Durham League - Nissan opened their Durham League division one account this week, but not in the way they would have hoped.

A home game against Norton A gave them the chance of a positive start, but they ended up overdrawn as the visitors left with 88-76 win.

The two teams traded baskets in an even first quarter which scored 22-21 to Norton. The Stockton team then got the first break when Steve Butler and Glen Urban combined to hit a 15-2 four minute burst, for a 43-27 lead by the middle of the second quarter. The rest of the half was even and the break came at 57-36 to Norton. It was Nissan's turn to start the better as the jump ball went up to open the second half and a 12-4 run, shared between Bill Spragg and Neil Thorne, brought them right back into the game. Butler, this time helped by Steve Lowde, once again led the Norton response and with ten minutes left they were back in charge at 72-55.

Butler was once more superb with 44 of the Norton A points, Lowde and Urban netted 17 and 14.

Chris Maddison top-scored for Nissan with 19 points, three others collected double figure scores; Spragg (15), Thorne (14) and Steve Dixon (14). Butler was superb for Norton and he notched up a massive 44 points, Lowde and Urban netted 17 and 14.

In the womens' division their female counterparts, Sunderland Nissan, also began their campaign. Unfortunately they suffered the same fate as the men when they lost 62-48 to a lively East Durham and Houghall Academy Ladies at Peterlee.

Natalie McKinley gave Academy the better start and a 12-6 sixth minute cushion, but as Sunderland gradually pulled back it took a Tamsin Vicary three-point basket to give Academy the half-time lead at 32-25. The Academy youngsters won the game on the restart. Ruth Cass led the way, but four players hit baskets in a 10-1 'purple-patch' and try as they might Sunderland could never recover from the resultant 42-26 deficit.

Jenny James controlled the game for East Durham Academy and finished with 20 points, Cass added 12, Best for Sunderland Nissan were Linda Green and Adele Gair on 15 and 14 apiece.

The two form teams in the second division both won.

Belmont A beat Old Houghtonians 90-71 at home in Durham in a game which see-sawed for twenty four minutes before a 14-2 'purple-patch' from Belmont gave them a 67-52 cushion with ten minutes left. From being in touch at 54-50 the Washington outfit was down and just about out.

Lee Davie was the pick for Belmont A with 25 points, although Gary Simpson, Geoff Pollard and Steven Graham added 19, 14 and 10 respectively. Simon Wood did his best for Old Houghtonians with 25 points, whilst Philip Smailes and Ian Kitching added 18 and 10 points apiece.

After winning promotion from the third to the second division last season Trimdon Community College Association opened their new campaign. If they were hoping for an gentle start, they were in for a bit of a shock, because what they got was a baptism of fire when they lined up against current division two champions Consett Steelers. Steelers had to battle though for their 89-73 victory.

Steelers shot off to a 19-7 lead before Trimdon settled to recover to 26-19 by the tenth minute. Ian Harrsion was running the show as Trimdon dominated the second quarter and five three point baskets shared between him, Chris Elliott and Wayne Oliver gave Trimdon a 26-19 ten minutes and took them into the interval all-square at 39-39. Consett won the game in the third quarter as better defence, especially on Harrison, and 20 points from Matthew Patterson eased them into a 74-60 lead with ten minutes to play.

Patterson collected 39 points in all, as Brendan McNeaney and Mark Ewan hit 15 and 13 each for Consett. Harrison finished with 26 points for Trimdon CCA, Elliott and Oliver chipped in with 21 and 16.

Results - Division One : Nissan 76 Norton A 88.

Division Two: Belmont A 90 Old Houghtonians 71; Consett Steelers 89 Trimdon Community College Association 73.

Division Three: East Durham and Houghall Community College C 63 Hartlepool Hawks 65; Specsavers Wear Valley Wolves 62 Norton B 70; Young Houghtonians 62 Belmont B 55; Durham Saints 88 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 57.

Womens Division: East Durham and Houghall Basketball Academy 62 Sunderland Nissan 48 ; Whickham 27 Nunthorpe Boro Bruins 68.