Durham League - After a number of delays, the four teams which will contest the semi-finals of the Durham Division One Cup were finally decided this week.

Despite losing their last qualifying game, Middlesbrough Mavericks topped the table with five wins from six games, whilst Teesside Huskies finished as runners-up. Middlesbrough Mavericks final tie in the 'pool' rounds of the cup saw them line up against neighbours Middlesbrough College Academy. Mavericks did open with a 7-2 lead after three minutes, but it soon became clear that they were playing secure in the knowledge that, whatever the result, they could not lose their top spot in the table. Academy on the other hand went all out for the win. Everyone on their side of the court was hitting shots and they netted themselves the next 21 points without reply. Academy followed that up with some excellent defence in the second quarter during which Mavericks could manage only seven points. The result of all that was a 41-17 cushion to Academy when the buzzer ended the first half. The second half was much better as Mavericks made more of a fist of it, although they could never stop Academy who put on a tremendous display of shooting and deserved their 96-59 win.

Only Pawlak managed double figures for Mavericks with 25, on the other hand, Middlesbrough College Academy had five in double figures; Kehinde Roberts (22), Chris Bunten (14), Kieron Achara (14), Carl Henry (14) and Marlian Henry (13).

Division One (Cup)

P W L Pts

Middlesbrough Mavericks 6 5 1 16

Teesside Huskies 6 4 2 13

Middlesbro Coll Academy 6 4 2 13

Nissan 6 3 3 12

ED and H College A 6 2 4 9

Norton A 6 1 5 4

University of Teesside 6 0 6 3

Mavericks as 'pool' winners will play fourth placed Nissan in the first semi-final, whilst Teesside Huskies and Middlesbrough College Academy will contest the second semi-final, with both games being played at East Durham and Houghall College in Peterlee on the next two Sunday's.

Middlesbrough Mavericks also managed to fit in a division one league game, but this time they made no mistake. Opponents University of Teesside found themselves dominated by Mavericks height and the latter ran out as 105-59 winners.

Chris Harnish, Tunde Falade and Sam Rowley did well for University during the opening ten minutes which they won 15-13. They were then swept away by a Mavericks tide during the next twenty minutes. At one end of court the students offence was bottled up to restrict them to first nine and then 14 points during the second and third quarters of the game. At the other end of court Mavericks used their height advantage to crash the boards and net themselves 36 and 29 in the same two phases. The upshot of all that was that Mavericks started the final ten minutes with a 78-38 cushion and University had no way back.

Only Harnish got double figures with 10 for the disappointed University. Mavericks had four in double figures; Marek Pawlak (28), Andy Buchanan (16), Rob Bryson (15 and Paul Connery (10).

The best second division game of the week was an entertaining contest which gave Hartlepool Hornets a 99-89 success over Trimdon Community College Association.

Lee Norton was straight into the groove to hit 11 points in a 12-6 Trimdon start, before Dan Farrell and John McBean sparked a great finish to the quarter to put Hornets ahead at 32-27 as the ten minutes finished. Hornets looked to have control at 46-34 after five minutes of the second half and 71-64 with ten minutes left, but good work from Norton brought Trimdon back to just 93-87 with two minutes left. The outcome was settled by Graham Ord who hit ten points in a row to ease Hornets home.

Ord was at the top of his game with 31 points for Hornets, whilst Middleton scored 28. Norton got 36 points for Trimdon, as Templeton and Ian Harrison 20 and 17.

Belmont Reds were convincing winners over Consett Steelers as Ian Hewitt and Andrew Knox scored 29 and 22 points respectively in their 97-69 success.

Steelers are one of the best teams in the second division, but they were firmly put in their place at Durham as Belmont ran in 49 and 48 points respectively in each of the two halves. Only in the third quarter did Mark Ewen and Mat Patterson combine to offer any real resistance for Steelers, but even then the ten minutes finished with Belmont clear at 71-53.

Lee Davie added 15 points to those scored by Hewitt and Knox. Best for Consett Steelers was Brendan McNeaney on 19 points as Patterson and Ewen collected 16 each.

East Durham and Houghall College B moved above Steelers into third place in the league table with a 108-83 win over Durham Knights.

The match as a contest was all done and dusted by the end of the first quarter. David Wylie, Jamie Paul and Mark Vickers were quickly into their stride and after ten minutes College were in control at 34-13. The remaining three-quarters of the game was even, although there was never anything that Knights could do about the deficit.

Paul led the scoring for East Durham with 32 points, four others hit double figures; Bains (21), Vickers (16), Wylie (14) and Tony Swallow (13). Knights did have four players of their own in double figures; Mat Webb (16), Fred Bjelland (14), Adam Woodhouse (14) and Martin Mauritson (10).

The last of the second division games gave Old Houghtonians a league double over Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A as the former ran out 81-69 winners.

Hydraulics made perhaps their best start of the season to lead 19-15 after ten minutes. All changed in the next quarter though as Paul Carr took the game by the scruff of the neck and opened the way for Phil Smailes and Paul France to add points in a 19-4 charge which lasted seven minutes and moved the score on to 34-25 in Houghtonians favour. The gap had increased to 43-31 by half-time and basically that was that. Whenever Hydraulics looked like closing Houghtonians upped the pace again to pull clear.

Scorer did best for Old Houghtonians with 21 points, Smailes added 20, whilst Carr hit 16. Robinson finished with 24 points for CJ Hydraulics, Keith and Whyte added 13 points apiece.

Two players, Sarah Hindmarch and Jacki Tyerman, hit six three-point baskets each in a 102-76 womens league win for Nunthorpe Boro Bruins away to Durham Knights, and although Tyerman was content to sit back on that, Hindmarch went on to collect a massive 47 points in a very entertaining game.

Tamara Davies and Alison Turner netted 38 and 24 each in reply for Knights, but they could do nothing about the 57-53 half-time deficit. Hermione Wappatt added 25 for Nunthorpe.

Division One (Cup): Middlesbrough Mavericks 59 Middlesbrough College Academy 96.

Division One (League): University of Teesside 59 Middlesbrough Mavericks 105.

Division Two: Belmont A 97 Consett Steelers 69; Durham Knights 83 East Durham and Houghall College B 108; Old Houghtonians 81 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A 69; Trimdon Community College Association 89 Hartlepool Hornets 99.

Division Three (Cup): Spennymoor Exiles 68 Norton B 51; Young Houghtonians 71 Durham Saints 64.

Division Three (League): East Durham and Houghall College C 59 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 65.

Womens Division: University of Teesside 56 Nunthorpe Boro Bruins 79; Newcastle College 48 Sunderland Nissan 53; Whickham 24 East Durham and Houghall Academy 70; Durham Knights 76 Nunthorpe Boro Bruins 102; Tyne and Wear Cadettes 70 University of Teesside 51.