Basketball

Teesside Huskies became the first side to defeat East Durham and Houghall Basketball Academy. Northfield School, Billingham was the venue, Division One title holders against champions elect was the billing and 74-68 the result. Huskies are not going to give up their title without a fight. The match pitched Tony Hanson against Craig Lynch, and Hanson came out on top and Huskies had the spoils. Huskies won the first quarter 29-23 and led 43-38 at half-time. They stretched the lead to 62-49 with ten minutes to play and although Academy finished strongly Hanson and his team had done enough. Hanson and Nick O'Hara-be led Huskies scoring with 22 and 20 points apiece, John Anderson added 13. Only Phil Thomas and Daniel Kerr managed double figures for Academy with 17 and 15.

Norton completed a league double over University of Teesside with an 84-75 success in the Division One derby at Stockton. The students started well, before four baskets shared between Glen Urban and Steve Butler took Norton into the first break with a 20-19 advantage. Good work from Matt Ellis, Phil Hale and Nick Mandalis gave the students the better of the middle half of the game to lead 58-52.

Norton: Butler (31), Urban (24), Jenkins (11).

Teesside: Ellis (25), Rob Rough (17), Mandalis (14), George Kiriakou (10).

Nissan scored a 107-93 win at Peterlee against East Durham and Houghall College A. A good start gave Nissan control. Neil Thorne and Bill Spragg were the pick early on and a 14-4 finish to the first quarter gave them a 27-15 lead, an advantage which they kept until the end. The rest of the match was open, free scoring entertainment as both sides concentrated on offence and most chances were converted. By the end an aggregate of 200 points was testament to the nature of the game.

Nissan: Spragg (35), Davie (25), Dixon (19), Thorne (16), Maddison (12).

East Durham: Harding (40) Bergin (19), Bains (12), Barrow (11).

Success is twice as nice at the double and Sunderland Nissan managed two Durham women's victories during the week. Their first success was hard earned and came at the expense of neighbours South Tyneside whom they beat 59-49 in a derby at South Shields. South Tyneside led for three-quarters of the contest as Nicola Hughes and Janice Brewis combined on both the break and from the perimeter. Beryl Davison and Lisa Stanley brought Sunderland back in the second quarter, but the home side led 25-22 by the interval. The third quarter was basket-for-basket and South Tyneside still had the edge at 41-39 with ten minutes to play. Suddenly Sunderland clicked and the final quarter scored 20-8 and gave them the spoils.

Sunderland: Gair (14), English (12).

South Tyneside: Hughes (13), Brewis (10), Scott (10).

At the end of the week Sunderland Nissan had a much more comfortable 61-39 win at home to Nunthorpe Boro Bruins.

Nunthorpe started the better, baskets from all players on court had given Sunderland a 24-23 half-time lead. The third quarter wrapped up the game as Sunderland collected 21 points mainly from excellent fast-breaks and led 45-31 with just a quarter of the game left.

Sunderland: Stanley (23), Gair (13).

Nunthorpe: Roughley (18).

Results - Division One: East Durham and Houghall College A 93 Nissan 107; Teesside Huskies A 74 East Durham and Houghall Academy 68; Norton 84 University of Teesside 75.

Division Two: Hartlepool Hornets A 116 Willington Parkside 89; Shildon Strollers 81 Durham Knights 75; Old Houghtonians 101 Belmont Reds 50; Peterlee Video 69 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A 67.

Division Three: Spennymoor Exiles 71 Durham Saints 78; East Durham and Houghall College B 65 Hartlepool Hornets B 63; Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 62 Teesside Huskies B 77.

Women's Division: Sunderland Nissan 61 Nunthorpe Boro Bruins 39; South Tyneside 49 Sunderland Nissan 59; Durham Knights 56 University of Teesside 81.