NEW FRUSTRATION, OLD STORY

By Mark Woods
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Updated: March 13, 2011

Worthing Thunder edged Milton Keynes 102-100 in overtime as the Lions . threw away a double-digit lead to hand their fellow strugglers only their third victory of the season.

Adam Williams was the hero for the home team as he scored six points in the last 30 seconds of overtime but it was a final quarter comeback in regulation that proved to be the story of the game as Lions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The loss was particularly tough on Travis Nelson with the centre putting in one of the performances of the season with 31 points and 14 rebounds.

Cheshire Jets routed Guildford 105-75 as the Heat dropped out of the play-off spots. Jeremy Bell and Quemont Greer ran riot for Jets at Northgate in a performance that left Coach Paul Smith satisfied.

"We started slowly but eventually got going and our energy built throughout the game until we were playing as I wanted us to heading towards the end. This victory gives us some momentum in the lead up to what is going to be a really crucial weekend coming up."

Meanwhile Glasgow Rocks slumped to a 93-87 defeat to Plymouth Raiders to effectively end their British Basketball League title hopes. EJ Harrison hit a game-high 23 points for the Kelvin Hall outfit who looked poised for victory when they led 45-41 at half-time.

Sterling Davis’ men increased their cushion to eight points in the third quarter but were condemned by a late barrage from Plymouth who used a 14-3 to propel them past their hosts who now sit in fifth place and adrift of joint leaders Newcastle and Mersey.

Saturday: Pirates sunk as Mersey hit top

Mersey Tigers moved into a tie with Newcastle Eagles at the top of the BBL Championship with a comfortable 104-76 victory at Essex Pirates.

James Jones (29 points) and Andrew Thomson (24 points) were once again the leading lights for the BBL Trophy winners who led almost from tip-to-buzzer to complete a double-winning weekend over the league's bottom two clubs.

Sheffield captain Adrian Anderson was the hero for the South Yorkshire club as they kept their BBL Championship title hopes alive with a 93-92 overtime win at Guildford Heat.

The Sharks overcame losing Marcus Stout to ankle injury and saw Paul Williams and Olu Babalola foul out but made the most of some poor free throw shooting from the Heat to steal the win.

Trailing by five in the final 30 seconds of regulation three point shots from Ryan Patton and Steve Dagostino were enough to send the match into an extra period.

And when Guildford's Julius Joseph missed two from the line, Anderson, who has struggled all season with injury and illness, split his free throws to give Sharks the narrowest of victories.

Leicester Riders secured a valuable victory for their play-off hopes as they overcame post-season rivals Plymouth Raiders 102-100 in the East Midlands.

The Riders had led since late in the second quarter, and at one stage held a double-digit advantage. But they were made to work hard as Raiders got within two late in the match before Ryan Zamroz sank two free throws to make the points safe.

Friday: Trey barrage lifts Eagles

Newcastle Eagles moved themselves two points ahead of the rest of the chasing pack at the top of the BBL Championship table with a victory over Worcester Wolves on Friday.

The Eagles 89-77 victory over the Wolves at Sport Central was in no small part to the impressive performance of Trey Moore who bagged a game-high 29 points and Charles Smith chipped in with 23 points of his own to help the home side to an impressive victory.

Sheffield Sharks demonstrated plenty of resilience as they saw off Leicester Riders by a score of 76-64 at the EIS, Sheffield. After a close first half which saw the home side leading by a point at 37-36, the Sharks broke the game open in the third quarter with a 21-4 burst to take the score out to 62-45.

The Riders could get no closer than 10 points in the final period as the Sharks moved themselves into joint third position in the table with the Cheshire Jets.

Mersey Tigers moved themselves above the Jets into second place in the table thanks to a comfortable 101-79 victory over the Worthing Thunder at the Birchwood Leisure Centre. 20 points a-piece from James Jones and Andrew Thomson was enough to enable the Tigers to overpower their visitors and secure the convincing victory as a result.

FIXTURES

Friday 11

BBL (all 7.30). Mersey Tigers v Worthing Thunder (at Warrington), Newcastle Eagles v Worcester Wolves, Sheffield Sharks v Leicester Riders

Saturday 12

BBL Essex Pirates v Mersey Tigers (7.30), Guildford Heat v Sheffield Sharks (7pm), Leicester Riders v Plymouth Raiders (7.30)

Sunday 13

BBL. Glasgow Rocks v Plymouth Raiders (5pm), Worthing Thunder v Milton Keynes Lions (5pm), Cheshire Jets v Guildford Heat (5.30)