The Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders' Head Coach, Martin Ford, ahead of their most important game of the season so far, has praised American forward Terrence Woodyard after a breakthrough weekend for the first-year BBL player.
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The Riders slipped to a 74-77 defeat to the Marshall MK Lions on Saturday, before bouncing back to overcome the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets 86-93 the following day. The latter game was effectively won by Woodyard as, with 4.30 remaining, he scored a basket, subsequently stole the ball and netter a three-pointer to give the Riders the edge.
Coach Ford commented,"Terrance Woodyard was huge for us he had 19 [points] and 13 [rebounds] one Saturday and 26 and 10 on Sunday. At the moment he's like a sponge, he's asking me questions all of the time, and he's taken his game to another level. I'm hoping the other guys can get the ball to him where he wants it, and he's playing much more of an inside-outside game than before. He needs to work out where he can be most effective for us. I always thought he'd be something special in this league, and he's started to show he can be."
Taking the weekend as a whole, which saw them snap a four game losing streak, Ford added, "It was a good weekend. We put in a decent performance against Milton Keynes. In the first half we were very good, we pushed the ball well, and rebounded excellently. We were 17 up at half-time, and we felt they hadn't shot well, but they did in the third period and got back into it. In the end it was that extra experience from Mike New that helped them secure the win. But we made massive strides going forwards. We out-rebounded them, and took 18 offensive rebounds, so it very pleasing even though we lost the game.
"We started the game at Chester in the same was as we had against Milton Keynes, but even though they came back, we got the win. We certainly played as a team during the whole weekend. We looked out for each other, and took the right shot at the right time, rather than rushing things. We played hard and did a good job containing Shawn Myers for a lot of the game."
Woodyard is averaging 13.63 points and 8.18 rebounds in his debut season in the BBL. This weekend he will be looked to during their crunch BBL Cup quarter-final tie on the road at the Guildford Heat on Sunday (3.00pm tip-off). Interestingly, the fixture list has thrown up the reverse fixture in the BBL Championship the night before, as the Heat travel to the East Midlands on Saturday (7.30pm tip-off).
HEAT & AARON GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS |
Guildford Heat Basketball Club can confirm that the club and Carlton Aaron have parted ways by mutual consent. Both Paul James and Carlton Aaron agreed things were not working out as they had hoped, and the best course of action for both player and club was to part company with immediate effect.
Aaron had been averaging 12.44 points and 6.22 rebounds per game in BBL Championship action so far this season, but had struggled in their opening two ULEB Cup games averaging just 2 points and 1 rebound per game on 20% floor shooting in defeats to KK Bosna and DKV Joventut Badalona.
The 6'9", 21 st, centre had previously spent two seasons with the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders where he raised the BBL Trophy last season whilst being honoured with the MVP award in the final, and he was also nominated to the 2006-07 BBL All-Star Team.
Carlton did not travel with the team to Berlin ahead of Tuesday's ULEB Cup Group A tie against Alba Berlin
The Sheffield Sharks moved into joint third in the BBL Championship table, whilst condemning the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks to their first defeat in five games, with an 81-85 win at the Braehead Arena.
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Former Shark Sterling Davis, now player/coach of the Rocks, led the scoring with 25 points in a losing effort. The Sharks, however, spread their scoring and were paced by Randy 'Chino' George's 18, with Justice Graham on 15.
The Sharks dominated the opening stages and instantly took a lead which they held for the majority of the game; they led 13-23 after the first quarter.
The lead was extended in the second as a Justice Graham triple capped a 13-2 burst that made the score 31-50, which became 36-55 at the half.
The Rocks started to claw the game back in the third period as Julius Joseph finished a 10-2 burst with a three-pointer to leave them down by 58-65 going into the decisive stanza.
Once in the fourth the home side took the lead for the first time after a 9-0 push made it 70-69. With 3:00 remaining they had extended that lead to 78-71, only for Alto Virgil to inspire the Sharks to the win with 5 points in a 14-3 close to the game.
This was a cracking ball game with an excellent crowd at the Braehead Arena. It could have gone either way and perhaps it is the growing strength and maturity of the sharks that led them to hold on and take this big scalp.
In Sunday's other BBL action The Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders snapped a four-game losing streak, and propelled themselves into the playoff places, with an 86-93 road win at the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets.
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Led by Terrence Woodyard's 26 points, it was he that won the game for them as, with 4.30 remaining, he broke open what had been a tight match with 5 consecutive points. After making a basket, he stole the ball and connected on a long three-pointer to give the Riders a 77-83 lead before Mindaugas Janiska kept his cool to make 4/4 from the line to ensure that the Jets could get no closer.
Earlier in the game the visitors jumped out to a 2-14 lead, and still led 12-21 when the Jets put six straight points on the board to keep it close at 23-27 after the first ten minutes.
The hosts took the lead for the first time 4.00 into the second stanza after an 11-2 opening made it 34-29 and they still led 43-42 at the half-time break.
In the third period the teams traded baskets until a late Joel Burns triple made it 61-64. The Jets snatched the lead back only to foul Russell Jordan on the buzzer; he made his free-throws with the rest of the players sat on the benches and gave the Riders the lead for good at 65-66.
Chad McKnight added 18 points for the victors, including four three-pointers. The Jets' Jayson Obazuaye led all scorers with 27 points.
It's six wins in a row now for Marshall MK Lions as they moved level on points with Newcastle Eagles at the top of the BBL courtesy of a 74-77 away win at Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders.
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They had to come from behind to do it though as a 15- 4 opening to the match by Riders put the home side firmly in command. The Lions trailed by 28-16 and 46- 33 at the end of the first two quarters before coming alive in the third.
Once Leicester had gone 50-33 in front the Lions had back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to spark a 24-8 burst which got them to within one (58-57) at the final break.
Runs of 7-0 and 6-0 in the fourth quarter then handed Lions the lead and despite a late 6-0 burst by Riders a Peter Heizer free throw sealed the win for the visitors.
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders leapfrogged Poujoulat Heat Guildford into third place in the BBL table thanks to a 67-79 road win at The Spectrum.
Raiders turned in a superb fourth quarter effort to take a tied match at the end of the third period and make it into a fairly comfortable victory.
Earlier in the match a 12-2 Heat run compensated for a 7-0 Raiders burst as the first quarter ended 24-23 in the favour of the home side. A 10-2 start to the second gave Heat enough of an edge to lead 43-38 at half time. Guildford looked to have seized control with an 8-2 burst midway through the third quarter but a 12-3 close to the period by Raiders tied the match at 54- 54.
There was still hardly anything in it deep into the fourth quarter with Heat up one (66-65) before Raiders went on a 14-1 tear to close out the game and take the points.
Worcester Wolves secured their second win of the season with a solid effort against PAWS London Capital at Worcester University. The Wolves' Anthony Paez began the match brightly as his 14-points helped the homes side to a 26-20 first quarter lead.
Capital countered in the second period, taking the lead at 30-32 and the more decisively 34-39 after a 7- 0 burst. However, by half time the Wolves had regained control to go in at the interval 54-49 up.
The third quarter was a tight affair as neither side could break clear of the other. Heading into the final stanza the score was locked at 77-77. It was to be Worcester's night though as they gradually eased clear of Capital with player/coach Skouson Harker's free throws sealing the win.
Everton Tigers moved level on points with Team Birmingham Panthers after a 76-94 win in the West Midlands. Tigers controlled the match for long periods and led 28-20 and 44-35 at the end of the first two quarters thanks to some excellent play at both ends of the court.
However, Panthers, led by Hank Rivers, notched a 21- 6 run around the final break to get back within one at 71-72. There was to be no happy ending though for the home side as Everton upped the tempo once more through two Tony Robertson three-pointers to end the match on a 22-5 burst of their own.
Marshall MK Lions kept up their recent run of form to make it five wins in a row with a 102-71 mauling of Team Birmingham Panthers.
The Lions have strengthened their grip on second place in the table while Panthers missed out on the chance to climb into a play-off position.
An early 11-3 run by Lions helped the home side to 20- 15 first quarter lead but it was in the second period when the match was won. A run of 11-0 turned a 25- 20 lead into a 36-20 one and there was no way back for Panthers after that.
Further bursts of 10-0 in the third and 12-0 to start the final stanza by the Lions prevented the Panthers from gaining any momentum at all.
Michael New led the way for Lions with 22, while LaTaryl Williams hit 18 for Panthers.
Newcastle Eagles made it nine wins in a row as they easily saw off Worcester Wolves in a top versus bottom clash in the north east. The Eagles set the pace from the start as runs of 11-0 and 8-0 contributed to a 30-14 lead after ten minutes. Two more 8-0 bursts ensured the home side was well in control by half time (49-37).
There was more of the same after the interval as Olu Babalola and Lynard Stewart shared eight-points in an 8-0 tear to lead their team to a 73-51 advantage heading into the final stanza. Worcester couldn't get close after that and remain bottom of the table.
SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks continued their recovery from a poor start to the season with another win on the road, this time at Everton Tigers. Rocks have now completed a three-game road trip with a 100 percent record to keep themselves well in the hunt for the title.
At Everton a tight match, which Rocks had shaded 23- 29 and 47-51 after the first two quarters, was blown apart in the third. The visiting Rocks took the stanza 11-23 to open up a 16-point lead (58-74).
Tigers tried to get back into the match but a Rob Yanders three with 2.25 left pushed the score out to 72-91 and there was no way back. Bilal Clarance led all scorers for Rocks with 19-points.
HEAT PLAYERS CONSIDERED NOT PLAYING |
Poujoulat Heat captain Mike Martin admitted that the club's players considered not playing their ULEB Cup game against DKV Joventut Badalona on Tuesday following the serious injury that star guard Brian Dux suffered in a car crash on Saturday.
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The influential American is still in intensive care in a Surrey hospital, and a clearly distressed Martin spoke after Heat's 95-61 loss against the Spanish giants.
"Brian's more than a team-mate to a lot of us" said the 33-year-old. "We were stuck as to whether we played the game or not, but I know that Brian would have wanted us to play. But he was so hyped up for this game, we knew that we had to play.
"I just hope he's happy with out performance tonight. For me it's been so emotional. Initially, having to deal with the possibility that he might not make it through. But we are professional athletes, and we have to try to switch our personal life off in training and during games, and we have to try to play the game, and I'm not the only one struggling with that."
All of the Heat players wore headbands bearing Dux's name and number, resembling the style of the long-haired fan-favourite and last year's joint BBL Player of the Season.
Martin admitted that his side struggled throughout the game, which saw the Spanish side dominant in the paint with 27 close-range baskets, "They are a very very good team, and they are very disciplined in everything they do. They move the ball well and get open, and that's where we struggled as we weren't as disciplined. Obviously not having Brian meant we really struggled, and we haven't had any meaningful practices this week. But we are still learning at this level, and we're nowhere near where we want to be. We'll see how we are in December."
Heat now face two away games in the competition. Next Tuesday they visit an Alba Berlin side who lie joint third in the Group A table with a win and a loss from their first two games, before traveling to Lithuania to face Siauliai.
Poujoulat Heat Guildford captain Mike Martin is hoping that his side can put the traumas of the last few days behind them when they face Spanish giants DKV Joventut Badalona in the ULEB Cup on tonight.
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Star guard Brian Dux was seriously injured in a car accident in the early hours of Saturday morning and remains in intensive care, and Martin acknowledges the strain it has put the whole club under, “We are still in shock, but we have a game to play. We are trying to stay positive, while praying and thinking about Brian.”
The injury to Dux has disrupted Heat’s preparations for arguably the biggest game in their history, and Martin knows that they will go into the game under-prepared, “Because of what’s happened we haven’t been able to watch the game tape, but we know they are a very deep team with lots of experience and talent. I’m hoping we can play to our strengths and play a game that will do both the team and the supporters proud.”
Tonight’s game will be played in the Spectrum’s Ice Arena, rather than the Heat’s usual court – “The Furnace” – in order to accommodate extra fans. The ice rink will be covered with a wooden floor and extra tiered seating has been installed to create an arena with a capacity of 2,500.
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GAME OF THE WEEK IS A STUNNER
Marshall MK Lions took massive advantage of the Newcastle Eagles and the Guildford Heat having no game, to move to second place in the BBL with a record of 7 and 4.
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On Friday they saw off Everton Tigers 94-90 and then on Sunday they travelled to Big Storage Cheshire Jets for the Game of the night and came away with a 75-87 victory to take their unbeaten streak to four matches.
Cheshire made the Lions work for the points as they got back within two (56-58) at the start of the final quarter after trailing by eight (32-40) at half time.
However, Dru Spinks scored all his 10-points during the final stanza and the Lions kept their cool from the free thrown line to finish the match on an 8-2 tear to seal the win.
This was a game packed with incident, in fact it was a war!
Both Tony Windless and Michael New, legends of the BBL, went down hard and neither returned to the game.
Michael New needing stitches in a serious looking cut. The injury to Tony Windless just 2 minutes into the game meant an early call for Yorick Williams who did not disappoint. He was simply awesome, knocking down a game high 31 points while Jets’ Shawn Myers hit 29 for the home team.
SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks are a big mover too after two road wins brought them right back into contention.
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On Friday night they fought back against Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders to win 77-79 and on Sunday evening they used a 10-0 burst over the half time break to go clear of Team Birmingham Panthers en route to a 69-95 victory.
It was a mixed week for BBL new boys Panthers because Saturday night they overcame bottom placed Worcester Wolves 85-87 in overtime at Worcester University. Dan Sandell scored the crucial free throws to secure the win.
The result meant it was double disappointment for Worcester.
On Friday they travelled to Sheffield but left the Steel City with nothing. Sharks forward Randy 'Chino' George played his best match of the season to lead his team to a 92-86 win.
Sheffield couldn't follow up with a win on Saturday night though as London Capital got the better of them for the second time this season.
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