BBL Championship Play-off Quarter Final
Newcastle Eagles 105 (23,52,78) (Babalola
21, Defoe 20, Leven 15)
Worcester Wolves 96 (18,51,67) (Life 29,
Paez 24, Harker 20)
Three-time play-off champions Newcastle Eagles are back in
the Final Four again after holding off a spirited performance
by Worcester Wolves on Tyneside.
After four consecutive overtime matches to end the regular
season the Eagles didn't need an extra period to see off the
Wolves but it was still a lengthy game with both sides suffering
with foul trouble.
Eagles never trailed during a first quarter which they led
23-18 after ten minutes. A 4-0 run at the start of the second
period opened up the night's first serious lead at 27-18 before
Wolves began to fight back.
A 12-0 burst handed the visitors their first lead of the
night at 40-43 but it wouldn't last for long as Eagles battled
back to go in at half time 52-51 in front.
The match still hung in the balance deep into the third quarter
until the Eagles suddenly broke it open. From 64-63 a 12-0
burst with five from Steve Leven and four from Ola Babalola
helped Newcastle head into the final stanza 78-67 up.
Although the Wolves battled hard, and Newcastle lost several
key players through fouls, the closest they could get was
89-82 on the back of two James Life free throws.
It was Life who led all-scorers with 29 while Babalola paced
the Eagle effort with 21.
BBL CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
No Team P W L Pts
1 Newcastle Eagles 33 29 4 58
2 Guildford Heat 33 24 9 48
3 Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 33 24 9 48
4 Marshall MK Lions 33 19 14 38
5 SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks 33 18 15 36
6 Sheffield Sharks 33 17 15 34
7 Everton Tigers 33 16 17 32
8 Worcester Wolves 33 14 19 28
9 PAWS London Capital 33 12 20 24
10 Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders33 10 23 20
11 BiG Storage Cheshire Jets 33 9 24 18
12 Birmingham Panthers 33 6 27 12
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