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Post by faz on Jun 28, 2020 21:57:41 GMT
And the match report.
1. A rare draw.
2. Whatever happened to Adam Brown?
[
Played the following year in Iceland. I believe he’s now a hairdresser
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Post by Solly on Jun 29, 2020 15:06:52 GMT
faz - ta for that.
Have just checked his stats for that year with Chester and seen that he seemed to be quite a player with many 20+ points returns and a 31pts/10 rebounds showing vs Lions and then annoying Lions again with 25pts/10 assists.
Iceland has always been odd to me basketball-wise. Can recall Lijah Perkins apparently being quite a star over there but a mere bench-warmer in his Bullets days.
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Post by Solly on Jun 29, 2020 15:14:46 GMT
And here's another non-Wolves-centric article from shortly into 2014.
1. Two of those mentioned below, Setty & Huffor would later make it over to Worcester.
2. There were some real old-timers still making quite an impact e.g. Ralph Bucci, EJ Harrison (who both once featured for Teeside/Middlesborough Mohawks), Rod Brown & Charles Smith.
3. Tuck & Marsden still form an almost-dynamic duo in Sheffield.
4. Whatever happened to Ces Kucinskas?
--------------------
The week before last, Zaire made the starting five for the BBL Team of the Week, and then Will does the same for the week after. Both making their umpteenth weekly award.
And then of course we had Will C grabbing BBL Player of the Month for October and Zaire taking the honour for December. Not to mention PJ taking Coach of the Month for October (and he could also easily have landed it for December after steering the team through the month unbeaten).
We’re also of course top of the shop in the league, after continuing to stack up victories. Thing is though, all of the above won’t really count for a hill of beans unless we can convert all the Ws into silverware.
I don’t want you to think I am being unappreciative of all the other talent we have at this club that has undoubtedly been crucial in making all the recent success possible, but I just want to turn back to Zaire and Will as that is the crux of my article this week:
Dynamic Duos in the BBL –
In alphabetical order –
Birmingham Knights – first in the BBL alphabet, but unfortunately winless and last in the table, and, because of that fact, the only team where I found it difficult to choose a pair of aces. So one only to mention for the Knights:
Brent Benson – racking up the points, but largely ploughing a lone furrow. Must be frustrated as hell.
Cheshire Phoenix – in stark contrast I could have easily picked 3 top boys from this side, but Dominique Coleman will have to be omitted:
Reggie Middleton – stonking playmaker, 22 points and 6 assists.
Victor Moses – has undoubtedly played a big part in turning Phoenix form around, 22 points and 14 rebounds. Will-like numbers!
Durham Wildcats –
Ralph Bucci – Old Father Time still getting it done.
Danny Huffor – lit us up for 20 points last time out at the Arena.
Glasgow Rocks –
EJ Harrison – another greybeard guard who still got game.
Gareth Murray – playing with swag since making the GB side last year.
Leicester Riders –
Jay Couisnard – reliable.
Drew Sullivan – boring (but reliable).
London Lions –
Rod Brown – steady as she goes.
Mike Martin – still chip-chipping away.
Manchester Giants –
Rob Marsden – sturdy centre.
David Aliu – putting up the sort of figures this season that we have no right to expect of a man of his longevity.
Newcastle Eagles –
Scott Martin – quietly effective big man.
Charles Smith – this guy really has been around ages. Now 38 and has played nearly all of his thirties on the Tyne. Declining, but can still pop up with big games here and there.
Plymouth Raiders –
Donald Robinson – Beguiling trickster.
Trevor Setty – Don’t leave Trevor open!
Sheffield Sharks –
BJ Holmes – man on the spot.
Mike Tuck – man in the paint.
Surrey United – have just got their very first win of the season, humiliating the Giants. Major parts played by:
Brandon McGill – almost like Benson, except with perhaps more around him.
Ces Kucinskas – Big Lithuanian in the house.
And then of course there’s us. Will and Zaire’s major stats for the record: Will – 20 points and 13 rebounds. Zaire – 18 points, 6 assists, 3 steals. Having said that, won’t mean much unless we grab some trophies…
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Post by Solly on Jun 30, 2020 10:00:35 GMT
Its now early 2014 and the good times kept coming. Eleven up!
-------------------- Last weekend I travelled up to Chester to sit with a smattering of Wolves fans lucky to have also made the trip.
I say lucky because we were all able to see a fabulous display against one of the BBL’s form teams of the moment.
Three weeks ago many of you will have witnessed our second successive overtime W against the Phoenix, whereas last Sunday we left no such room for error when sweeping aside our foes 105-94 in regulation time.
After the game Coach James said we totally destroyed Cheshire. While I would not question that our performance was indeed a destructive one, I must say that for me it always felt as if the game had the potential to turn against us, preventing me from fully savouring our display.
Last season when we played at Chester’s ageing Northgate Arena I felt saddened by the sparseness of the crowd, and worried about whether the club would survive on such poor attendances.
This year, Phoenix’s resurgence in results seems to have prompted a revival in numbers through the door, so that was all good.
Less good, in my personal view, was the appearance on the microphone of the Marmite Man, Mike Shaft. He’s still loud, still bombastic, and still lurking up North.
I guess he’s mostly OK for some in the way he can still keep his rattle going for so many years, but he just isn’t my cuppa tea.
Anyway, on to the game.
An early lead for Phoenix was soon lost when the Williams boys both trotted in from the bench. Nine points between them in the first quarter and suddenly we are the team in charge at 20-13.
By the half we have maintained the cushion at 44-38.
The third period is much of the same in terms of back and forth scoring, except this time it is mainly from three-point land.
Eight of our triples float home, with three of them taken by Kai W.
An old Worcester face, Mike Creppy, pops up with a score or two, and then January’s BBL Player of the Month, Victor Moses, also starts to motor.
Now the gap has closed to 81-78 with five minutes left on the clock.
No need to worry though because here’s where the December POM, Zaire Taylor, turns it on.
From long distance, from close in or from the foul line he’s your man, with thirteen points in the last period alone. We ease clear, and finally I can exhale…
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 30pts, 8-11 FT, 7 assists. Tormented the opposition.
Alex Owumi – 13pts, 9-10 FT. Minutes reduced by foul trouble.
Jamal Williams – 12pts. Had a point to prove against a former club.
Kai Williams – 18pts, 5 x 3ptrs, 9 rebounds. Ditto.
Kalil Irving – 8pts. Nailed two corner pocket shots. Nice.
Andreas Schreiber – 4pts. Had a quiet game.
Will Creekmore – 17pts, 19 rebounds. Enough with all these double-doubles Mr C!
Daniel Belgrave – 3pts. Contributed.
Eleven triumphs in a row: let’s make it twelve tonight boys.
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Post by Solly on Jun 30, 2020 10:17:40 GMT
And a few words from PJ (from just before Xmas 2013) on who he saw as Wolves' title-rivals, namely Leicester, Newcastle, Sheffield & London.
Interestingly, the 13-14 final table would read as
1. Eagles 28-5
2. Sharks 27-6
3. Wolves 27-6
4. Riders 23-10
5. Phoenix 18-15
6. Lions 16-17
But, of course, table-topping Eagles would not go on to win the BBL Playoff title that year.
--------------------------
Paul James on Wolves’ Title Challengers
Worcester Wolves approach the Christmas period joint-top of the British Basketball League and Director of Basketball Paul James, while delighted with one of his side’s best ever placing’s at this point of the year, is respectful of all the teams competing for the title.
Wolves have so far accumulated eleven wins and three losses, only slightly bettered by Sheffield Sharks’ 11-2 record. Just beneath them stand Leicester Riders and Newcastle Eagles, with 10-2 and 10-3 showings respectively.
Wolves have so far faced the Eagles twice, both times in Newcastle, splitting the series. James is impressed by Eagles’ longstanding position as a powerhouse of the BBL:
“Year in and year out they have been up at the top.
“They are a solid team driven by an excellent coach in Fab Flournoy, someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, with his teams playing like that.”
In October the reigning league champions, the Leicester Riders, were the inaugural visitors to the new University of Worcester Arena and just the first side of many to leave winless.
Although they exacted a measure of revenge by defeating Wolves in the BBL Cup a month later, they suffered their first home defeat in almost two years when succumbing 62-69 a couple of weeks later to a resurgent Worcester outfit.
James expects Leicester to fight tirelessly to defend their crown:
“They are a hard nut to crack, with probably the best defence in the league.
“While offensively they might not have quite the scoring threats they had last season, they are still an imposing force who won’t give up their title easily.”
Although Sheffield Sharks have already beaten the Wolves once this year, many of their other ten victories have come against sides outside of the top four. It is the remainder of their schedule that James thinks can be the chink in their armour:
“Sharks have had consistency, with many of their players returning.
“They still have to play us and Leicester twice, as well as Newcastle three times so, although they should stay in contention, they still have to play a lot of games against the top teams.”
This Friday (tip off 7.30pm) London Lions will make the trip to Worcester. Lions are the only other club that James feels are likely to have a chance of cracking the top four:
“London are probably the deepest team.
“For example they have Julius Joseph as tenth man coming in off their bench, and everyone knows what a good player he is. They can be there or thereabouts.”
In conclusion James added:
“As long as teams stay healthy it looks like it will be a battle right up to the last weekend of the season and I’m thrilled that our Wolves are in the thick of it.”
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Post by Solly on Jun 30, 2020 10:27:31 GMT
And here's my newspaper report from that victory in Chester.
The Williams boys enjoyed their day - "the cherry on top of the sundae" (perhaps a play on words from Jamal, given the day of the week?).
Phoenix certainly had a great roster that year with the likes of Coleman & Moses.
--------------------------- Sunday 09 February 2014
Cheshire Phoenix 94-105 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves followed up Saturday’s 93-63 hammering of Plymouth Raiders with another vital road triumph on Sunday.
Facing one of the British Basketball League’s form sides, Cheshire Phoenix, the Wolves again showcased the power that has propelled them clear at the head of the table, coming up with a fine 105-94 win and extending their unbeaten run to eleven matches.
Worcester established an early lead which they were then able to maintain throughout the contest.
Zaire Taylor thundered his way to 30 points to lead all scorers, but it was also a big afternoon for the William brothers, Jamal and Kai, who contributed 30 points between them against one of their former employers.
Cheshire’s recent performances have resulted in awards for both their coach John Lavery and their first-year forward Victor Moses.
In line with their resurgence of form, there was a large crowd on hand to witness the visit of the league leaders. Their raucous support was initially rewarded as five points from England International guard Devan Bailey helped the hosts to an 11-7 lead after six minutes had passed.
From here both Williams entered the fray, and soon made their mark.
Jamal scored with his first touch of the ball and a moment later Kai floated home a shot from distance to nudge Worcester in front by a point. The brothers netted a basket apiece in the final minute of the opening quarter to extend the advantage to 20-13.
Four points from Moses hinted at a Phoenix comeback, before Jamal Williams blasted through transfixed Phoenix defenders to once more restore Wolves’ seven-point cushion.
With neither side able to wrestle control from the other, the teams went into the half-time locker rooms with the visitors holding steady at 44-38 ahead.
The nip and tuck pattern continued in a third quarter that was notable for a barrage of Worcester three-pointers. By midway through the period Cheshire forward Dominique Coleman had nabbed a couple, but his input was matched by Wolves forward Kalil Irving, and outdone by a trio of triples from Kai Williams.
Worcester stalwarts Zaire Taylor and Will Creekmore also got in on the act, as did reserve forward Daniel Belgrave, helping their side’s advantage to widen to 74-63 entering the final ten minutes of the match.
One-time Wolves guard Mike Creppy was next to score, later followed by another brace of long-distance successes from Coleman.
At six minutes to go the gap had lessened to 79-74. Additional scoring from Moses and Coleman closed it further to 81-78 over the next minute.
However, five points from Taylor and an outside success for Jamal Williams were enough to calm matters and once more put distance between the sides at 89-81 with three minutes remaining.
Taylor would grab eight more points in the final quarter, while his team-mates sank the majority of their free throws to ensure the outcome was decided in favour of the visitors.
Coach Paul James was overjoyed to complete a double-winning weekend, dancing with his players at the final whistle.
Asked if the eventual margin of victory flattered his team he emphatically replied:
“In no way at all. We should have beaten them by more. We totally destroyed Cheshire today.”
Talking about the weekend as a whole James added:
“I can’t emphasise enough the magnitude of the weekend. Set up as one of our toughest, we came through it like the number one team we are right now.”
Referring to the performances of the Williams duo, James enthused:
“I’m so pleased for them. Cheshire were spending a lot of time in a zone defence, so we shot them out of it.
“It was perfect for Kai, and I’ve been encouraging Jamal to shoot more, which he did today.”
Jamal Williams also spoke about playing alongside his brother, saying:
“It was beautiful for Kai and myself out there today. And beating Cheshire, one of our former clubs, was the cherry on top of the sundae.”
Coleman and Moses led the Cheshire scorers with 26 and 22 points respectively.
Creekmore garnered his umpteenth double-double of the season with 17 points and 19 rebounds.
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Post by Solly on Jul 1, 2020 10:30:29 GMT
And a victory at Newcastle put Wolves into the Trophy semis.
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Friday 21 February 2014
Newcastle Eagles 73-86 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves marched through to the semi-finals of the BBL Trophy after overcoming Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 86-73 on Friday.
The Wolves ended an Eagles’ unbeaten run of eleven games at their own court dating back to last October, and extended their own winning run to a highly-impressive thirteen matches.
For three-quarters of the game the outcome was in the balance. From there a stunning burst of eighteen points without reply to begin the last period powered Wolves into a decisive lead, leaving their hosts shell-shocked and unable to respond.
Jamal Williams was the star of the scoring surge, drilling eleven points in less than a couple of minutes, on his way to an eventual 23 points, his biggest single-game contribution since coming to Worcester.
Stefan Djukic won the ball from the tip-off and assisted his fellow forward Kalil Irving to open the contest with a three-pointer.
By six minutes into the proceedings, with Wolves holding a slender 12-10 advantage, both Jamal and Kai Williams had stepped onto court from the bench. At the close of the initial quarter the brothers had tallied five points apiece, extending the lead to 30-20.
Newcastle’s player–coach Fab Flournoy opened his account as the second quarter began, and set up Great Britain International Darius Defoe for a couple of useful baskets, halving the deficit to 37-32 by midway through the period.
A triple from American guard Paul Gause helped close matters further to 42-40, before his opposite number for the Wolves, Zaire Taylor, popped up with five late points to restore a 47-40 first-half cushion.
Veteran forward Charles Smith was first off the mark for Eagles coming out of the interval, and continued input from the reliable Defoe once more reduced the home side’s arrears.
By four minutes remaining in the third period the hosts had finally edged ahead at 53-50, a lead they would hold until the end of the quarter, with the evening now poised at 60-56.
It was from here that the visitors would accelerate into the distance.
Centre Will Creekmore initialised the burst, before Wolves’ captain Alex Owumi nailed his first basket to push his side back in front at 61-60.
Jamal Williams was fouled in the act of scoring and duly converted the bonus free throw as he set off on his astonishing whirlwind of personal activity.
Another inside score was swiftly followed by a double of shots floated in from long-distance, to leave Newcastle floundering at 72-60, and held at bay until the final buzzer.
Wolves’ coach Paul James was ecstatic about the triumph, saying:
“It was an absolutely marvellous performance.
“We stuck to our game plan, we shared the ball around, and it all paid off with the win.
"The character shown by the players was tremendous.”
Referring to the individual display of Jamal Williams, James added:
“Our so-called ‘big three’ of Alex, Will and Zaire will always do what they do, but we also need other players to make their mark and Jamal certainly did that tonight.
“He was red-hot in the last quarter, with some fabulous moves.”
The other teams that will take their places alongside Wolves in Monday’s BBL Trophy semi-final draw are Sheffield Sharks, Cheshire Phoenix and the winners of this Sunday’s encounter between Manchester Giants and Glasgow Rocks.
Taylor led all scorers with 24 points, while Creekmore once more submitted a double-double performance, tallying 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Defoe top-scored for Newcastle with 22 points.
Wolves are quickly back into action on Saturday night with a trip to North Solihull Sports Centre to take on winless Birmingham Knights, (tip off 7.30pm).
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Post by Solly on Jul 1, 2020 10:34:57 GMT
And of course another facile victory followed at the severely-out-of-their-depth Birmingham Knights.
30pts for Stefan Djukic. Wow.
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A question for all of you reading this article who are in employment: how many days leave does your employer grant you each year? I bet most of you would say “not enough!”
Same here for me, as I often find myself arranging my precious days off around basketball.
Last Friday was one of those occasions where my manager (understandably, given my undoubted value to the organisation…) wanted to play hardball, so I missed all the fun of our superb QF Trophy triumph up in Newcastle.
On to the semis then, and while it shouldn’t be straightforward to make it through to our first final since stepping up to the BBL, we undoubtedly have already done more than our share of major graft in taking earlier round Ws on the road at London and now Newcastle.
Anyway, on to last Saturday and there were no problems for me to wend my way over, (alongside a very healthy number of other Wolves fans), to Birmingham’s, possibly strange to some, Solihull home.
Having said that, Birmingham Bullets and Coventry Crusaders have both had spells there, so maybe the title of the current incumbents is not that strange after all.
Pre-game the bookies forecast that we would win by 32 or more points. I ummed and gummed about taking the bet, but somehow thought we might take it easy on them, so declined.
Four minutes had elapsed before Knights troubled the scoreboard, while we racked up 11.
Birmingham were embarrassingly inept early doors with multiple turnovers and wayward shooting, slipping back 29-11 after the opening quarter.
By the half Birmingham had doubled their output to 22 points, but we had also almost doubled our total, to 55.
Before the interval our scoring was evenly spread amongst the squad, but after the break virtually everything went through our two bullies on the block, Will C and Stefan.
9pts for Will and 13 for Stefan as they both continually muscled aside hapless defenders, taking it to 86-38 by the close of the third period.
Birmingham managed a tad of respectability late on, but there was no danger in our saunter to the final 117-60 outcome.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 11pts, 8 assists. Toyed with the opposition.
Alex Owumi – 13pts, 12 rebounds. Double-double performer.
Will Creekmore – 17pts, 10 rebounds. Ditto.
Jamal Williams – 6pts. Tidy.
Kai Williams – 10pts, 8 rebounds. Did enough.
Kalil Irving – 9pts. Ditto.
Stefan Djukic – 30pts. Made 12-15 field baskets. Wow.
Daniel Belgrave – 9pts. 3 x 3ptrs. Outside threat.
Caylin Raftopoulos - 8pts. Lively.
Calvin Morant-Hudson – 4pts. Ditto.
A last note – BBL Trophy Final, Sunday 30 March, Glasgow. My day off on the following Monday is already settled, ready for some post-success carousing. C’mon boys.
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Post by Solly on Jul 1, 2020 10:44:51 GMT
And here's my (struggling to be diplomatic) newspaper report of that facile victory in Solihull.
So sad for Birmingham basketball fans, but better to do things properly or don't do them at all.
The dangerous "speed-bump" was still present in the court. Wonder if it's still there even now?
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Saturday 22 February 2014
Birmingham Knights 60-117 Worcester Wolves
The day after beating one of their closest rivals for the BBL Championship, the Newcastle Eagles, Worcester Wolves made the short trip to bottom-of-the-table Birmingham Knights.
Still on a high from seeing off the Eagles, Wolves made short work of the hopelessly-outclassed Knights, sauntering to a 117-60 victory.
This latest triumph stretches Wolves’ unbeaten record to three months and leaves them with a record in the league of 20 wins and just three losses.
For long periods coach Paul James was able to give a run out to the normally lesser-used members of his squad and they responded with lively performances, none more so than Stefan Djukic who rampaged to a career-high 30 points.
The tone for the evening was set early as Birmingham fumbled successive possessions while allowing their visitors to race to an 11-0 lead.
After four minutes the Knights finally troubled the scoreboard, a three-pointer from forward Martyn Gayle.
When his elder brother, one-time Worcester guard, Michael Gayle converted a couple of minutes later the Birmingham deficit stood at 15-7, the closest they would come to their opponents.
Alex Owumi sank the last basket of the initial quarter, moving his personal tally to nine points, and his team’s lead to 29-11.
Kai Williams was the prime contributor as the second period began, taking the first five points, blocking an attacker’s shot and then lofting a long pass to Zaire Taylor who delighted in producing a spin reverse slam of the ball through the hoop.
Knights’ coach Paul Douglas attempted to quell the onslaught with a time out, but this had little effect in lessening his side’s woes.
Reserve guard Caylin Raftopoulos thrilled a large band of travelling Worcester supporters by floating home consecutive triples to move matters to 47-18.
The last play before the half-time interval typified Wolves’ dominance; centre Will Creekmore and Djukic teased Birmingham defenders by to-ing and fro-ing the ball several times between them until Djukic mercifully ended the torment by jamming it into the basket.
It was Creekmore and Djukic who largely continued the heavy artillery after the break.
Creekmore registered nine points including an outrageous shot from behind the backboard as he tumbled out of bounds, while Djukic continually muscled players aside as he pounded his way to thirteen points.
A prominent feature of Knights’ performances this season has been the scoring of their American guard Brent Benson, averaging 23 points per game.
It was another measure of Worcester’s control that it took over 25 minutes for Benson to open his account, with his team by then already staring skywards at a huge 71-28 deficit.
Entering the final ten minutes of the afternoon, a powering 86-38 lead had already been established, and most of Wolves’ starters had retired for the evening.
Revelling in their increased court time were Calvin Morant-Hudson who got himself onto the score sheet, and fellow guard Raftopoulos who added to his earlier scores.
Daniel Belgrave also came to the fore, swishing home a trio of three-pointers.
Paul James was satisfied at seeing his team assert their authority, saying:
“We certainly carried on with our form from the Newcastle game. I was pleased that I was able to give everyone plenty of minutes, and no one disappointed me.
“Individually, Stefan Djukic was superb with 30 points and that’s fantastic for him.”
Behind Djukic, the next highest scorers were two players who both registered double-double of statistics. Creekmore tallied 17 points and ten rebounds, while Owumi nabbed 13 points and grabbed 12 boards.
Martyn Gayle and Brent Benson were Birmingham’s only double-digit scorers, with 17 and 14 points respectively.
Wolves’ next outing will undoubtedly be a much harder task as they return to the University of Worcester Arena this Friday to meet Newcastle Eagles in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash.
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Post by Solly on Jul 2, 2020 9:43:46 GMT
It was now getting all so exciting to be on the verge of a Final.
After so many years of Wolves (& Bullets) disappointments.
Guess it could be similar to how Bristol fans were feeling this year as they approached the possibility of a big trip to the Cup Final.
-----------------
What a difference a day makes, at least 24 hours, as the song goes. So it is that I write this article the morning after the night before of our 62-60 first-leg victory up in Sheffield.
That’s right I say to myself, a victory, so, now that a day has passed, I need to reflect on the positives, and lessen down on those negative feelings.
Well, for a start, we have a lead. Yes, it may only be a couple of points, as opposed to the double-digit advantage it looked like we could have been headed for, but we still have control.
I’ve just dredged back on some of my old game reports and realised that this is actually a first for the club; we’re heading into a semi-final second-leg without staring up at a big first-leg deficit.
Two seasons back we had to trek all the way down to Plymouth with a huge 28-point deficit, and last year we trotted over to Leicester nine points in arrears. On both second-leg occasions we triumphed, albeit by not enough to reach a final.
Allied to the historical bit above, of course today we are at home, at a venue where we have only been outsmarted a couple of times, by the perennial contenders of Newcastle, and the crafty early-season Plymouth.
With a big crowd on hand, baying like we all can, we can surely influence the deal.
To the game last Friday then. We began well, with Zaire and Will settling down nicely early doors. The Williams boys are both in the starting five and notch a score apiece to help in the 21-13 lead after Q1.
In the second is where we really flex, with Zaire accelerating up to 15 points and those pesky Williams adding nine between them.
“Don’t Fear the Reaper” is coming over the speakers just before the second half tips off and I’m smirking at what I thought was the (in)aptness of the song’s title for the Sharks.
By the end of the third period I’m still letting a smile play across my features, because we are up 59-46, but there are worrying signs ahead.
Kai hits a trey and its 62-49 with nearly nine minutes to play and that’s where it all kyboshed.
No further Wolves scoring at all! Patrick Horstmann and Mike Tuck seal the defensive paint, BJ Holmes heats up the offensive fire.
I could say more, but I did say at the start of this piece that I should lessen those negatives, so I’m zipping it…
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 18pts, 8 assists. Often ploughed a lone furrow.
Alex Owumi – 3pts. A night to forget.
Will Creekmore – 14pts, 11 rebounds. Frustrated, but persevered.
Jamal Williams – 7pts. Huffed and puffed.
Kai Williams – 12pts. OK.
Stefan Djukic – 4pts. Made both his foul shots.
Daniel Belgrave – 4pts. Limited minutes.
A last point – if we do what we should tonight, then here’s what we’re looking at: Glasgow - Sunday 30 March – BBL Trophy Final – Wolves’ first-ever final in the top-tier of British hoops. C’mon boys.
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Post by Solly on Jul 2, 2020 9:50:04 GMT
And here was my newspaper report for the semi first-leg.
Have just chuckled at my having used the rarely-used word "rescinded" 
-------------------------------
Friday 07 March 2014
BBL Trophy Semi-Final First Leg: Sheffield Sharks 60-62 Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves hold a slender two-point advantage over One Health Sharks Sheffield in the battle to decide which club progresses to the BBL Trophy Final to be held in Glasgow at the end of this month.
In Friday’s first leg semi-final at Sheffield, the Wolves raced into a 20-point first half lead, and still sat on a double-digit cushion in the closing minutes of the game.
However, a barren final quarter that produced only a single score for the visitors saw Sheffield climb back into contention to end the evening just 62-60 in arrears.
Wolves’ centre Will Creekmore began the scoring, and settled into what would be a night-long tussle around the basket with Sharks’ big men Patrick Horstmann and Mike Tuck.
Point-guard Zaire Taylor tallied Worcester’s next four points and similarly set off on his own duel with his opposite number at the Sharks, BJ Holmes.
After six minutes had been played and with his side ahead 11-6, Wolves’ coach Paul James was about to send forward Stefan Djukic into the fray to replace Jamal Williams before rescinding his decision after Williams opened his scoring account.
Younger brother Kai ignited a flurry of three-pointers to close the first quarter, with Holmes and Tuck replying for Sheffield and Alex Owumi on target for Wolves.
Horstmann was first off the mark in the second quarter, reducing the Worcester lead to 21-15, before a stunning 18-4 tear placed Wolves firmly in the box seat.
Eight points from Taylor were accompanied by nine points from the Williams brothers as their team eased to a comfortable 43-25 interval lead.
The warning signs of a Sheffield comeback were apparent at the game’s re-start.
A triple from Holmes was followed by a confident dance to the basket by young English guard Zach Gachette.
When Tuck handed the ball to Horstmann for the German forward to jam it through the hoop, the contest was back on.
By midway through the period the Sharks’ arrears approached single digits at 50-38, before a double of Creekmore scores helped steady the ship at 59-42 in the last minute of the period.
It was from here where the tables were turned, with the Wolves’ offence stagnating and the Sharks’ confidence soaring.
Djukic was forced to foul Horstmann as he trundled forwards, and then had to watch the resultant free throws converted.
Gachette blocked a Taylor shot attempt and delivered a pass for Holmes to lay in. Holmes swished home a three-pointer as the last quarter commenced, and the evening now stood at 59-49.
Kai Williams looked to have restored calm when he floated in a long-distance shot, but this was to be his side’s final points, despite over eight minutes still remaining.
Holmes was on the mark again to bring matters to 62-51, a score that would stand until there was four minutes left on the clock.
Holmes assisted Tuck to break the drought, and then similarly assisted Horstmann.
A couple of Taylor free throws went badly astray and the same man saw his next shot attempt blocked before Horstmann once more slammed home a score.
There were now a couple of minutes left in the evening, with matters poised at 62-58.
Frustration grew throughout the last quarter for the Wolves as they saw continued drives to the basket by Taylor rejected, and saw Creekmore fighting tiredness as he battled to break through the Sheffield wall around their basket.
Creekmore’s annoyance could no longer be contained when he voiced his anger to the referees, was penalised with a technical foul, gifting his opponents a couple of free throws which Holmes duly converted to close the night.
While disappointed that a big lead had been lost, Paul James was still upbeat about having an edge ahead of the return-leg, saying:
“Yes the advantage could have been bigger, but it could also have been less.
“We had a good first half, moving the ball well, but in the second-half we were static, took some ill-advised shots, allowing Sheffield to come back.
“They still have to come to our place behind, so I’m confident we can get the job done.”
Taylor led the Wolves’ scorers with 18 points, followed by Creekmore with 14 points.
Horstmann and Holmes top-scored for Sheffield, with 17 and 15 points respectively.
The second and deciding leg of the tie will take place at the University of Worcester Arena on Wednesday, (tip off 7.30pm).
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 9:29:26 GMT
And we then indeed sorted out Sharks in the second-leg of the Trophy semi. And I booked my plane up to Glasgow!
Woo-hoo! 
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Wednesday 12 March 2014
BBL Trophy Semi-Final Second Leg
Worcester Wolves 84-70 Sheffield Sharks - Wolves win on aggregate 146-130
Worcester Wolves have achieved a historic milestone for the club by winning through to their first-ever major final since stepping up to the British Basketball League in 2006.
An 84-70 triumph in the second-leg of their BBL Trophy semi-final against Sheffield Sharks sees them progress to the competition final at Glasgow’s Commonwealth Arena on Sunday 30 March.
Just as in last Friday’s first leg in Sheffield, the Wolves raced into a large lead, only to see their opponents peg them back towards the end of the game.
However, on this occasion Worcester were able to produce a resurgence of scoring to eventually pull clear, resulting in joyous celebrations for a near full-house at the University of Worcester Arena on Wednesday.
Before tip-off Wolves’ Paul James was presented with the Molten BBL Coach of the Month Award for February from the Mayor of Worcester, Pat Agar.
Wolves’ stalwarts, centre Will Creekmore and point guard Zaire Taylor, came out of the blocks determined to set aside the disappointment of being
held scoreless for the final quarter of last week’s encounter, and eager to put on a show for the visiting dignitary.
With a couple of minutes remaining in the opening period they had already tallied 15 points between them, helping their team to a healthy 20-12 advantage.
Sharks’ BJ Holmes floated in a three-pointer towards the close of the initial ten minutes, but Taylor immediately did likewise to re-assert control.
Worcester captain Alex Owumi was another player keen to atone for a quiet first-leg performance, choosing the second period to show his mettle.
After laying on a pass for Jamal Williams to convert, he then accepted a similar gift from his team-mate to move his personal scoring into double figures, and to maximise his side’s lead at 46-26 with a minute and a half until the interval.
However, a loose ending to the half saw Holmes hit five consecutive points and Sheffield forward Olu Babalola make his first basket from the field, lessening the deficit to 46-34.
Babalola was the first person to trouble the scoreboard as the teams exited the locker rooms, while his forward partner Mike Tuck also notched four quick points.
Wolves’ reserve forward Daniel Belgrave revelled in being given a chance to impress, dropping successive long-range bombs to restore calm at 58-47 with four minutes left in the third quarter.
Young English guard Zach Gachette closed the quarter’s scoring to bring matters tighter at 62-56.
As the final period began an errant pass from Williams was pounced upon by Tuck. As he set off with the ball he was impeded by Taylor who was adjudged by the referees to have committed an unsportsmanlike foul.
Tuck duly converted both of the resultant foul shots and further capitalised by scoring on his team’s next possession to edge the evening worryingly close at 62-60.
With six minutes to go, the crowd noise had become muted with the match tied at 66-66.
By a few minutes later the volume had been turned right back up in admiration of a fine spell of play from Taylor. He bookended baskets from Creekmore and Owumi, helping Wolves accelerate ahead to 75-68.
In the closing ticks of the contest, as Sheffield desperately fouled to slow the clock, he was also impeccable from the free throw line, sinking six of six attempts.
The icing on the party cake was provided by Creekmore when he cheekily hurled up a long distance side-armed shot which fell through the hoop as the full-time hooter sounded, signalling the start of wild celebrations amongst players and spectators.
Paul James emerged from underneath a bouncing huddle of his charges to declare his delight at seeing Worcester finally make the breakthrough to a competition final, saying:
“Again we were 20 points up, and again Sheffield came right back at us.
“But we had plenty left in the tank. There was no way we were going to lose this game tonight.
“I’m delighted we’ve now made it to a final, and we’re looking to have a great day out.”
Taylor led the Wolves’ scorers with 30 points, followed by Owumi and Creekmore with 18 and 16 points respectively.
Holmes top-scored for Sheffield with 18 points.
Wolves now take a break from action until Friday 21 March when they will welcome Plymouth Raiders to the University of Worcester Arena.
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 9:36:43 GMT
And, just before the marvellous trip up to Glasgow, another easy time against Plymouth.
1. Certainly was an under-achieving roster that year (and one or two other years) under Jay Marriot.
2. Whatever happened to Marriot's outrageously-tight tank-tops 
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Glasgow, Glasgow here we come, Glasgow, here we come.
Oh dear I think I need to calm down somewhat don’t I, particularly as there is also the small matter of dealing with Sheffield tonight, before we should even consider Glasgow on Sunday.
Alright, let’s have a brief look at Sheffield, then take a look at last week’s dismissal of Plymouth, and then reward ourselves by thinking again about Glasgow.
It was three weeks ago that we had our first encounter with Sharks since they somehow destroyed us by 20-odd points last November.
It was a horrendous trip to get to Sheffield with multiple sets of roadworks strewn up and down the motorway (with, of course, not a single workman anywhere to be seen), but the venue itself is always pleasant whether it be the vast Arena, Ponds Forge or where they are settled now, next to the copshop.
We quickly accumulated a big first-half lead, only to see it reduced to just two points by the close of that first-leg.
In the return leg back in Worcester, we once more stormed to a peak 20-point advantage, only to see it once more shredded.
By six minutes to go we’re locked up at 66-66, but Zaire goes off on one, and we roll on to a big 84-70 W, and set up for the Final.
Zaire and Alex were great, as was Will, but then we have come to expect that. The extra edge was in the contributions from guys like Stefan and the Williams boys.
Same again tonight please.
Last Friday saw the visit of Plymouth. Since their previous visit when they sneaked a 74-71 victory (and ignited our mini-November-slump), we have gone off in different directions.
We are flying high, while they have descended down the table, in danger of even missing out altogether on the top 8.
Should have been a routine night for us you would have thought. Well you know what thought did; he thought he had when he hadn’t, and when he looked, he had...
Five minutes in and we’re trailing 7-13, with Alex the only person troubling our side of the scoreboard.
Great Britain forward Nick George is having a nice game, as befits his international status, and by the end of Q1 we’re still in arrears at 15-23.
But then, yet again, Zaire goes off on one, hitting 18 points in the second period alone and helps us up to 48-41. Wow.
By midway through the third quarter we’ve extended to 67-50, and we can smirk at incandescent Raiders’ coach Jay Marriot almost erupting out of his too-tight tank top.
Towards the end of the evening Plymouth float in a few triples to reduce the deficit to near-single digits, but we basically do just enough.
Sorted for the 96-86 win then; it was just that it never felt as comfortable as it could have been. We’ll need to be a tad more ruthless today methinks.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 25pts, 3 x 3ptrs, 4-4 FT. Explosive capability.
Alex Owumi – 19pts, 3 x 3ptrs, 8 rebounds. Lively.
Will Creekmore – 37pts, 9-10 FT. Solid, solid as a rock.
Jamal Williams – 3pts, 6 rebounds. Did enough.
Kai Williams – 5pts. Ditto.
Stefan Djukic – 4pts, 5 rebounds. Double-ditto.
Caylin Raftopoulos – 3pts. On, scores, off.
Oh no, I’m running out of space on the page, I wanted to say more about Sunday’s trip to Glasgow…
However, what is there to say beyond play to your potential everyone; do that boys, and there’s no way we return from Scotland potless.
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 9:44:18 GMT
And below is one of several articles I excitedly released in the run up to Glasgow.
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Reflections on semi-final success
The University of Worcester Arena played host to joyous scenes of celebration last week when Worcester Wolves overcame Sheffield Sharks to move into the final of the BBL Trophy, to be held at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena on Sunday 30 March.
Since their promotion to the top flight of British basketball in 2006, this was only the third time that Wolves had reached the semi-final of any competition, having lost out on both previous occasions.
The scenes of excitement that followed last Wednesday’s 84-70 second-leg victory, (aggregate score 146-130), were in no small way a reaction to the club having finally managed to secure the chance to grab some silverware.
Wolves’ coach Paul James spoke of his delight at seeing the efforts of his players rewarded with a trip to a final, saying:
“I’m proud of all the players; it’s been a real team effort to get to the final.
“We’ve had tough games all the way to this point, winning on the road at London, Newcastle and Sheffield.
“On Wednesday we rebounded as a team, got stops as a team, and as a result now stand on the verge of winning a major competition.”
One of the standout individual performances came from Zaire Taylor who notched a huge 30 points, as well as setting up numerous scores for his team-mates. He also preferred to deflect credit for the victory to his colleagues, remarking:
“This was all about the team coming through when it mattered. Sharks pushed us to the wire, but we then responded as we should.”
Last season, when playing in Leicester colours, Taylor won a triple of competitions. The only blot on his record was a mere runners-up medal in the BBL Trophy. He is determined to complete his collection of honours, adding:
“This is the only title I haven’t won but, more important than that, it’s also a chance for Worcester to get their first title.”
There was a near-capacity crowd on hand at the Arena to see James’ troops build a big first-half lead, only to see Sheffield whittle it away as the night progressed. James was full of praise for the contribution of the club’s supporters in urging Wolves to succeed:
“The fans have been fantastic, becoming the sixth man for the side.
“When the going got tough and Sharks levelled the scores, they really got behind us, turning their support up a notch and inspiring us to get the job done.”
Assistant coach Alex Radu echoed James’ remarks about the intensity of the spectators’ support:
“The place was packed; thank you to everyone who came along.
"We want to build on the result for the rest of the season and build a championship team for the people of Worcester.”
The club has put together a combined coach/game ticket deal for fans who want to make the trip up to Glasgow, and all the signs are that Wolves will enjoy the backing of substantial numbers. Further details can be found on the club’s website/Facebook page.
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 9:58:30 GMT
And just one other pre-Glasgow article.
I was so f'in excited.
And note that there was none of this fannying around and taking the Friday off before Sunday's big game.
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Massive Weekend for Wolves
This weekend will see a massive double of games for Worcester Wolves in their quest to win the club’s first major silverware.
First up will be the visit of Sheffield Sharks to the University of Worcester Arena on Friday (tip off 7.30pm).
After that the excitement will ramp up even higher with the BBL Trophy Final on Sunday afternoon (tip off 3.15pm) against the hosting Glasgow Rocks.
Wolves are right in the thick of the battle for the British Basketball League, sitting four points behind Newcastle Eagles, but with three games in hand on the leaders.
Sharks lie in third place in the table, just two points behind Wolves, having played the same number of matches.
Despite Worcester having beaten Sheffield in both legs of their Trophy semi-final, their visitors on Friday can take heart from having triumphed in their only league encounter to date.
Teams play each other three times in the league, with whoever fares best in the series having the edge if those teams finish with level records by the season’s end.
Wolves know that they cannot afford to lose this week if they are to retain a chance to secure the head-to-head advantage.
Once Friday has passed there will be little time for the players to relax before making the long journey up to Glasgow for an overnight stay, before taking their place in the club’s biggest game since joining the BBL in 2006.
However, head coach Paul James has no fears about the quick turnaround, saying:
“We were actually offered the opportunity to cancel the game against Sheffield, but I feel we’re better when we’re playing.
“It’s nice to have a game where there’s going to be a lot riding on the result, which will focus our minds ready for Sunday.”
Wolves’ president Mick Donovan is also acutely aware of the importance of this weekend’s double of matches, commenting:
“We’ve got to concentrate on Sheffield first – we can’t afford to trip up with playing them again after that, and then still having to play Leicester and a few other good teams.
“We have to win on Friday to keep up our assault on the league.”
The club has already reported that there will be at least a couple of coachloads of fans travelling up to Scotland and both James and Donovan are appreciative of the support.
“I’m really excited about so many Wolves fans making the trip, and we definitely want to make that journey worthwhile for them,” said James.
“Sunday is huge. We’ve worked towards this for so many years.
“As well as lots of people going up on coaches, there are also people taking the train, driving up, or even flying there.”
“I understand Glasgow’s arena holds about 7000. There will be at least a couple of hundred from Worcester there, leaving around 6800 Scottish people, so I think we are obviously going to have to make a bit of noise,” joked Donovan.
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 10:15:39 GMT
And while we didn't fanny around with cancelling the preceding-Friday's game, we then paid for it with a disappointing pre-Trophy Final loss.
And it gave Sharks the deciding H-to-H that in the final table put them second and Wolves third.
The table at that time shows how few teams had winning records. And Leicester weren't up to their usual standard.
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Friday 28 March 2014
Worcester Wolves 73-82 Sheffield Sharks
Worcester Wolves will go into Sunday’s showpiece BBL Trophy Final against Glasgow Rocks on the back of a stuttering display against One Health Sharks Sheffield on Friday.
Another large crowd at the University of Worcester Arena, many of whom will be following the club up to Scotland, will have been disappointed to see Wolves stumble to a 73-82 defeat, and subsequently slip down to third place in the British Basketball League.
Although Sharks and Wolves now hold identical 21-5 win-loss records, the head-to-head advantage should the sides finish level at the end of the season has been grabbed by the men from the Steel City.
Both clubs then look upwards at table-topping Esh Group Eagles Newcastle who possess a 24-5 record.
After six minutes had elapsed things looked rosy for the hosts, with a trio of three-pointers from Alex Owumi and Will Creekmore helping to establish a 14-3 lead.
However, six points apiece for Sheffield’s duo of Mike Tuck and Zach Gachette contributed to a 17-17 tie by the conclusion of the opening period.
Reserve guard Caylin Raftopoulos thrilled fans by floating home a long-distance score to keep matters close at 22-25, three minutes into the second quarter.
A few minutes later Raftopoulos repeated the feat but, worryingly, Creekmore was the only one of Worcester’s big guns still firing.
Owumi typified the generally lax performances from many of Wolves’ usual stalwarts by hurling a wild pass several feet over the outstretched arms of Creekmore and into his side’s backcourt.
Coming out of the half-time locker rooms adrift 34-42, the contest looked to be back on after a couple of minutes as an initial score from forward Stefan Djukic, accompanied by four points from the ever-reliable Creekmore, dragged Worcester back into contention at 40-42.
Zaire Taylor, who had been limited to just a solitary point in the first half, suddenly came to the fore with ten quick points.
Kai Williams also sprang to life to tally four points, pegging Sharks back to a single-point lead at 62-61 entering the final ten minutes of the evening.
Unfortunately the revival was short-lived as Tuck and Gachette were once more on the mark, while the home side were unable to again trouble the scoreboard until Taylor ended his personal scoring with six minutes still to play.
With Creekmore by now tiring in his constant battle around both baskets with Shark’s big men, there was to be no chance of a bail out for the home team.
By two minutes remaining the deficit had climbed into double digits at 68-78 and Coach Paul James was resigned to sending his bench players on court to end proceedings.
James expressed his frustration after the game, saying:
“We didn’t play how we are used to playing. Sharks made it a messy game and we just didn’t respond well.
“We got back into it in the third quarter but then went back to not sharing the ball.
“I’m hoping this can act as a kick up the backside; no one is just going to roll over against us. Sheffield deserved the win.”
Looking ahead to more positive matters, James pledged that his team will work to make amends in Sunday’s Trophy Final, saying:
“We’ll now put this game to the back of our minds and look forward to a great occasion for the club.
“We need to go out there and play to our best. A lot of the players will be sore about what happened tonight and will want to put things right on Sunday.”
Creekmore led the Wolves’ scorers with 16 points, with Taylor and Djukic the only other double-figure scorers with 13 and 10 points respectively.
Olu Babalola top-scored for Sharks with 20 points.
Once all the excitement of the trip to Glasgow has died down, it will be necessary for Wolves to adjust back to the grind of league action against Durham Wildcats at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday 04 April.
British Basketball League
Standings as at Friday 28-March-14
1. Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 24-5
2. One Health Sharks Sheffield 21-5
3. Worcester Wolves 21-5
4. Leicester Riders 19-8
5. London Lions 16-12
6. Cheshire Phoenix 15-12
7. Durham Wildcats 12-16
8. Plymouth University Raiders 12-17
9. Manchester Giants 11-17
10. Glasgow Rocks 10-17
11. Surrey United 4-23
12. Birmingham Knights 0-28
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2020 10:28:06 GMT
You were there for the glory days of Bullets. though? And that nearly day at Towers when you all got to watch Leopards win the league on the big screen?
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 16:14:55 GMT
hersey27 - yes I certainly was at Wembley on the last day of the regular season when Bullets beat Towers.
We then heard that the Leopards game (think it was vs Sheffield in the Ameachi season) had gone into overtime.
One of the Bullets contingent who went by the nickname of "Il Postino" (because he always delivered!) then organised the wheeling over of a TV onto the court for us to watch the OT period on Sky Sports.
Of course this was all in pre-internet days and was also in pre-big screen TV days.
Was over 20 years ago so my recollection is a little hazy. Though it could have been one of those projecting-upward-type TVs that they used to have in some Phoenix Nights-type social clubs, it might have instead been one of those up-in-the-air-telly-on-wheels-type TVs that featured in 60s/70s schools for events such as the Caernarvon Investiture or (if you paid a pound) approved end-of-school-year films (my school delighted in showing Day of the Jackal).
Anyway it all ended sadly for Birmingham that day as the Leopards OT win gave them a wafer-thin title, finishing on the same W-L record as Bullets but edging the H-to-H.
But Bullets had their day shortly afterwards by taking the PlayOff title.
So big years for Birmingham in 96, 98 (and almost in 2000 as well), but then many years of hurt/ridicule would follow. |
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Post by Solly on Jul 3, 2020 16:25:36 GMT
By ridicule I meant the sort of ludicrousness that saw coach Steve "You're the best point-guard, you're the best small forward etc." Tucker return to the BBL for a second spell.
I'm sure that after the first time he got binned he said he would not lower himself to coach in such a lowly competition again.
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Post by Solly on Jul 4, 2020 12:29:43 GMT
And here it is, my prog article following the Glasgow triumph.
Even now I still feel moved  re-reading the article.
Mrs S & I were so so happy
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Hey, do you think it would be a tad self-indulgent if I was to fill the whole of this page with the words ‘Wonderful, Wonderful Worcester’, ‘Wonderful, Wonderful Worcester’ etc.
Maybe, maybe not.
Unlike some of you reading this article, I can’t lay claim to have been following the Wolves since day one, rather only since the entry into the BBL in 2006.
But for me personally that feels enough justification for some self-indulgence.
When I think back to the number of trips I (and, on many occasions, also my driver) have made up and down the land to venues aplenty in the pursuit of Wolves’ successes.
Particularly in the early days of our promotion to the big league, it really became necessary to lower expectations of many wins, because it really was a baptism of fire for the club.
Loss after loss, both home and away, a few flashes of hope with players like Anthony Paez and James Life, but mostly little success.
That was until a few years back, and the arrival of Coach James and the gradual build up to where we stand currently as one of the undoubted big guns of the BBL.
Last Sunday was just so immense.
Big big respect for everyone who made the trip – planes, trains and automobiles (and coaches). Two hundred, or perhaps closer to three hundred, of the Wolfpack on show in Glasgow. Wow.
Sort of puts a lump in your throat. Zaire told me afterwards he was astounded at the level of the support, saying that all he could hear when both teams came out was overwhelming chants of ‘Worcester, Worcester’, despite us being outnumbered big style by the volume of home fans.
To the game itself.
We stumbled early doors, down 15-25 after Q1, and still adrift at the interval 38-44.
Gareth Murray was nigh-unstoppable in the first half, and just carried on in the same vein in the third quarter.
All well and good for the Rocks you might think, but the difference after the break was that there seemed to be a distinct lack of ongoing support for him.
Yes, their other Scottish-born player Jonny Bunyan also performed tidily in front of the locals, but none of their imports came to the dance.
By the close of the third we have gone ahead at 58-55 and that’s where we stayed; ahead.
70-65 with five mins to play, 77-72 with just over a minute to go. 83-76 FT.
White souvenir t-shirts everywhere behind our bench, flags waving, whooping, hollering and ‘Go, Wolves, Go’ banners being unfurled, urging our boys over the line.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 11pts, 6 assists. Mercurial.
Alex Owumi – 11pts, 2 x 3ptrs, 7 rebounds. Determined.
Will Creekmore – 22pts, 15 rebounds. Yet again solid, solid as a rock.
Jamal Williams – 26pts, 3 x 3ptrs, 3-3 FT. Off the bench to richly-deserved MVP.
Kai Williams – 9pts. Tidied up.
Stefan Djukic – 2pts. Got work done.
Kalil Irving – 2pts. Ditto.
Caylin Raftopoulos – Nil pts. Cameo appearance.
And it’s still not all over for us this year. The Championship is still in our own hands with the way the remaining fixtures stand for us, Sheffield and Newcastle.
And then of course there are the playoffs, culminating in a place at Wembley.
‘Wonderful, Wonderful Worcester’, ‘Wonderful, Wonderful Worcester’…
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Post by Solly on Jul 4, 2020 12:43:05 GMT
Ironically when reflecting on Worcester's biggest achievement up to that point, despite an intensive search, I am unable to locate my newspaper report for the Trophy Final.
Report, report, wherefore art thou oh dearest report? 
Is this the report I see before me, the paper towards my hand? Unfortunately it's not, but it's a later supplementary article.
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Tributes to Trophy Triumph
Admiration for the achievement of Worcester Wolves in securing the club’s first-ever major trophy continues.
Sunday’s thrilling 83-76 comeback victory over the hometown Glasgow Rocks in the BBL Trophy Final was the last step of a journey that began with a challenging first-round tie at London Lions.
The journey then got harder with a trip up to the North East to face the league-leading Newcastle Eagles. After inflicting a rare home defeat on the Eagles, there was no let-up in the intensity of opponent when Worcester were drawn against Sheffield Sharks, (who currently sit second in the table), in a two-legged semi-final.
The last hurdle standing in the way of success was needing to overcome the Rocks, playing on their own court in front of nearly 6000 of their own fans.
Wolves’ playmaker Zaire Taylor spoke for all of his team-mates in paying tribute to the part that was played by a huge band of travelling Worcester supporters:
“They were awesome. Both teams came into the arena at the same time, but despite our fans being outnumbered by more than ten-to-one, all I could hear in my ears were chants of ‘Worcester, Worcester’.
“A seven-hour journey each way, and yet hundreds of people made it. That moved us.”
Zaire was the very last player on Sunday to make his way back to the locker rooms, keen to drink in every last drop of the occasion, adding:
“It’s about a lot more than the 40 minutes you see on the court. The organisation, the fans, the city of Worcester; everyone has put something towards the win. There are so many people I want to thank.”
Assistant coach Alex Radu is one of the people who puts in many hours of dedication to the Wolves’ cause, but still prefers to deflect praise to others:
“I’m overjoyed. So many people have contributed to our success.
“The support from our fans has been tremendous with people coming by buses, cars, trains and planes; we dedicate Sunday’s win to them!”
Wolves’ Chairman Roger Clarke gave his thoughts after watching the club he helped found, finally stamp their name in the record books:
“This win has come about through a lot of hard graft, some great recruitment, unbelievable supporters, and sheer desire.
“This success has brought us to the level we want to stay at. Everyone will have to take Wolves very seriously – we want even more silverware now.”
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Post by Solly on Jul 6, 2020 13:23:49 GMT
Back to league business.
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Exactly a week after all the emotion and clamour surrounding our triumphant trip to Glasgow’s wonderful Emirates Arena, it was back to the much-less glamorous surroundings of a sports hall tucked away on the backstreets of a Manchester housing estate.
Despite the oddness of the Giants’ venue, their organisation do a really good job of making the best of what they have, and we always seem to get a lively encounter against them.
There are far worse places to visit, (for instance, the ridiculously aged and cramped home of today’s visitors Leicester, despite their much higher position in the standings than the Giants), so, if you get the chance to go I’d recommend you take it.
Pre-game, Willy Hills were offering Manchester a 13 points start against us. Despite a 22 point dismissal of Durham on Friday, I still reckoned that the bookies were being more than a little ungenerous to Giants’ chances. And so it proved to be.
For the second game in a row, Will beasted his opponents.
On Friday it was Durham's slim-line Mike Allison who got pounded, while on Sunday the Giants wheeled out the considerable bulk of veteran Mike Bernard to try to counter him.
Not a chance. By the interval, Will is already on 19 points and Alex is next-highest scorer on 15, as we lead 48-39.
The third period is where it goes a tad awry. Manchester’s BBL POTM for March Rob Marsden shows his mettle, as does the irrepressible Yorick Williams.
Game back on at 66-63. By eight minutes to play, we’re trailing at 68-69.
A few minutes later it all gets a bit surreal when Will has to take a seat on the bench after picking up his second tech for arguing with an advertising hoarding…
But this year’s Wolves vintage is made of strong stuff and its Zaire who takes up the scoring baton, drilling a trio of triples.
The accompaniment of nine late points from the Williams Boys, and we’re finally home and hosed at 94-86.
On to the individual breakdown:
Zaire Taylor – 21pts, 4 x 3ptrs, 8 assists. Tormenter-in-chief.
Alex Owumi – 21pts, 4 x 3ptrs, 8 rebounds. Solid.
Will Creekmore – 33pts, 12 rebounds, 10-10 free throws. It seems that steamrollering defenders is not sufficient; even inanimate objects need to be afraid.
Jamal Williams – 9pts, 6 rebounds. Did enough.
Kai Williams – 6pts. Contributed.
Kalil Irving – 2pts. Lively.
Stefan Djukic – 2pts. Ditto.
OK, on to tonight’s opponents, the Riders from Leicester. I reckon we could really do with second-place in the table, rather than slipping to third.
Finish in third, and you might have to tread carefully around the potential banana skin of Chester, instead of what ought to be a more straightforward playoff encounter with the likes of Plymouth.
We’ve beaten Riders here; we’ve beaten Riders at their place.
Respect to them for rising up from a rather-ordinary side pre-Paternostro, to becoming an established force.
But we’ve also had a similar upturn in fortunes since our latest head man arrived. Let’s do them again, let’s make them squeal again in their disappointment.
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Post by Solly on Jul 7, 2020 7:27:06 GMT
And now it was up in the air as who Wolves would take on in the first round of those 2013-14 playoffs.
Seems like Durham, Plymouth and even Manchester were having decent seasons at that time.
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Will we finish this season in second, or will it be third?
This article had to be prepped prior to Wednesday’s trip to Sheffield. If we won in the Steel City then just one win from our two final games, (tonight vs Rocks or tomorrow at hapless Surrey United), will confirm second.
On the other hand, a loss on Wednesday means that Sheffield will need to lose one of their two final matches, either tonight when they host Manchester or on Sunday at Plymouth, (and we win both our last two), in order for us to claim second.
If we finish in third place we will definitely face sixth-placed London Lions in the first round of the playoffs. However, finishing second means that we will need to wait until the close of the weekend to see who we meet out of Plymouth, Durham, Glasgow or Manchester.
With all of the above in mind, I thought I would take the opportunity to give my take on each of our possible first round opponents, and why I think we will duff them up, whosoever they turn out to be.
London Lions
It’s been sliderama central for the Lions over the last few months. They started the season like HS2, but have finished it like Thomas the Tank Engine.
Early doors they were awaiting their full complement of imports, but still had the short-term stay of Great Britain star Matthew Bryan-Amaning, prior to his step up to the French league.
We only sneaked away from the Copper Box Arena with a single point OT win, before their player turnover began.
Contrast that October outcome with our 25-point W in London last week to give you an idea of how much of a non-fist fight we ought to be up against in the playoffs vs Lions.
Plymouth Raiders
Even more so than the Lions, Plymouth have made use of quite a revolving door this year.
I guess the bad omens were sown from the outset when coach Love was replaced by rookie head man Jay Marriott just a few days prior to the season opening.
Turns out that Mr M had very definite ideas of his own about the player selections of Mr L, and so the shuffle began.
In-out-shake-it-all-about, and not much for the better unfortunately.
Yes they sneaked away from our house with a slim upset victory, but that was in November and we’ve since stuffed them by 40 points over two games.
A left jab followed by an uppercut will do for them methinks.
Durham Wildcats
An odd lot. We’ve stuffed them by more than 20 points in each of our three meetings this year.
But then they’ve had decent showings against a few contenders, running Newcastle close and upsetting Leicester.
We should see them off, but maybe it could go to the judges’ scorecards rather than a straight KO.
Glasgow Rocks
Our beaten foes from the Trophy Final. Could they use that defeat as their motivation to make amends in the playoffs?
We really ought to see them off, but I reckon it could hinge on turning the screw.
Demoralising them with a few hard thumps early doors should knock the stuffing out of them and prevent any comeback.
Manchester Giants
Now these are the banana skin bunch that could cause the most trouble.
Every time we’ve played them it has been a contest, even if the scoreline doesn’t always suggest that.
Helped by the Watts/Jones factor, helped by an in-your-face full house at their sports hall, helped by an all-English spirit and the Giants are a real challenge.
You would think that finishing higher in the BBL should qualify you for a less potentially-tricky opponent than Manchester.
We shouldn’t get cocky and try to punch them out of the ring, lest we get caught with a lucky shot.
Anyway, we shall see. Let’s have a couple of nice warm-up bouts tonight and tomorrow, and we’ll be ready to float like butterflies and sting like bees in the post-season.
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Post by Solly on Jul 7, 2020 7:38:17 GMT
And my report of the last regular-season home match vs Rocks.
1. Murray has certainly been at Rocks a while.
2. Whatever happened to Alex Marcotullio and Fran Urli?
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Friday 18 April 2014
Worcester Wolves 84-79 Glasgow Rocks
Worcester Wolves held on to their chance of claiming second place in the British Basketball League by defeating Glasgow Rocks at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday.
With the current holders of the runners-up spot, Sheffield Sharks, also emerging victorious in their penultimate fixture, the final standings will not be confirmed until Sunday afternoon after Sharks have completed their trip to Plymouth Raiders.
If Wolves win as expected in their match at lowly Surrey United on Saturday, then matters will hinge on what takes place in Devon the day after.
With Glasgow battling hard to stay in contention for a playoff place, Good Friday was never an entirely comfortable way for the Worcester players to enjoy a Bank Holiday.
Although a substantial 51-32 advantage had been accumulated by halfway through the contest, the Rocks doggedly stuck to the task, leaving the game still up for grabs in the final seconds, with Wolves just managing to secure a hard-fought 84-79 success.
Nearly half of Wolves’ first quarter points came from an unlikely source, young English forward Kalil Irving. He floated home a three-pointer to bring up an early 8-4 lead, and a few moments later impressed with a confident drive to the hoop.
Glasgow edged in front after Gareth Murray was on target with a triple, but eight additional points from Irving soon regained the lead.
Kai Williams sank from the outside to close the first quarter at 29-24, and Alex Owumi did likewise as the second quarter opened.
Another double of baskets from Williams stretched the advantage to 37-24 at seven minutes left in the half, forcing a Glasgow time out. The short interruption did little to help the visitors as Zaire Taylor opened his account, and Disraeli Lufadeju came off the bench to sink a deuce of three-pointers.
However, the longer interval break seemed to have a different effect as Glasgow rallied.
Wolves’ centre Will Creekmore hit two scores in the first minute of the second half, but it would be a further three minutes before any other Worcester player would score again from the field.
In the meantime the Rocks chipped away at the deficit, closing matters to 58-51 with two minutes of the third period remaining.
After the first couple of minutes of the final quarter had elapsed, the gap had reduced to just 68-63 after a series of successes for Murray, and for his forward partner Fran Urli.
Accurate shooting from Owumi initially looked to have put down the resistance as the advantage widened back out to 75-63 at five minutes to play, prompting Rocks’ player-coach Sterling Davis to urgently call for another break.
With their season on the line, Davis’ troops responded, providing an exciting finale.
With Scottish-born Murray’s scoring inspiring his team mates, the arrears were once more reduced to 80-74 approaching the last minute of the evening.
Williams was adjudged to have impeded Chris Johnson as he laid the ball home, and then had to watch his fellow Canadian make the bonus free throw, to make it a one-shot game.
At 38 seconds to go the tension ratcheted even higher after Taylor got in the way of Alex Marcotullio’s desperate three-point attempt.
Marcotullio converted two of the three foul shots he was awarded, bringing his side tantalisingly close at 80-79.
However the valiant efforts of the visitors were not ultimately rewarded as Taylor found Lufadeju open, and the first-year Worcester man was able to float home his third long distance success of the evening.
Wolves’ coach Paul James reflected on what took place, saying:
“We always knew Glasgow would scrap hard, with their play-off hopes still in the balance.
“The message to our players was to end the regular season as we started it here, with a win.
“We did well in the first half, but became static in the second. Ultimately we came through though, helped by a big three-pointer at the end from Dizzy.
“I’m also pleased that we had five players scoring in double-figures, as well as a stunning performance from Zaire Taylor; 14 rebounds, 13 points and 11 assists – what more can you ask for from your point guard.”
Top scorers for Worcester were Owumi and Irving with 21 and 15 points respectively.
Murray and Johnson joint top-scored for Glasgow with 18 points apiece.
The regular season will conclude for Wolves with Saturday’s trip to Surrey. The home leg in the first round of the play-offs will take place at the University of Worcester Arena next Sunday, 27 April, (tip off 3pm).
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Post by Solly on Jul 7, 2020 7:41:52 GMT
And the final regular-season outing, at the hapless Surrey United.
Whatever happened to Ces Kucinskas and Joel Henry?
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Saturday 19 April 2014
Surrey United 77-103 Worcester Wolves
In their first game of this British Basketball League season, back in September, Worcester Wolves came away from a trip to Surrey United with a massive 117-60 victory.
Seven months later the venue was the same for Wolves in their final regular season game and, while the winning margin may not have been quite so large, the outcome was another comprehensive win for Coach Paul James’ charges.
This latest 103-77 triumph puts Worcester, at least temporarily, into second place in the table, pending the outcome of Sheffield Sharks’ match at Plymouth Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
If the Sharks lose in Devon, Wolves will retain their placing and face the league’s seventh-place finisher in the first round of the post-season playoffs. A Sharks win will drop Wolves to third place and mean their opponents, over two legs, will be the London Lions.
A couple of baskets each for forward Stefan Djukic and guard Zaire Taylor were the feature of a 12-7 start for Worcester.
For Surrey, Lithuanian centre Ces Kucinskas was the early standout, hitting six points to aid his team to climb back to 19-18 by the last minute of the quarter.
When American import Nick Freer then opened his scoring account, the visitors trailed for the first time.
Aside from three wins over bottom-of-the-table Birmingham Knights, Surrey have only tasted success in one other match this season.
Accordingly, they could have been excused for finding it difficult to hold on to a lead against one of this year’s elite sides.
And so it proved to be when a score from Taylor restored natural order within a couple of minutes of the beginning of the second period.
On the next play Taylor tormented his opposite number Joel Henry into giving up the ball, and the Surrey player immediately compounded his error by fouling Kai Williams on a three-point shot attempt.
Williams made two of the three free throws he was consequently awarded, and a moment later stood clear to sink a three-point shot and open daylight between the teams at 31-26.
It was from here that United crumbled. Club captain Alex Owumi floated home the first two of what would prove to be six personal triples overall, and by half-time the lead had accelerated to 52-36.
Owumi’s hot streak carried over past the interval. When a Djukic missed free throw bounced out it was Owumi who was the first to react, immediately passing the ball back for the Serbian big man to dunk through the hoop.
Between the fourth and sixth minutes of the third quarter Owumi totally knocked the stuffing out of Surrey with a stunning burst of three consecutive triples, helping Wolves establish an unassailable 72-48 advantage.
Entering the last ten minutes coasting at 80-56, there was no let-up in the torture. Taylor and Owumi both converted from the outside, and young English forward Harry Turner then delighted a sizeable band of travelling Worcester fans by joining the three-point shooting party.
In the final seconds, for good measure, reserve guard Caylin Raftopoulos ensured he also dotted his name on the scoresheet with a long-range success, tipping Worcester over the century of points tallied.
Just as in Friday’s win over Glasgow Rocks, there was an even spread of scorers across the Worcester roster. Owumi led the way with 24 points, closely followed by Taylor with 22.
Taylor served up ten assists to register a double-double of statistics, while Will Creekmore also grabbed the honour, with a 19 point and eleven rebound performance.
Williams and Djukic made their mark with 19 and nine points respectively. Kucinskas top-scored for Surrey with 26 points.
While Wolves await confirmation of the name of their opponents for the first round of the playoffs, the timing of the second leg of the encounter has already been set. This will take place at the University of Worcester Arena next Sunday afternoon, 27 April, (tip off 3pm).
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