Durham League - First division teams were scheduled to play the first round games of the Division One Cup this week, but for varying reasons two Teesside derbies were cancelled.

This left only one game, a tie which saw East Durham and Houghall College A host University of Teesside.

After a stuttering start to the season College A are now at full strength and they opened their cup account in the best possible way with a 103-64 success at Peterlee.

College caught University not just cold, but positively ice-bound as they ran in 26 points before the visitors had troubled the scorer. By the end of the first quarter University had applied the de-icer, but they were 28-4 down and the game as a contest was more or less over. Dan Spence, Ian Barrow and Graham Hunter shared most of the points in that opening burst to put East Durham in control. University fared much better in the middle half of the game as Nikos Mandalis, John Freeman and Phil Hale all strung together some better offence, but College were always in charge and they finished the game with an impressive 31-19 final quarter to run up a victory in which Spence reaped himself 41 points. He got excellent support from Barrow and Phil Thomas on 17 each. Mandalis, Freeman and Hale all did manage double figures for University of Teesside with 17, 14 and 12 points respectively.

Hartlepool Hornets took another big step towards the second division championship this week when they returned from the long trip to north-west Durham with a 94-72 win over Consett Steelers.

Bruce Marshall hit five points as Hornets scored the first seven of the game. That set the tone for the rest of the encounter, and try as they might Steelers could never get back on terms. Some excellent Hornets defence restricted Steelers to only 10 points in the second ten minutes and when it ended Hornets were in control at 49-3. Brothers Matthew and Dan Patterson did their best to revive Steelers hopes, but Hornets were free and clear at 68-51 with ten minutes to play.

Graham Ord was outstanding for Hornets with 30 points, Marshall and Dan Bailey collected 24 and 23. Matthew Patterson and Brendan McNeaney collected 20 and 18 for Consett Steelers.

The closest of the division two games was played at Durham where Belmont A just edged out Shildon Strollers 57-54.

Richard Parsons and Craig Lowe gave Strollers the better start for a 17-7 first quarter cushion. Lee Davie led the Belmont fight-back and with ten minutes to play it was their turn to have just edged ahead at 39-37. Belmont won the game between the second and sixth minutes of the final quarter when everyone on court hit points in a 12-2 'purple-patch'. Strollers were now trailing at 50-42, a deficit which in the end was just beyond them.

Davie was in a class of his own with 28 points for Belmont A. Steve Pattison and Parson led the Shildon scoring with 15 and 13 points apiece.

Since signing Tom Wood the East Durham and Houghall College B season has taken on a new dimension and he once again top scored for them with 28 points in their 94-80 triumph over Old Houghtonians.

Wood and Jamie Paul had done well for College during the first half, but Houghtonians are a good side, especially at home, and thanks to three-point baskets from Simon Lloyd and good work inside by James Mackintosh they led 42-41 at the interval. The first signs of a break came on the re-start. Three-point baskets from Andrew Bains provided the focus and with ten minutes to play College had eased in front at 73-62.

Bains added 25 points to the 28 scored by Wood for East Durham College B. Ben Scorer was excellent for his 29 points for Old Houghtonians, Phil Smailes and Mackintosh collected 12 and 11.

Peterlee Video beat Trimdon Community College Association 95-86 in their derby at Trimdon.

At one stage in the third quarter it looked as though Peterlee were going to run away with the game when baskets from Trevor James, Sean Percival and Ivor James had given them a 67-48 cushion with two minutes left. Ian Harrison and Chris Elliott had other ideas though and they brought Trimdon back in the game, albeit at 71-62 down. The final quarter mirrored that. Peterlee started strongly to go 85-66 up, before Chris Templeton joined Harrison in a 20-6 spell which brought Trimdon back to 91-86. That though was to be as close as they got.

Trevor James did best for Peterlee Video with 30 points, Percival and Ivor James added 27 and 22. Harrison netted 32 points for Trimdon CCA, Templeton and Wayne Oliver hit 13 apiece.

In the womens division Sunderland Nissan suffered their second defeat of the season as they lost 58-54 to guests Northumbria.

With Northumbria in foul trouble early in the final quarter Sunderland were given lots of chances to take the game from the free-throw line, unfortunately most of the shots went astray. Even then Sunderland got another chance with Northumbria down to just four players on court for the last two minutes. Still they could not pull back.

The Northumbria points were well spread throughout the side as four players hit double figures; Janice Brewis (14), Louis Stobbs (11), Jane Scott (10) and Maureen Cook (10). Beryl Davison did her best for Sunderland Nissan with 18 points, Linda Green and Audrey Crawford netted ten each.

University of Teesside women ran out as 74-71 winners from their clash with arch rivals Durham Knights at Middlesbrough.

As the score suggests the game could have gone either way. By half-time Teesside were 42-37 to the good and once in front were never again headed, although Durham did get close on number of occasions, most notably at 68-66 with three minutes to play.

Gillian McKimm and Shonagh Fullarton were both at their very best for University of Teesside and collected 27 and 23 points each in leading them to victory. Kat Abrashkina led the Durham challenge with 28 points, Alex Rogers and Ana Prpic hit 10 each.

Division One Cup: East Durham and Houghall College A 103 University of Teesside 64.

Division Two: Belmont A 57 Shildon Strollers 54; Durham Knights 61 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A 75; Old Houghtonians 80 East Durham and Houghall College B 94; Trimdon Community College Association 86 Peterlee Video 95; Consett Steelers 72 Hartlepool Hornets 94.

Division Three: East Durham and Houghall College C 56 Specsavers Wear Valley Wolves 75; Durham Saints 76 Belmont B 60; Hartlepool Hawks 70 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 51; Norton B 56 Spennymoor Exiles 45.

Womens Division: East Durham and Houghall Academy 59 Tyne and Wear Cadettes 33; University of Teesside 74 Durham Knights 71; Sunderland Nissan 54 Northumbria 58