Six games took place in the National Trophy on Saturday with three teams improving to 2-0 in the standings.

 

68	67

Bradford Dragons began their season with a narrow win against local rivals Leeds Carnegie, who now have two closes losses on the season. With West Yorkshire bragging rights on the line the game was set to be a tough encounter and it didn't disappoint.

 

Dragons started the first quarter brighter as a three pointer from Daumants Pabrieza gave them an early 7-2 lead. Carnegie quickly fought back through the efforts of David Ajumobi who scored their next six points but they had to wait to the mid-point of the first quarter before they would get their first lead of the game from a Henry Wilkins jumper.

 

The teams continued to trade blows in the closing minutes of the opening quarter, but Dragons were to take the momentum into the second period as Vance Silcott hit a last second jumpshot to give Dragons a 21-18 lead at the end of the first ten minutes.

 

The second quarter was welcomed by an increase in defensive intensity from both sides. Carnegie controlled the majority of the quarter and they took the lead with an Armand Anebo score with just over four minutes of the half remaining. This however seemed to spark Dragons into life as they would finish the half strongly with a 9-3 scoring run, securing a 36-31 lead to take into the lockeroom at the half time break.

 

Dragons continued where they'd left off in the third quarter as they extended their lead to a game high thirteen points. Carnegie were quick to call a timeout to stop the rot and it worked as their defense stepped up stemming the flow. This allowed them to claw the deficit back down to just two points by the end of the quarter.

 

Carnegie quickly wrestled the lead from Dragons and a Wilkins basket gave them a four point lead, their biggest of the game. The lead changed hands four times in the final five minutes with Dragons however keeping their cool as they managed to secure the win by scoring their last six points from the free throw line.

 

Dragons were led by Vance Silcott who put up 24 points and 8 rebounds whilst point guard Bobby Edmunds posted 12 points and 8 assists. Henry Wilkins and David Ajumobi led Leeds with 17 points each.

 

Bradford Head Coach Chris Mellor was pleased with the win: "I am obviously happy to win the game but we are a work in progress at this early stage of the season, at both ends of the floor. I thought our defense was littered with individual breakdowns and our offense was too stagnant with too much dribbling but we will improve in both areas."

 

64	57

Reigning champions Derby Trailblazers began their 2012/13 National Trophy campaign with a gritty 64-57 against Westminster Warriors.

 

The second quarter proved to be critical as Derby went on a 14-4 run to claim an advantage that would eventually see them win the game.

 

The game wasn't over as Westminster hit back to hold Trailblazers to just eight points in the third quarter to trail by just two heading in to the final period.

 

Trailblazers again struggled to find the bottom of the net as the fourth quarter started, registering just two points in the opening five minutes of the quarter, but they managed to also hold Westminster to minimal scoring opportunities and when the shots finally started dropping for Derby they managed to pull away with Nick Rose (pictured) scoring seven of his team's points in succession.

 

Rose finished with 21 points and Martyn Gayle had 19 as both teams shot just 32% from the floor. Olabiyi Odumosu led Westminster with 15 points and Jonathan Johnson had a 13 point, 11 rebound double-double.

 

 

66	81

Worthing Thunder lost 66-81 to Medway Park Crusaders in both teams' first full National Trophy game of the new season.

 

In what was a defensive-minded contest, Medway went on a game-winning 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to seal Thunder's fate in what was Daniel Hildreth's first full game in charge.

 

Bud Johnston led Thunder with 15 points, supported by 10 points from Tomas Seduikis. Dominic Baker and Hank Rivers both had nine in vain for Worthing. Disraeli Lufadeju led the Crusaders with 19 points.

 

"At the end of the day, we have had two practices and a scrimmage, so it’s still a work in progress but there is a lot to be positive about," Hildreth said. "There are still rotations to be worked at and plays to be memorised. It was a shame to lose tonight, but it is about the longevity of the club and things like this will happen."

 

The hosts started brightly, scoring the first 11 points of the game, with Lithuanian Seduikis scoring five and Dominic Baker four.

 

The visitors hit back though, as they found their rhythm and narrowed the gap to 17-13 thanks to Reiss Harwood's inside presence and a three from Cole Hobin on the first period buzzer tied the game at 19.

 

Medway for a brief moment took the lead towards the end of the second and even enjoyed a four-point lead at 33-29, but the hosts came back and a bucket as time expired from James Brame gave Thunder a 36-34 lead at the half.

 

A scrappy third quarter saw Medway Park claiim a narrow 52-51 lead going into the last ten minutes. The visitors came out of the blocks in the fourth stronger, as James Searle hit five quick points to help his side to a 59-51 lead that forced a timeout from Worthing.

 

Immediately after the timeout a three from Johnston brought the gap back to five points, but from then on in it was all Medway Park as they went on a 17-4 run to kill off the game.

 

70	61

Bristol Flyers were victorious 70-61 against Team Northumbria on Saturday.

 

After a quiet first quarter, in which neither team found their rhythm, the game kicked into life in the second quarter as the team's scored 42 points between them (as compared to the 22 points in the first).

 

An 8-0 run from Flyers in the second quarter, including triples from Mostapha Alfaki and Greg Streete, saw them establish a double-digit lead that was nearly fully intact by half-time.

 

Northumbria narrowed the gap to just four points at the four minute mark of the third period, but Bristol responded with a 10-1 run (again with a pair of threes, this time from Alfaki and Tamas Okros) to take full control of the game.

 

Northumbria kept pushing through the fourth quarter, but were only able to equal Bristol's points output at 20, leaving the south west team to take a nine point victory.

 

Enrique Garcia led the scoring for Bristol with 20 points (to go along with 12 rebounds) and Doug McLaughlin-Williams added 18. Jason Washington was the game's leading scorer with 22 points.

 

75	58

Hemel Storm continued their strong start to the season with a comfortable 75-58 win over Leicester Warriors on Saturday.

 

A strong defensive performance from Storm held Warriors to 15 points or less in each of the opening three quarters as they opened up a decisive 63-40 lead going into the final period.

 

Storm spread out their scoring in another good team performance with Louis Sayers leading the way on 16 points.

 

81	62

Tees Valley improved to 2-0 and dropped Brixton to 0-2 as Mohawks won 81-62 in Middlesbrough.

 

David Hanson (24), Jorge Ebanks (22) and Jamie Kohn (19) again impressed for Tees Valley as they led from start to finish.

 

A second quarter where they helpd Topcats to just seven points allowed Mohawks to go into the locker rooms with a twenty point lead that they never looked like relinquishing.

 

Mohawks coach Steve Butler commented: "When you play Brixton you know its going to be a tough game, we played tough defence and good basketball for 3 quarters. We seem to be coming out of the locker room at half time cold and letting teams back into the game which is something I need to address. On the defensive end I was really impressed with our hustle and effort."