BBL Championship Play-off Final
Guildford Heat secured the BBL Championship Play- off Final
crown with a 100-88 victory over Marshall MK Lions at the
Basketball Finals Weekend at the National Indoor Arena in
Birmingham on Sunday.
Danny Gilbert was the star man. He scored a game- high 27
points for the Heat to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Saturday's two losing semi-finalists were also in action
on Sunday. Newcastle Eagles and Kularoos Plymouth Raiders
clashed in the 3rd/4th Place Pay-off, with Raiders victorious
96-92.
BBL Championship Play-off Final
Guildford Heat 100 (24,42,67) (Gilbert 27, Martin 25, Dorsey
19)
Marshall MK Lions 88 (21,41,61) (Spinks 22, Williams 13, Brown
10)
Guildford Heat won their first BBL Championship Play- off
title on Sunday, thanks to a 100-88 success over Marshall
MK Lions at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.
Lions took an early lead, scoring eight of the opening ten
points. Guildford were unable to seriously dent that advantage
until a Danny Gilbert three pointer two minutes from the end
of the quarter cut it back to four points at 19-15. EJ Harrison
then scored four consecutive free throws to tie the game.
Indeed, the Heat scored 14 of the final 16 points of the quarter
to lead 24-21.
The Heat pulled out their lead to eight points at 31-23 early
in the second stanza, but veterans Ronnie Baker and Tony Windless
cut the arrears for the MK Lions. Although Guildford pulled
ahead again, they were never able to establish a commending
lead. Tony Windless and Shawn Jamison combined to bring it
back to a one-point ball game at 37-36 to Guildford and Youngblood
tied the game at 38-38 with approximately one minute of the
half remaining. Nevertheless, it was Guildford who led at
the interval 42-41.
Lions took the lead at 49-48 early in the third quarter on
the back of six straight points, only for Tony Dorsey to quickly
re-establish Guildford's lead. Indeed, Dorsey scored all of
the Heat's points in a 7-2 tear to set up a 55-51 lead.
Tony Windless cut it back to one point, before a Danny Gilbert
three and a pair of free throws from James Jones took the
score to 60-54. Another five points from Gilbert extended
that lead still further, but the Heat could not shake the
Lions off. A timely Terrell Brown trey cut it back to a 4-point
ball game at 65-61 and it was then left to EJ Harrison to
finish the scoring, bagging two from the charity stripe, as
Guildford led 67-61 heading into the final quarter.
Better was to come for Guildford - they established the first
double digit lead of the game at 78-68 on the back of a Gilbert
three. It was part of a 10-0 tear, which gave Guildford an
83-68 advantage.
Lions were still not done - Dru Spinks and Kevin Griffin
combined to help Lions to an 11-2 tear and suddenly the deficit
was back down to seven points at 89-82. However, Lions hopes
were quickly dashed by four foul shots in quick succession
from Tony Dorsey, after a technical foul on Coach Macaulay
following a foul given on Spinks. It was Dorsey too, who took
the Guildford score into triple digits, again from the foul
line.
Guildford, in fact, scored more points in the final quarter
than any other team in Play-off history, as they secured the
coveted end-of-season prize.
Danny Gilbert joined an exclusive quartet of players to have
scored five three pointers in the Play-off Final, as part
of his game-high 27 points, which earned him the MVP award.
Dru Spinks was the Lions' highest scorer, to not avail.
BBL Championship Play-off 3rd/4th Place Play- off
Newcastle Eagles 92 (32,54,67) (Babalola 23, Attah/Defoe/Spragg12)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 96 (19,33,66) (Moore 26, Lasker
19, Noel 16)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders came from behind to defeat Newcastle
Eagles in the BBL Championship 3rd/4th Place Play-off, by
a score of 96-92.
Eagles were fastest out of the blocks, bagging the opening
12 points of the game, including two three pointers from Olu
Babalola. The Raiders rallied and cut the gap to seven points
at 17-10. Newcastle again picked up their offence and enjoyed
a 10-5 burst on their way to a 32-19 first quarter lead.
Brody Bishop boosted Plymouth early in the second stanza
with two impressive three pointers as the gap was reduced
back to single figures at 35-28. Eagles rallied and hit 12
of the next 14 points to pull their advantage out to 17 points
at 47-30 - Darius Defoe and Sam Attah bagging the majority
of the points.
With Eagles lead at 54-33 heading into the third quarter,
Plymouth came out of the locker room on fire and an Andrew
Lasker three pointer at the end of a 21- 5 start saw them
within a score of the Eagles at 59-56 to Newcastle. Lasker
kept up his scoring streak as Raiders took the lead at 64-61.
However, with Charles Smith bagging a vital long range shot
to tie the game at 66-66 with 50 seconds to go, Newcastle
then scored from the foul line to take a one-point lead into
the fourth quarter at 67-66.
A pulsating final quarter followed, with the lead changing
hands several times. First it was Plymouth in the ascendancy,
Gaylon Moore significantly contributing to a 75-71 Plymouth
lead, but Newcastle hit back and Olu Babalola's three pointer
put them 76- 75 to the good.
The teams traded baskets for the next few minutes, with neither
team able to carve out any significant advantage. In the end,
it was Anthony Martin and Gaylon Moore who made the difference,
hitting eight consecutive points to give the south coast club
an 89- 84 lead.
On three occasions Newcastle pulled the score back to within
two points, but Andrew Lasker made the game safe for Raiders
with the final basket in the closing seconds.
As in Saturday's semi-final, Gaylon Moore was the top scorer
- he bagged 26 personal points and pulled down 8 boards on
the way to victory, ably assisted by Andrew Lasker's 19 points.
Olu Babalola was Eagles star man with 23 points.
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