figueira Ginasio.
Djukic’s latest stop has been at Sampaense Basket where he averaged eight points and six rebounds whilst helping his team reach the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup and the quarter-finals of the end-of-season playoffs.
Paul James spoke about his expectations for Djukic, saying:
“I like what Stefan can bring to the team. Despite his age, he’s already got plenty of European experience.
“Wherever he’s been, he’s always produced solid numbers in points and rebounds.
“I’m sure he’ll carry on that form at the Wolves and I look forward to him being a productive player for us.”
The signing of Djukic means that there is now just one spot left open on the Wolves roster for a non-British player. For the moment James is biding his time about when to exercise that option, commenting:
“While there are a number of players that I have my eye on, I don’t feel there is a need to rush into using up the last non-British spot.
“I’m really pleased with who we’ve already signed and will only make more signings if necessary, and when the time is right.”
Wolves will open their new British Basketball league campaign on Saturday 28 September, visiting the Surrey Heat. Wolves’ eagerly-anticipated first game of the season at the University of Worcester Arena will take place the following week on Friday 4 October, versus Leicester Riders.
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:42:37 GMT
And the capture of ZT from Riders.
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Championship Winner moves to Worcester
Worcester Wolves have landed a major coup by securing the services of American point guard Zaire Taylor from under the noses of their Midlands rivals, the Leicester Riders.
26-year-old Taylor played a leading part in the Riders winning a triple of trophies last term: the BBL Cup, the League and the Championship playoffs.
He averaged thirteen points, three assists and two steals a game for the Riders, on a team where he often had to battle for a share of the limelight with other players on a highly-talented roster.
Fans who witnessed last year’s two-legged BBL Trophy semi-final against Leicester will recollect that he led the Riders’ scorers in both matches, being particularly deadly from three-point range when seeing off the Wolves’ challenge.
Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James is thrilled to have such a skilful player join his side, saying:
“To have a player such as Zaire Taylor commit his services to the Wolves is a measure of the ambition of this club. It shows how serious we are about winning trophies.
“Zaire put up some impressive stats at Leicester, but even that doesn’t tell the full story when you look at how many other game-winners they had over there.
“We’ve had some long discussions about what we are looking to achieve in Worcester, and Zaire will now play an integral part in reaching those targets.
“I’m delighted he’s on board.”
The capture of Taylor is sure to add to a growing rivalry between the two clubs, particularly as the Riders will be the very first visitors to Wolves’ new home, the University of Worcester Arena, in early October.
Taylor is excited to be joining the Wolves, saying:
“I am very happy to sign with the Worcester Wolves. The team was extremely competitive last season.
“I like Coach James' style of play. I think it fits my game extremely well, and Alex Owumi and I in the backcourt should rank among the league’s best backcourt tandems.
“When it comes down to it, I wanted to play for a team that has the potential to win, and I also had to do what was best for me and my family at the end of the day."
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:45:23 GMT
And some young guns.
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Study and Play Opportunities in Worcester
Following on from the re-signing of promising young forward Kalil Irving, Worcester Wolves have confirmed a couple of other up and comers who will be joining Irving as members of an elite study and play programme at the club, in partnership with the University of Worcester.
Harry Turner is a returnee to Worcester, while Caylin Raftopoulos will be a new face in the city.
While 21 year-old Irving certainly made the biggest impression out of a raft of young recruits last season, 19 year-old Turner also performed efficiently when called upon, posting four points per game in the few minutes of action he saw at the guard position.
Despite Turner’s limited time on court, Wolves’ Director of Basketball Paul James feels there is sufficient potential to include him in his plans for the new season, commenting:
“We had a lot of young talent at the club last year, going up against some experienced talent in order to earn time on court.
“Kalil forced his way into the starting line-up and, to a lesser extent, we had other young players such as Harry also vying for minutes.
“Harry showed enough promise for me to want to make him a part of my squad for the future.”
In recognition of their efforts and their obvious potential, James also revealed that the University of Worcester and the club had backed both Irving and Turner by financing a summer trip to Lithuania where they enjoyed taking part in an intense European training camp, explaining:
“As well as playing for the Wolves, Kalil and Harry are both students at the University of Worcester.
“Kalil is studying Marketing and Harry is studying Business Management. This organisation will always reward effort and the trip to Lithuania was recognition of the efforts both young men have put into their basketball and into their University studies.”
Another person who now wants to take advantage of the special relationship between the Wolves and the University of Worcester is 20 year-old Caylin Raftopoulos.
Caylin is the son of ex-Surrey Heat coach Creon Raftopoulos and has signed up to Sports Coaching studies at the University while also hoping to make a basketball impact.
Averaging five points a game at the Heat last year, the 5 foot 8 inch guard is another player with the ability to improve his production if he can gain more time on court.
Paul James is pleased to welcome Raftopoulos to Worcester, saying:
“Caylin did well when he got his chances last year. He scored in double figures several times, including against us back in February.
“He can also dish out assists and be a threat from three-point range.
“However, like everyone at the Wolves, he knows he will have to earn his playing time. I know he will be knuckling down in his studies at the University and there will also now be the chance for him to grind it out on court.
“I am delighted that Wolves’ relationship with the University can create such great opportunities for basketball talent.”
Wolves’ first home game of the season will take place at the brand-new University of Worcester Arena on Friday 4 October, versus Leicester Riders. However the week before, on Saturday 28 September, will see the season-opener for the Wolves, a visit to Raftopoulos’ former team, the Surrey Heat.
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Post by Solly on Jun 21, 2020 10:46:58 GMT
And the rounding-out of the roster.
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Changing of the Guard at Wolves
Worcester Wolves’ new guard pairing of Alex Owumi and Zaire Taylor is being described in some quarters as potentially the best backcourt combination in the British Basketball League.
As the Wolves put in place the final preparations for their eagerly-anticipated debut outing in the University of Worcester Arena, against Leicester Riders this Friday, they have the reassurance that the experience of Owumi and Taylor will be backed up by some keen young talent.
While the club have previously announced the return of 19 year-old Harry Turner and the new signing of 20 year-old Caylin Raftopoulos, there are one or two other young guards who will also be eager to stake a claim for court-time.
Disraeli Lufadeju has been putting up impressive numbers for the Medway Crusaders in the English Basketball League, one division below the Wolves, and has now caught the eye of Worcester Director of Basketball Paul James.
The 21 year-old led the Crusaders’ scorers last season when averaging 20 points a game, as well as dishing out three assists, and putting his 6 feet 1 inch height to good use in snatching six rebounds per outing.
Lufadeju also top-scored for English Universities when they successfully defended their Home Nations title earlier this year.
Meanwhile another player on that title-winning England team, Calvin Morant-Hudson, returns to the Wolves for a second season, looking to build on his debut.
While he performed solidly for the University of Worcester side, the speedy point-guard often found himself behind several others in the fight for minutes on the Wolves senior team.
James sees great potential in both players, commenting:
“Disraeli has certainly shown he can perform at a lower level. It will now be up to him to show me that he can carry his skills over to the BBL.
“Calvin is another who has talent, but needs to be able to perform at this level.”
Rounding out Wolves’ roster for this season’s campaign is small forward Daniel Belgrave. Although he will now be entering his third season in Worcester, Belgrave is a player who has so far had a stuttering couple of years at the club.
After seeing very little time on court in 2011, he was quick to grab his chance to impress early in the 2012 season, before returning to a backup role thereafter.
After registering a solid eleven point performance in an October blowout of Mersey Tigers, Belgrave came even more to the fore with a stunning 26-point explosion in the 98-59 demolition of Cheshire the following day.
Although that rousing weekend was rewarded by his inclusion in the BBL Team of the Week, faltering form and an injury saw his impact tail off after that.
Nevertheless, James is content that Belgrave is another player who can do a job for the club, saying:
“There is likely to be greater competition than ever for minutes this year. Daniel knows what he has to do to grab a share.”
These latest signings are also testament to the valuable relationship that Wolves has in place with the University of Worcester, with Kalil Irving, Harry Turner, Caylin Raftopoulos, Disraeli Lufadeju, Calvin Morant-Hudson and Daniel Belgrave all being able to happily combine their university studies with playing basketball.
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Post by Solly on Jun 22, 2020 12:58:56 GMT
Four games in and four games won.
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My oh my, four games played and four wins on the board.
Top of the BBL as well, am I dreaming? No I’m not, but you can bet that more than a few onlookers might not have foreseen such a belting start to the season.
Indeed, if we’re honest, it could be said that we dodged bullets in our latest two games, at London and here at home to Cheshire.
After the predictable demolition of Surrey and the much less predictable W over Leicester, I had surmised we ought to comfortably see off Cheshire and London last week, albeit that the trip to the capital ought to be a mite tougher.
As it turned out, both games were dour battles where we did OK early doors but then fell behind late and were only saved by steals in the dying seconds of regulation time, prior to eventually emerging triumphant after OT.
Last week the NBA were the stars of Manchester in a pre-season exhibition. At the same time a man called MBA was a newly-arrived star in London.
GB international Matthew Bryan-Amaning was definitely the difference-maker for Lions on Thursday, with plenty of points and plenty of rejections of our own Will Creekmore’s shot attempts.
Anyway, long story short, it needed the combined efforts of Kalil Irving and Stefan Djukic to steal and score from a wayward inbound pass as time was drawing down. Rightly-deflated opponents then allowed us to grab the extra time victory.
Similarly, we got a right corker versus Phoenix. If anything we dug ourselves an even bigger hole than on the night before.
A breakdown in second-half scoring put fans down in the mouth, until again we pounced on a last-moments slack inbound ball.
Zaire Taylor on the line and has to make both foul shots – “Taylor, Taylor” rang out across the Arena and the smooth one delivered us to OT and then our double of triumphs. Phew…
On to the individual breakdown for the main men in both games (stats for London first):
Zaire Taylor – 15/27pts, 4/3 steals. Hampered by heavy falls in both games But if this is what you get from a less than 100 per cent fit player, then wow, just wait…
Alex Owumi – 14/23pts, 2/5 x 3ptrs. Unfazed.
Jamal Williams – 6/9pts, 3 x 3ptrs vs Cheshire. Outshining his younger brother.
Stefan Djukic – 3/7pts, 9/10 rebounds. Dogged.
Will Creekmore – 17/28pts, 15/22 rebounds. Four games in and four double-doubles on the board. Get out of the way, truck coming through!
Kalil Irving – His numbers don’t fully reflect his contribution.
Fabulous stuff. Thank goodness the players have had a week to recover. I can only imagine that there were some massively exhausted bodies last weekend.
Will C. said that the guys were so done in that there were a bunch of times where they could have given up, but wouldn’t. That sums up the spirit. Brilliant.
Break in league action for tonight then, with Manchester our Cup opponents. Another Worcester old-boy, David Watts, in the house.
Say hello to Tin-Tin. Oh, and see if you can get yourself over to North Solihull Sports Centre on Sunday (3pm tip off), for our encounter with BBL new-boys, the Birmingham Knights.
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Post by Solly on Jun 23, 2020 15:12:41 GMT
And the unbeaten start to Worcester's season continued.
1. North Solihull Sports Centre - an unbelievable venue. My driver took a picture of the court's "speed-bump" - incredible (the speed-bump, not my driver taking a picture).
2. Whatever happened to Birmingham basketball?
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‘Six of the Best’ for all Wolves supporters, methinks. Or do we call it ‘Seventh Heaven’? I don’t know, everyone is running out of superlatives.
What a superb win up in the North East last Friday. A win in the first round of the BBL Cup and 6-0 in the league, including Ws over the powerhouses of Leicester and Newcastle, and I’m just looking for a win today, and one tomorrow in the cup, and then I’ll be on ‘Cloud Nine’!
Anyway, looking back on our games of a fortnight ago will be the subject of today’s sermon.
First up was a sbasketball kit to victory against Manchester Giants, 88-66. After a ponderous start to fall behind 4-9, we simply turned up the heat to nail the next thirteen points of the night.
After that there could only be one winner in a match notable for bench players Daniel Belgrave and Harry Turner seeing reasonable minutes, new boy Andreas Schreiber slotting straight in, and Alex Owumi hitting a remarkable 6-7 three-pointers in the first half. Job done.
The following Sunday looked to perhaps be a livelier affair, with us trekking over to BBL newcomers, the Birmingham Knights.
This was in fact my first visit to their North Solihull home since the distant days of the Birmingham Bullets. While it is nice to see new teams join the league, it is unfortunate that little, if any, money appears to have been spent since I was last there, to improve this already tired venue.
To be fair to Birmingham, they will say that this was not their originally-planned home, but those Wolves fans who made the trip must have been as amazed as myself at the sorry state of the playing surface.
Many moons ago I watched one Bullets game where rain leaked through the roof, such that a floor wiper had to constantly dash back and forth to towel it up as the game took place.
Our visit two weeks ago was equally bizarre in featuring an unbelievable ‘speed-bump’ in one area of the hardwood court. Incredible.
For the game itself, my thoughts of it being a possibly tighter affair than the Giants match were totally erroneous.
Brent Benson, who had sunk 45 points against Sheffield the week before, was absent, as was former Worcester guard Michael Gayle.
After only five minutes we had thundered to 17-1, and Coach James was already giving rest to several starters.
47-24 at half-time, and 100-59 by close of play, pretty much sums it up. And we hardly needed to get out of second gear.
On to the individual breakdown for our slaying of the Knights:
Zaire Taylor – 14pts, 3 steals. Toyed with the opposition.
Alex Owumi – 7pts. Content to allow others to shine.
Jamal Williams – 13pts, 3 x 3ptrs, 8 rebounds. Boundless energy.
Stefan Djukic – 9pts, 5 assists. Did enough.
Kalil Irving – 8pts. Ditto.
Will Creekmore – 12pts, 6 rebounds. Only a bloodied nose prevented him seeing enough court time to make it 6 from 6 double-doubles for the season.
Andreas Schreiber – 18pts, 12 rebounds. Settling in fast.
Calvin Morant-Hudson – 9pts, 5 assists. Tidy performance.
Daniel Belgrave – 5pts, 4 rebounds. Ditto.
Caylin had to sub out early with an ankle injury, and Disraeli was in civvies.
There will undoubtedly be much harder games ahead…
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Post by Solly on Jun 24, 2020 17:25:40 GMT
And the unbeaten run has ended.
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A couple of weeks back a lot of you will have sat here watching us slip to a three-point loss against Plymouth.
Despite playing poorly, particularly in allowing far too much room for Raiders’ outside shooters, there was still a chance to snatch overtime at the end.
Maybe we had already gone to the overtime well too often already, versus London and Cheshire, so our luck was out.
Going into the following night’s BBL Cup game over in Leicester I reckoned we could have used all the rabbit foots and lucky heather we could gather, if we were to overturn the Riders.
At times like that Mrs Solly will often tell me to stop being so pessimistic, the players will  back themselves, regardless of any ridiculous superstitions.
Five minutes into the contest and I’m thinking the good wife is correct (as always), as we hold a 9-0 lead. Too good to be true?
But Rowe is throwing wild passes, GB captain Andrew Sullivan is continually travelling as if he’s not just booked it but even Thomas-Cooked it, and coach Paternostro is fuming.
Indeed, there is a Leicester comeback.
We get to a few seconds prior to half-time and big Barry Lamble ambles on to court.
What must we have said to him when he was with Worcester, for him to always do well against us? A gleeful two from the corner with his first touch of the ball, and its 34-31 at the interval.
Never mind, we extend to 48-41 in the third quarter. But the warning signs are there.
Stifling defence from Riders, and a couple of frustrated technical fouls for Creekmore and Owumi.
By three minutes into the last quarter we’re clinging to a 57-54 advantage. Here’s when it all goes off big time.
Jorge Calvo sinks a triple and repeats the feat a moment later. Leicester guard combo Cousinard and Downing both do the same and all of a sudden we’re staring up at 57-66.
The nightmare continues when Downing connects again and we can only respond with mistimed passes, hurried offences and wayward shots.
Only five points for us in seven minutes. 62-74 is the final score. Oh dear.
Riders move on to the Cup semi-finals, and we need to put this one behind us.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 13pts, 2 x 3ptrs, 3-7 free throws. Just two points by half-time.
Alex Owumi – 11pts. 7-8 free throws. A frustrating evening for one of our usual stalwarts.
Will Creekmore – 8pts, 13 rebounds, 4-4 free throws. Ditto.
Jamal Williams – 6pts, 2 x 3ptrs. Began well.
Stefan Djukic – 12pts, 6 rebounds. Had a good game.
Andreas Schreiber – 6pts, 4-4 free throws. Quiet.
Caylin Raftopoulos – 3pts. Scored a basket from long-range.
Daniel Belgrave – 3pts. Ditto.
We’re going back to the East Midlands tomorrow for a league encounter. Let’s hope I don’t need to rely on no lucky charms…
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Post by Solly on Jun 26, 2020 9:53:01 GMT
And we back by ending Leicester's 18-month home stand 
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A couple of weeks back we had the unfortunate postponement of our Friday night game against Surrey.
A conspiracy theorist might say that the cancellation actually worked in our favour by leaving us rested, ready for the trip to Leicester Riders the next day.
Bunkum; we would have destroyed winless Surrey whether or not we played our usual starters, and still have had plenty of gas left in the tank for Saturday.
My cry of bunkum is supported when you see that we then proceeded to record a historic 69-62 triumph in Leicester, with contributions from all quarters, not just our regular 1-5 guys. Yes, it really was a fabulous all-round performance.
Before then, the record books showed that we had trekked to Leicester fourteen times since we joined the BBL, and I’m pretty sure I was there for all of them, seeing only a solitary meaningful W amongst those fourteen. Glutton for punishment or what...
Yes we had nailed a tidy victory the week before up in Glasgow, but even that could not dispel my nagging pessimism.
During warm-ups I even sacrilegiously predicted an 8-10 point loss. Well I reckon from now on I will just have to make the same pre-game comment every time we go to Leicester, and sit in the same seat, and wear my lucky underpants etc.
Already five minutes into the contest and a low-scorer looks on the cards, with both sides nervy and the score at 4-4.
We’re two points ahead after one quarter, but tied again at 23-23 five minutes before half time, after big Will C has made his first basket.
By the break we trail 29-34, and none of our guys has yet hit double-digits. But that doesn’t matter too much, right; we’re sharing.
Ambling Barry Lamble entertains home fans with his usual lively game against his former club, but then the shoe is on the other foot.
Ex-Leicester man Zaire cheekily snatches the ball out of Andrew Sullivan’s hands and drives it home and guess which side of the gym is laughing now… hahaha.
We’re 43-47 down going into the final ten minutes, but not to worry because here was where it all went lockdown.
Kalil and Andreas stand ramrod straight to take charges, all of our players seem to have three hands on defence, and Zaire and Alex keep our side of the scoreboard moving.
Brilliant. We’ve done it. We’ve won.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 19pts, 7 rebounds. Cheeky rascal.
Alex Owumi – 20pts, 7 rebounds. Calm and collected.
Will Creekmore – 7pts, 11 rebounds. Reliable.
Jamal Williams – 6pts, 5 rebounds. Tidy.
Stefan Djukic – 3pts. Did what he had to.
Andreas Schreiber – 11pts. Hard-man enforcer.
Kalil Irving – 1pt. His stats don’t tell the full story. Hustled.
Daniel Belgrave – 2pts. Ditto.
Caylin Raftopoulos/Calvin Morant-Hudson – Limited minutes.
Twas Leicester’s first defeat on their own court since February 2012. Many others have tried, we have succeeded. Superb.
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Post by Solly on Jun 27, 2020 11:22:33 GMT
A third-of-the-season assessment.
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So here we go again, all ready to sort out Surrey in a top versus bottom ‘encounter’.
I’ve had to fair rack my brain to think of a suitable noun when referring to today’s game, before coming up with ‘encounter’.
Surely clash, or even contest, would be words that are too strong to use when considering we are meeting a side that is yet to win this year, and may even struggle to win any game at all.
Anyway, I guess we better not get complacent as perhaps our visitors are very gradually improving, albeit surely not enough to trouble our titans.
With about a third of the season already spent, here are my thoughts on how our BBL opponents are shaping up (in reverse order of predicted final placings) –
Birmingham Knights – if there is possibly a team that could finish beneath the afore-mentioned Surrey, then the Knights are that team.
Although there are one or two off-court positives, such as them drawing reasonable crowds and attracting some nice link–ups with local businesses, they need to match that with some on-court success.
Impact Player – big-scoring import guard Brent Benson.
Surrey United – were getting seriously blown out early doors, but appear to now be (mostly) limiting their losses to around the 20-point mark.
Still have to play Brum on three occasions so that could be their chance to get off the very foot of the table.
Impact Player – another side with a big-scoring import guard in Brandon McGill.
Manchester Giants – respect to the Giants for sticking so doggedly to solely British talent and still running some of the top teams close (most notably Leicester recently, only succumbing after OT).
Would surely place higher if they decided to include an import or two.
Impact Player – locally-born David Aliu is having a fine season.
Durham Wildcats – an up and down bunch.
Now in their third year at the top table of British ball, and looking less and less out of place as time goes by.
Impact Player – 38-year-old Ralph Bucci, still getting it done.
Glasgow Rocks – another organisation that has already cut a few players and brought in what they hope are better replacements.
Have a fabulous arena, so I do hope they can they play up to their support.
Impact Player – GB International guard Alex Marcotullio.
Chester Jets – have had a wildly-revolving door policy in place at the Northgate Arena this year.
Signed what looked on paper to be some tasty names, only to replace them quickly when they did not live up to their billing.
The very latest squad still looks like it should be a good one. Might go on a run up the table.
Impact Player – November’s BBL Player of the Month Victor Moses.
Sheffield Sharks – irritatingly chipping away at their opponents.
Might find it a touch too hot as the year grinds on.
Impact Player – returning point guard BJ Holmes.
Plymouth Raiders – first-year coach Jay Marriot has to fulfil the lofty expectations of a well-supported organisation, so has a lot of pressure to succeed.
Impact Player – with experience at a higher level, GB forward Nick George.
London Lions – playing out of the 2012 Olympic venue, the Copper Box Arena.
Want a team that consistently lives up to their surroundings, but have one that still blows a little hot and cold.
May win a lot of games, but also look as if they might slip up in a few that they really shouldn’t.
Impact Player – old reliable Rod Brown.
Newcastle Eagles – this could be the year their ageing roster causes an ever so slight slide.
Impact Player – on his day, greybeard forward Charles Smith.
Leicester Riders – coach Paternostro packs his squad every year.
Can still only get 5 on court at a time though Rob.
Impact Player – GB captain Andrew Sullivan.
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Post by Solly on Jun 28, 2020 11:43:30 GMT
Twas now Xmas 2013 and everything was well in the Worcester Wolves world...
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So here we are, going into the holiday period with a healthy win-loss record and right in the mix for honours this season. Great stuff.
Yes we have had one or two blips, notably losing at fellow title-challengers Sheffield and Newcastle, and a quite bizarre loss here versus Plymouth. But, aside from those results, everything has been largely good.
The year opened with our demolition of Surrey at their place, followed by the very first BBL match here at our new home.
What a cracker of a night that was as we defeated the reigning champs, Leicester Riders, in front of a rammed arena.
Next up were a couple of tense overtime victories, before another triple of wins, including beating Newcastle on their own court.
I guess that win at the Eagles made it even odder that we should then lose to Plymouth, particularly when we frittered away a big lead and continually failed to defend their outside sharpshooters.
A cup defeat at Leicester and a sizeable loss at Sheffield could have escalated the woe, except that we then won up in Glasgow and only went and bullied Leicester out of it again.
So here we stand, one of the BBL top dogs.
Here’s my individual breakdown of how our guys have got us to this point:
Zaire Taylor – a showboating star. Yes he likes to tell everyone how good he is, but that’s because he has the game to back up his words.
Highlight game – vs Manchester, seven three-pointers in the first 15 minutes. Wow.
Alex Owumi – gets work done.
Highlight game – at Leicester, stayed calm in marshalling the team to the W.
Jamal Williams – does what it says on the tin, averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds for the year.
Highlight game – at Birmingham, doubling his numbers up to 12 and 8.
Stefan Djukic – another blue collar grafter. Snorts and snarls.
Highlight game – vs Surrey, last time out, where he picked up his first Wolves double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Will Creekmore – the demolition man. November’s BBL Player of the Month. Wondrous stats so far of 20 points and 14 rebounds, with double-doubles in 10 of 13 outings.
Highlight game – it would be easier to pick a lowlight game. We want Will, we want Will, chants the crowd…
Andreas Schreiber – another sturdy battler. Makes room in the paint.
Highlight game – up in Glasgow, barely missing a shot as helped muscle us to success.
Kalil Irving – contributes. Entertains us with his swoops to the basket, or surprises us with a triple.
Highlight game – again up in Glasgow, doing what was needed.
Kai Williams – he’s back. 13 pts and 6 rebounds will do for a tidy debut vs Surrey.
Daniel Belgrave – an outside threat. Justified his minutes in the great victory up in Newcastle.
Caylin Raftopolous/Calvin Morant-Hudson – young guards making progress.
Heady days for our Worcester Wolves.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
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Post by Solly on Jun 28, 2020 11:56:00 GMT
And my excited match report from a rare road success in Newcastle.
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Friday 25 October 2013
Newcastle Eagles 71-80 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves showed that they fully deserve their place at the top of the British Basketball League by defeating one of their closest challengers on Friday.
An 80-71 win at the home of Esh Group Eagles Newcastle continues Wolves’ blistering start to the season, with a perfect seven wins from seven games record.
For most of the evening, neither side was able to break decisively clear of the other. However, in the last quarter a double of three-pointers from Worcester’s exciting guard pairing of Alex Owumi and Zaire Taylor finally established an advantage for the visitors that they would not relinquish.
Wolves’ Jamal Williams was first man on the scoreboard, with a reply from Great Britain International Darius Defoe following quickly.
Six more points from Defoe put his side in front at 14-10, but five points from Taylor and Owumi had matters tied at 15-15 by halfway through the opening period.
Towards the close of the period, forward Daniel Belgrave checked into the line-up and coolly sank a long-range effort with his first touch of the ball, helping his team to a 29-22 lead.
At seven minutes of the first half remaining, another Williams basket was the signal for Eagles’ coach Fab Flournoy to call for a time out, with his side trailing 27-34.
An ensuing 17-6 rally from his troops had turned the tables by the half-time interval, with the hosts now in charge at 44-40.
Defoe once more came out of the locker rooms in a feisty mood, rattling off a swift six points to give Newcastle their biggest lead of the night at 50-42, after three minutes of the second half had elapsed.
A burst of action from Taylor and from centre Will Creekmore were the catalysts for Wolves to come back into the contest.
Creekmore bustled through Newcastle defenders to tip in his own missed shot and, a moment later, grabbed another offensive rebound and a put-back of an Owumi missed three-point attempt.
Meanwhile Taylor hit a brace of outside scores, helping Wolves to edge back in front at 59-58 entering the final quarter of the match.
Three points from Eagles’ veteran forward Charles Smith tipped the advantage back to the home side, before a dunk from recent-signing Andreas Schreiber levelled the scores at 63-63.
Another triple from Taylor had Flournoy once more requesting a break in the action at 63-66 with six minutes to play.
From the re-start a clumsy fumble of the ball by Smith was pounced upon by the Wolves. Taylor laid on a pass for Owumi to float home a triple and Owumi then made both free throws awarded after a foul by Eagles guard Paul Gause.
Trailing 63-72 with four minutes remaining, a final Flournoy time out was unable to re-ignite his team.
A series of hurried offences and the continued strong inside presence of Creekmore and Schreiber was enough to repel the Eagles attack and allow Wolves to seal the victory.
Beaming Worcester coach Paul James gave his thoughts on the triumph, saying:
“Newcastle is never an easy place to come to, but we dug deep.
“We were behind the pace in the first half, but in the second half we conbasketball kited the boards, got stops when we needed to and then executed our offences.
“It was an outstanding team performance.”
Zaire Taylor led the Wolves scoring with 25 points, including a quartet of three-pointers.
Owumi just missed out on a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds, but Creekmore was able to achieve the feat by tallying 16 points and pulling down a huge 17 rebounds.
Scott Martin top-scored for Newcastle with 17 points, closely followed by Smith and Defoe with 15 and 14 points respectively.
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Post by Solly on Jun 28, 2020 11:59:24 GMT
And shortly afterwards I was similarly excited about what I saw at Leicester.
Wolves had quite a team that year
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Saturday 16 November 2013
Leicester Riders 62-69 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves have risen back to the top of the British Basketball League after a pulsating victory at fellow title-challengers the Leicester Riders on Saturday.
Wolves’ 69-62 success finally ends Riders’ record-setting 34-game home unbeaten run in the BBL, stretching all the way back to February 2012.
In a closely-fought game, Wolves were eventually able to emerge victorious after preventing their opponents from scoring a basket from anywhere other than the free-throw line for the first six minutes of the last quarter.
A nervous opening by both sides saw the scores level at 4-4 after five minutes had been played.
Ex-Worcester centre Barry Lamble then nudged his side in front with his first touch of the ball, but former Leicester guard Zaire Taylor was on hand to reply with a quick double of scores.
The initial quarter ended at 16-14 in Wolves’ favour after back-up point guard Caylin Raftopoulos presented a clever pass for Andreas Schreiber to lay home.
Early in the second period Great Britain’s Olympic captain, Andrew Sullivan floated home a three-pointer, before watching Taylor do likewise.
Worcester big man Will Creekmore opened his scoring account with four minutes remaining in the half, and the teams were again tied at 23-23.
As the half-time buzzer sounded there was concern for the visitors when Schreiber was adjudged to have impeded Leicester’s Anthony Downing as he made for the basket.
Two free throws for Downing put his side ahead at 34-29, and left Schreiber having already used up three of his allotted five fouls.
Sullivan was in the thick of the action after the break, nailing a score for himself and assisting Lamble to increase his tally. However, he was left standing frustrated at mid-court when having the ball snatched from his hands and swiftly put through the hoop by Taylor.
Schreiber hit a double of baskets to close out the third quarter, but by now had picked up his fourth foul and still saw his side trailing at 43-47.
The last period of play was where Worcester were finally able to assert their authority. Five points from Alex Owumi gave his side their first lead since the opening quarter, and had Leicester coach Rob Paternostro urgently requesting a time out.
Matters did not improve for the hosts after the break as another score from Owumi, and one from Creekmore, made it 53-47 with six minutes to play.
Despite Owumi and Creekmore both joining Schreiber on the four-foul mark and now teetering on the edge of expulsion, they stood firm with their team-mates in repelling a succession of Rider attacks.
Recent returnee from injury, Kalil Irving held his ground to take an offensive charge from Leicester’s Jay Couisnard and Schreiber repeated the act in the face of a wild onward rush from Downing.
It took until just four minutes remaining in the match before Riders were able to once more score from the field, a basket from Rashad Hassan, to peg the Wolves advantage back to 59-52.
With under a minute to go young English guard Connor Washington briefly ignited the hopes of a capacity home crowd with a triple, drawing his side back to 64-60, but Worcester were able to close out the evening from the free-throw line.
Emerging from underneath a jubilant dancing circle of his players, Wolves’ coach Paul James was breathless when describing what the triumph meant for his side, saying:
“You can’t express the magnitude of this win.
“Not only have we beaten a very good defensive team in Leicester, but we’ve also beaten them in their own gym, where they haven’t been beaten in I don’t know how long. I’m so proud of these players.”
Owumi and Taylor led the Wolves scoring, with 20 and 19 points respectively. Downing top-scored for Leicester with 14 points.
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Post by reallyoldfeenixfan on Jun 28, 2020 16:13:50 GMT
Nice to read some memories from the past. Had to smile at the last report " young Connor Washington" in 2013!!!!
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