Basketball

Two of the four quarter-final ties of the Durham League Mens Division One Cup were successfully completed this week and both saw the winning teams clock up big scores.

In the first Steve Whitehead Joinery and Double Glazing Middlesbrough Mavericks produced some of their best basketball of the season so far in recording a 116-54 win in their derby with University of Teesside.

Mavericks opened with pace and power and by the time the dust settled at the end of the first quarter they were already 21-8 ahead. Chris Harnish then fired-up the students with 15 of the 21 points which they scored in a second quarter in which Mavericks hit 31 to take match control at 52-29 as the half-time whistle blew. University hopes of a fight-back were doused in the third quarter as Marek Pawlak, Wayne Bailey and Andy Buchanan all turned up the heat for Mavericks and University were powerless as their hosts charged through the ten minute phase at 32-4 to stretch the gap to 84-33 and leave the students with an impossible mountain to climb.

Everyone was on form for Middlesbrough Mavericks, although five players did finish in double figures; Bailey (27), Pawlak (22), Lee Woolams (19), Thompson (16) and Buchanan 15. Harnish was at his best for University of Teesside with 30 points, but he never got the support he deserved.

The second of the quarter-final ties brought Nissan down the A19 to play Norton at Stockton. Norton were missing their big players and after consistently missing out on rebounds at both ends of court went out of the cup as 124-52 losers.

The tone was set from the outset as Steve Forster and Ian Barrow picked off Norton at ease to give Nissan a 20-7 lead after eight minutes. Paul Jenkins and Mark Winter did find their range during the second quarter and the gap was down to 42-27 before a good finish to the half re-inflated the Nissan cushion to 49-27 as half-time arrived. Norton will want to forget the second half as Nissan produced twenty minutes of un-stoppable offence to run in 75 points. Arran Hope, Bill Spragg and Chris Maddison did the damage in the third quarter and a quite amazing last six minutes stretched the Nissan lead from an already impressive 94-49 to a monster 124-52 by the end.

The extent of the Nissan domination was born out by the fact that no less than seven players got double figures; Maddison (22), Barrow (18), Lee Davie (18), Hope (17), Dale Burrell (15), Forster (11) and Spragg (10). Only Jenkins did so for Norton with 23.

Second division teams were playing in the quarter-finals of their own Divisional Cup and there was a great performance from Middlesbrough College Academy B who had a last gasp 83-81 win against Shildon Strollers.

Strollers had breezed through the first half with no problems and Craig Lowe, Terry Fell and Steve Pattison had all enjoyed good spells which gave the home side a 48-35 cushion. With 12 minutes of the game left Strollers were still safe at 66-49. The momentum from a great finish to the third quarter then stayed with Academy as they cut the gap first to 71-64 after two minutes of the last quarter and then to 80-76 with two minutes to play. Three consecutive baskets from Carl Colmer then edged them in front at 82-80, before a Mal Turnbull free-shot brought Strollers back to 82-81 before one of two from the line by Michael James with seconds left on the clock gave Academy an unexpected victory.

James was excellent for Middlesbrough College Academy B with 22 points, four others made double figures; Geoff Hill (15), Jonathan Osborne (12), Carl Colmer (12) and Michael Standring (11). Turnbull did most for Shildon Strollers with 26 points, Pattison and Lowe added 14 and 12.

Durham Saints scored an equally unexpected 87-81 triumph in their home tie with East Durham and Houghall College A. Saints won this tie in the middle half of the game.

College edged the first quarter at 28-21 and retained the initiative for three minutes before James Smith, Chris Woodcock and Craig Sowerby all did well for Saints in a spell during which they outscored the visitors by two baskets to one and which finished with Saints 45-43 up at half-time. Saints went on the march on the restart as Sowerby again, helped this time by Neil Guthrie and Chris Plummer, inflated the lead to 63-51 after seven minutes and then 69-57 with ten minutes left. College did have the better of that final quarter as David Wylie and Mark Vickers tried to rescue the tie, but it was too little and too late.

Saints had five players in double figures; Woodcock (19), Lishman (17), Sowerby (16), Plummer (10) and Guthrie (10). Wylie, Bergin and Vickers shared most of the East Durham and Houghall College A points with 27, 23 and 21 respectively.

Consett Steelers avenged an early season league defeat to Trimdon Community College Association by knocking them out of the cup in their tie at Trimdon.

Steelers seemed to have the edge throughout, but with four minutes to go a tremendous fight-back instigated by Lee Norton and Lee Armstrong actually gave Trimdon the lead for the first time in the game at 88-87. The fact that Trimdon did not then score again rather took the gloss off the recovery, although the eight points which gave Steelers the win did all come from the free-throw line. After passing the interval 56-46 up, Steelers had increased their lead to 78-66 as the final quarter began and just when rimdon looked to have sneaked back Steelers resolve took them clear again.

Patterson and McNeaney led Consett Steelers into the semi-finals of the Divison Two Cup with 34 and 25 points apiece, as Norton and Martyn Longstaff did best for Trimdon CCA with 34 and 15.

In the third division Durham Knights had a good news, bad news week. The bad news came first when the short trip across Durham netted them a 77-41 reverse in their derby with unbeaten league leaders Belmont.

Mark Elderkin, Liam Haggerty and David Waldock were quickly into their stride and Belmont led 24-9 by the end of the first period and 43-18 at half-time. Knights fared a little better on the restart as James Hedge and Richard Bingham collected baskets, but everyone who came off the bench hit shots for Belmont and only in the final quarter did the University students do themselves justice.

Elderkin, Waldock and Craig McManus each scored double figures for Belmont with 17, 12 and 11 respectively. No one did so for Durham Knights.

Four days later Durham Knights were celebrating the good news with a 82-53 win over Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B tucked under their belts.

Knights had the height advantage and cashed in during the third quarter as Choy, James Hedge and Glenn all came good. The Durham side won the quarter 22-8 and from being in contention at 39-30 at the interval Hydraulics were floundering at 61-38 down. Any hopes of a home revival were dashed when Richard Barber initiated a 9-0 start to the final quarter.

Five players managed double figures for Durham Knights; Glenn (20), Choy (14), Barber (11), Heath (10) and Hedge (10). MacDonald and Macklam did hit double figures for Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B with 19 and 11.

In the third and final fixture the two teams without a league win so far this season lined up against each other, so one of them, either Young Houghtonians or Specsavers Wear Valley Wizards would be crowing and in the end it was the former who made home advantage tell to win 46-43.

Paul Carr dominated the first half for Houghtonians who led 24-15 at the interval. Colin Lees turned on the magic for Wizards in the second half which they won 28-22. Unfortunately it was not enough to win them the game although they got mighty close in a dramatic final quarter.

Carr was at his best with 33 points for Young Houghtonians, Lees was the only Specsavers Wear Valley Wizard in double figures with 22.

Division One Cup: Norton 52 Nissan 124 ; Middlesbrough Mavericks 116 University of Teesside 54.

Division Two Cup: Shildon Strollers 81 Middlesbrough College Academy B 83; Durham Saints 87 East Durham and Houghall College A 81; Trimdon Community College Association 88 Consett Steelers 95.

Division Three (League): Belmont 77 Durham Knights 41; Young Houghtonians 46 Specsavers Wear Valley Wizards 43; Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 53 Durham Knights 82.