Watson-Gayle’s 30 seals win for Flyers; Lions maintain on to beat Sharks; Phoenix win back-and-forth in opposition to Giants

BBL Championship

Bristol Flyers 86-76 Newcastle Eagles

(19-21, 24-13, 21-22, 22-20)

Flyers – Watson-Gayle 30, King 20, Bell 13; Eagles – Hamlet 23, Gordon 21, Ubiaro and Cohn 7

London Lions 75-63 Sheffield Sharks

(22-23, 23-15, 18-12, 12-13)

Lions – Greatest 18, Dekker 17, Koufos 14; Sharks – Nichols 19, Ramsey 11, Nelson 10

Cheshire Phoenix 78-74 Manchester Giants

(24-22, 26-18, 14-19, 14-15)

Phoenix – Teague 20, Austin 19, Anderson 11; Giants – Inexperienced 18, Lee 17, Williams 13

The Bristol Flyers have been led by an enormous efficiency from Jelani Watson-Gayle of their win in opposition to the Newcastle Eagles.  

The 24 year-old British guard scored 30 factors on 75% taking pictures from three-point vary whereas grabbing eight boards. As if that wasn’t sufficient, he additionally dished out 5 assists and had 0 turnovers.

The Flyers, who’ve been taking part in infectious basketball this season, rocked Bristol’s SGS School Enviornment in opposition to a resilient Newcastle Eagles aspect. The guests stayed within the recreation until the tip by means of the management of the lightning fast level guard Javion Hamlet, who shot 58% contained in the three-point arc.

They have been bolstered by Justin Gordon who netted 21 factors and 9 boards for the sport.

The Bristol Flyers opened up the primary quarter with a 8-0 and Malcolm Delpeche and Thomas Bell III led with early scores. However the Eagles shortly responded.

Ben Mockford knocked down a three-pointer plus the foul close to the buzzer of the primary quarter, giving the Eagles a one level lead regardless of lacking the free throw.

Within the second quarter, VJ King glided to the ring for 2 earlier than Gordon responded with an and-one on the different finish. 

In a sequence of spotlight performs, Bristol’s Bell shook off his defender and hammered dwelling a monstrous one-handed dunk. 

Nonetheless, with Gordan including six unanswered factors, the Eagles battled again. Veteran Darius Defoe helped his workforce by blowing by his defender and getting the and-one to drop.

Bristol have been extremely energetic on the boards through the recreation, grabbing 30 rebounds to the Eagles 18. 5 of those got here on a scrambled final minute play with the ball bobbling off the rim to shut the half.

The Flyers shot with effectivity all through the sport – finally going 11 of 27 – in comparison with the Eagles who made solely three from deep for the entire recreation.

Within the third quarter, Watson-Gayle placed on a clinic, flattening 4-4 triples and capping off a 14-point run and giving the Flyers a 15-point lead. 

Newcastle responded because of Cohn, who drained a 3 to chop the result in 10 factors earlier than Hasahn French took it right down to single digits. Then each groups traded baskets to shut the interval.

The Eagles have been battling however the scoring onslaught was an excessive amount of from the Flyers. King caught an alley-oop off a Mike Miller dime and Watson-Gayle splashed a few floaters to showcase his abilities going to the basket.

French caught a very robust end inside for the Eagles after an offensive rebound. But it surely was Bristol’s King that hammered dwelling the win with a dunk of his personal.

Down within the capital, the London Lions continued their spectacular BBL type with a convincing win over the Sheffield Sharks. 

The Lions have been led by Aaron Greatest with 18 factors, and whereas the Sharks received 19 factors from Kipper Nichols, the workforce from Yorkshire suffered their second lack of the weekend.

Greatest and Kosta Koufos utilised a pleasant two-man recreation to place strain on the Sharks defence early to open up an seven-point lead. 

Nonetheless, the Sharks clapped again with a barrage of three pointers from Jordan Ratinho, Nichols and Devearl Ramsey. 

Sam Dekker picked up the tempo for London with 5 fast factors. However one other rating from Ramsey gave the Sharks a one-point lead on the finish of the primary interval.

Nichols led the way in which for the Sharks to open the second quarter, however sensing the necessity for a run, London turned to Dekker and Koufos once more, who scored 10 fast factors, and the Lions led by seven going into halftime.

The Lions stored taking part in at a excessive tempo with Luke Nelson scoring a 3 pointer and Dekker including 4 straight factors within the third body. 

Nichols and Greatest traded three-pointers for his or her respective groups, because the Sharks regarded to sign a turnaround. 

Nonetheless, a 9-0 run put the Lions again within the driving seat, with Dekker main the cost.

London maintained their lead within the fourth – giving invaluable minutes to Jonathan Komagum and Bradley Kaboza, who picked up the scoring. Josh-Ward Hibbert additionally added a bucket off the bench pushing the result in 16 factors. 

Sheffield had just a few possibilities to whittle the lead down however the Sharks missed on plenty of essential possessions to shut the hole, and the Lions held on for a victory.

Within the ultimate recreation of the weekend, Manchester Giants visited the Cheshire Phoenix in a north-western derby, however the dwelling workforce managed to safe the victory.

Tahjai Teague led the way in which for the house aspect with 20 factors and 9 rebounds. In the meantime, Tahj Inexperienced did every thing he might for the Giants, however his 18 factors and 10 rebounds wouldn’t be sufficient.

Manchester began the sport a 9-0 run. Inexperienced scored six early factors for the visiting aspect. 

Cheshire battled again and Teague hit consecutive threes, with teammate Larry Austin including a few scores from the mid-range.

A pair of three from Jamell Anderson and Will Neighbour gave Cheshire the lead with a minute left within the first quarter.

Austin continued to attain properly within the second interval, including one other 4 factors and pushing the Phoenix result in six.

Anthony Roberson of the Giants picked up the scoring, whereas teammate Legend Robertin got here up with an enormous block to remain shut. 

However Cheshire have been capable of finding scores from Teague and David Ulph, whose back-to-back dunks riled the group.

Inside three and half minutes of second half, the Giants had fought again to inside two factors because of William Lee’s six unanswered factors. 

The Phoenix didn’t panic and responded with a 12-0 run of their very own, with Marcus Evans and Neighbour combining on the offensive finish. 

However Manchester poured in 9 unanswered factors of their very own.

Momentum swung again to Cheshire within the fourth because of a 9-0 run, with Anderson giving Cheshire a 14-point cushion. However this recreation had just a few extra twists in it.

Down 13 with two minutes remaining, Williams caught fireplace from deep for Manchester, flattening three consecutive threes in simply over a minute. 

The Giants have been out of the blue proper within the recreation. Nonetheless, Williams couldn’t join on the fourth and ultimate shot. Cheshire took the victory at dwelling by 4 factors in an exhilarating recreation.

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