Final Quarter Finishes It Off For Phoenix
Cheshire Phoenix were able to inflict a much needed defeat on Glasgow Rocks, 90-79, thanks to a very strong final quarter at the Northgate Arena.
Starting fives:
Cheshire Phoenix: Bland, Haskins, Gumbs, Myers, Marks
Glasgow Rocks: McNally, Fantazia, Davis, Murray, Robinson
A very tight first quarter opened up towards the latter stages, with Jerome Gumbs bagging six of the last ten points for Phoenix, and helping them take a four point lead, 19-15, into the second stanza.
A strong start for Rocks in the following period, as Andrew Wedemire helped draw them level at 22-22 with a three-point play, however Cheshire began playing team basketball again, and thanks once more to Gumbs, reinstated the lead, a healthier ten points, 41-31, at the half time.
It was somewhat of shock therefore that Cheshire began the third quarter so flat, possibly even one of the worst starts to a third quarter they have experience this season.
An 18-6 run, capped by threes from Sterling Davis, Donald Robinson and finally Brice Fantazia was enough for ‘Nix coach Matt Lloyd to call an urgent time out to stop the rot – and stop the rot it did, as seven quick points helped regain control for the home side. After a short Rocks burst, the quarter ended with trading baskets, 60-57.
No doubt it was billed up to be close finish, especially with Rocks tying up the game shortly into the final period, but the home side were not on the same script and stepped it up another gear with an 11-0 run, including a four-point play from Chez Marks, and despite the tenacity of Davis’ side to bring things in close, the foul count, and Cheshire’s marked improvement from past performances to convert from the line, helped draw first blood in the series between these two sides this season.
Speaking after the game, coach Lloyd was wiping his brow after the recovery his side had to make: “We came out very, very, flat in the third, ten up at half-time, but within six minutes they had gone on an 18-6 run which hurt us, but luckily the guys managed to pull it back up again, and turned it into a more comfortable win than where we were in the third quarter.
“I reminded them what we work on in terms of our defence, what we wanted to do offensively, what sets to use; sometimes one of our sets is particularly strong against a certain team, and I had to remind them that we used that in the first quarter, it worked.”
There has been a lot of work in progress since the problems in the organisation, but it seems as though they are being ironed out as the season goes on, according to Lloyd: “A weak area for us is our rebounding, we gave away a lot both ends of the court. We were up in the first, tied in the second, down in the third, so that’s where we need to work on. Every time we go hard in training, our rest break is our free throws, we’ve shot a lot more this week, and tonight it’s paid off.”
There was a lack of use at times of home grown talent for Cheshire, but Lloyd is adament to getting them back into the system: “Chris came on and gave us nine hard minutes. I’d like to rotate more, rotate Niel and Phil, just to get worthy minutes of what their value is on the team. I do feel they can bring something to the team as I’ve said previously, Phil slipped out of the rotation a little bit, but we’ll be looking to get them back in soon.”
With two big games against major rivals on the horizon, it is now that Lloyd is hoping his team can do the damage and get a stable footing in the league table: “We are targeting the teams around us. Glasgow tonight, Manchester and Sheffield next week are around us in the league – they are four point games to me, getting two points more over our rivals.”
Game MVP: Jerome Gumbs
Play of the game: The much needed time out in the third quarter after the 18-6 run from Rocks, and a stern reminder from the bench of what they had gone over in training was without doubt, play of the game. It spurned a seven point run of its own once the ‘Nix got back on court.
Top scorers
Cheshire Phoenix: Marks 27, Gumbs 24, Myers 17
Glasgow Rocks: Murray 17, Fantazia 14, Robinson/McNally 11
Next up:
Cheshire Phoenix away at Manchester Giants, Friday 14th December, 7:30pm
Glasgow Rocks away at Sheffield Sharks, Friday 14th December, 7:30pm
