Wildcats secure first BBL win

5 Nov’ 2011 – BBL Championship

Durham Wildcats 74 Cheshire Jets 72

Durham Wildcats gave themselves plenty to be proud of on Saturday night as all of their hard work paid off as they picked up their first victory of the season defeating the Cheshire Jets 74-72 at the Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre.

Both sides started the contest tentatively and traded baskets for the majority of the first quarter, but it was the Jets who ended the period the stronger as they headed into the second period leading by two points at 21-23.

The second period saw the Wildcats explode into the game as they restricted the Jets to just five points in the entire quarter through some impressive defensive play.  At the other end of the floor, Ralph Bucci and Fred Hinnenkamp began to find their range and made some tough shots throughout the quarter.  A 9-0 run to end the first half saw the Wildcats head into the locker rooms leading by 17 points at 45-28 at the half.

In the second half, the Jets clearly got a stern talking to during the half-time interval and this resulted in the visitors stepping up their intensity at both ends of the floor and they outscored their hosts 30-12 in the third period to give themselves the lead at 57-58 heading into the final stanza.

In the final quarter the teams traded baskets for the majority of the period before the Jets took the lead at 66-70 with 2:21 remaining in the game.  Four points from Hinnenkamp and a Mark Elderkin free throw bought the home side right back into the contest and gave them the lead at 71-70 with 46 seconds left.

A pair of free throws from Bill Cole gave the Jets the lead once again at 71-72 with 20 seconds left, however Odiba Attaha collected a foul with seconds remaining to send him to the foul-line and he held his nerve to pick up both free-throws to give them a 73-72 advantage.  The Jets had to take a time-out to set up their final opportunity of the game, and put the ball in the hands of Colin O’Reilly, but his shot was blocked by Attaha and he was fouled on the buzzer and made one of his free-throws to send the crowd at Newton Aycliffe into raptures.

Bucci (pictured) led the scoring for the Wildcats with 19 points, ably assisted by Hinnenkamp with 16 points, but it was Matthew Schneck who led all scorers in the contest with 25 points for the Jets.

Bucci 19, Hinnenkamp 16, Capocci 11
Schneck 25, Cole 21, O’Reilly 17