Barking Abbey Crusaders 63 v 65 Essex Leopards 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 4.00pm
After an impressive win over Bradford Dragons to kick off the New Year, Barking Abbey Crusaders were unable to follow up their early 2019 success as they fell by a single basket against the travelling Essex Leopards. The visiting Big Cats held off a late surge by the hosts to pick up their first win of the New Year, opening up their back-to-back with a vital victory. A cagey first quarter saw a low-scoring exchange, before the Leopards poured in 26 points in the second quarter to open up a 12 point lead as the teams entered the locker rooms.
With the visitors maintaining their double digit lead heading into the final stanza, Ade Adebayo put his squad on his back with nine fourth quarter points – including a jumper that tied the game at 63-63 with 0:31 remaining. Captain Sam Newman stepped up for the Big Cats as he hit the game-winning lay-in with four seconds to play, before Jonathan Brown couldn’t hit the mark when his chance to force an extra period rimmed out.
Essex were paced in the win by skipper Newman and big man Lee Hodges who scored 14 points apiece. Newman added six assists and four steals, while Hodges completed his double-double by pulling down 13 rebounds while dishing out three assists. Asante Sandiford added a double-double of his own with 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Luke Mascall-Wright chipped in nine points, three rebounds and two steals. Adebayo’s late charge capped off a solid game for the young guard who paced the Crusaders with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals, while Robin Bedford came off the bench to add 13 points and six rebounds. Tautvydas Mieliauskas knocked down three triples to chip in 10 points as the only other doubnle figure scorer for Barking.
Loughborough Riders 55 v 53 Team Newcastle 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 6.00pm
A low-scoring affair in the East Midlands saw Loughborough Riders pick up a key win in their plight to keep pace with the leading pack in NBL Division One. The Riders jumped out to a 23-15 lead after the first quarter, before struggling to convert on the offensive end as they headed into the half, which allowed Team Newcastle back into the contest as they lead by one at the break. A back-and-forth second half saw the lead change hands multiple times, before back-to-back baskets from Ben Seipt and Tosan Evbuomwan tied the game at 53-53 with 1:24. Cagey final stages saw the game decided at the foul line, as Lucien Cristofis split a pair to give Riders a single point lead, before Alex Roberts made one of two to give Loughborough the decisive 55-53 lead. A Seipt turnover on the final possession ended the contest as the East Midlands side improved to 8-4.
Jonas Dieterich led the Loughborough charge with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Niall Harris added nine points and eight rebounds off the bench. Lucien Cristofis chipped in eight points, two rebounds and two steals. Nikola Urli came off the bench to lead Newcastle with 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while US guard Eric Stafford lead the starters with 11 points and two rebounds. Alei Wol had eight points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Tosan Evbuomwan chipped in seven points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Thames Valley Cavaliers 84 v 82 Team Solent Kestrels 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 6.00pm
In one of the biggest results of the weekend, Team Solent Kestrels fell to just their second league loss of the season as Thames Valley Cavaliers picked up a big scalp. It seemed to be business as usual early on for the visiting Kestrels, who led for the majority of the first stanza. The Cavs fought back early in the second to pinch a narrow lead of their own, before Solent regained control with a slight advantage that they held either side of the half. A sharp start to the fourth saw Thames Valley go a decisive run that earned them a lead that they would not relinquish, despite a late push from the visitors which included Elliott Dadds making three from three at the foul line to make it a one point game. Aiden Saunders held his nerve at the line, splitting a pair to give the Cavaliers the 84-82 triumph.
Abdoulaye Sylla paced Thames Valley with a double-double of 24 points and 16 rebounds, while adding two assists and two steals. Elliott Defreitas was also dominant on the glass, as he pulled down 17 rebounds to go with 19 points. Martelle McLemore had 16 points, while Prince Lartey contributed 11 points to round out the double digit scorers. A dominant back-court performance saw Herm Senor II pace the Kestrels with 25 points, nine rebounds and four steals, while Nick Lewis finished with 16 points and seven rebounds. Big man Travis Charles was the final visitor to hit double figures with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Nottingham McDonalds Hoods 90 v 65 Bradford Dragons
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 6.30pm
Nottingham picked up back-to-back wins to start 2019 with a dominant victory over Bradford Dragons, as the East Midlands squad improved to above .500 with a 7-6 record. The Hoods led from tip to buzzer as the gradually built their lead in a contest where the visitors struggled to challenge. In front of their home support at the Wildcats Arena, the Hoods made a decisive run to pull away for good at the end of the third quarter, extending their win streak to two games.
A balanced scoring effort for the Hoods saw nine players get on the scoresheet and four players hit double digits, as Delaney Powell and Cole Welle led with 19 points. The US import big man added 10 rebounds, while Powell facilitated alongside his scoring effort as he dished out nine assists. Kieran Wright and Luke Mitchell chipped in from the back-court with 13 and 12, respectively. Meanwhile, Rihards Sulcs led all scorers with 21 points for the Dragons, completing his double-double with 11 rebounds. Ricky Fetske added a double-double of his own in the loss with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Andreas Lycoudis knocked down four triples to chip in 12 points with four assists.
Manchester Magic 72 v 79 Leicester Warriors 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 6.30pm
After a competitive loss at the hands of Reading Rockets last weekend, Manchester Magic got back in action on their home floor and suffered a close loss against fellow bottom-half side Leicester Warriors. The Warriors led early on, but the hosts fought back to grab their own lead in the second quarter. A back-and-forth second half saw Leicester maintain a narrow lead for much of the final stages, pulling away at the end to improve to 5-9 on the season.
Raphell Thomas-Edwards continued his impressive play since 23 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Pak Chingombe added 17 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Martyn Gayle chipped in 16 points and two rebounds. Richard Bell was impressive for the hosts, coming off the bench to pace his side with 23 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Andre Gayle chipped in 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while big man Jonathan Barnes matched his teammates output with 13 points of his own, pulling down eight rebounds to go with three blocks. Ryan Lewis rounded out the double figure scorers with an all-round effort of 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Derby Trailblazers 74 v 87 Reading Rockets 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 7.15pm
A rough start to 2019 has seen Derby fall to three losses on the bounce to start the New Year, dropping to seventh in NBL Division One with a 7-7 record. Their third loss in a row came at the hands of Reading Rockets on Saturday as the Berkshire side used a strong third quarter to pull away in this one. A close first half saw the Blazers hold a narrow lead as the teams headed for the locker rooms, but the Rockets dominated out of the half, pouring in 34 points in the third stanza. Their decisive lead saw both teams empty their benches down the stretch, as the Derby reserves gave a good account of themselves against the Reading young guns.
The Rockets’ US imports combined for 54 points in the win, as Trae Pemberton led all scorers with 28 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. AJ Carr nearly matched his compatriot’s stat-line with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while guard Adrian O’Sullivan chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Sydney Donaldson rounded out the double figure scorers with 10 points, seven assists and three steals. Meanwhile, Malcolm Smith led the Blazers with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Tre-Shawn Wilford added 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Jake Wesselingh came off the bench to knock down four triples as he chipped in 16 points and three rebounds.
Essex Leopards 108 v 76 Loughborough Riders
Sunday 13 January 2019 - 5.00pm
Sunday’s action tipped off with Essex picking up a dominant win as they took down Loughborough who had travelled to Colchester as both teams completed back-to-backs. The Leopards now find themselves within touching distance of a playoff spot, ninth position with a 5-7 record, after a difficult start to their campaign. The Big Cats led from tip to buzzer in a surprisingly one-sided affair, as the Riders couldn’t keep pace with their hosts. Pouring in 30 and 36 points in the first and final quarters, respectively, the Leopards ran away with this one as they put on an offensive clinic.
Luke Mascall-Wright bamboozled the Loughborough defense to lead Essex with an impressive 42 point performance, where he knocked down eight three-pointers and shot 12-14 from the field; while adding five assists and three steals en route to an eye-catching efficiency rating of 42! Captain Sam Newman offered support with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Asante Sandiford finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Lee Hodges added an efficient 13 point effort in limited minutes. Meanwhile, the Loughborough effort saw them score by committee, as Tom Yome came off the bench to pace his squad with 13 points in 15 minutes, while Alex Roberts led the starters with 12 points and four rebounds. Niall Harris and Lucien Cristofis added 11 apiece, while Hosana Kitenge chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.
Reading Rockets 67 v 84 Worthing Thunder 
Sunday 13 January 2019 - 5.00pm
The NBL Division One action wrapped up with Worthing Thunder picking up a crucial victory over fellow top three side Reading Rockets, as the Sussex-based side capitalised on the Kestrels’ slip up in West London. A tight first half saw the visitors edge ahead by five points, before a defensive clinic in the final stages saw them limit the Rockets to just eight points in the final stanza. Scoring 21 points of their own down the stretch, the Thunder were able to pull away for a comfortable victory in the end, improving to 11-3 on the year.
The South coast side’s effort was led by Jorge Ebanks’ 26 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Zaire Taylor had 21 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Brendan Okoronkwo added 15 points and nine rebounds, as Tom Ward chipped in with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. AJ Carr and Trae Pemberton were the only factors in the Reading loss, as Carr paced his squad with 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Pemberton added 14 points and four rebounds, while young guard David Chive came off the bench to support with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Barking Abbey 47 v 43 Sevenoaks Suns II 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 2.00pm
A low scoring game in East London saw Barking Abbey pick up their fourth win of this campaign, in a battle of two of the youngest sides in WNBL Division One. The game was tight throughout, as the visitors held a narrow three point lead at the half, but the hosts put together a solid second half performance to come away with the points. Trailing 42-43 in the closing stages, back-to-back buckets from Sade Orija turned the tide for Barking as they held the Suns scoreless for the final 2:52 of the contest.
Lilly Annim put in a big performance for the victorious Abbey squad, as she led with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while late-game heroine Orija who added 13 points and six rebounds. Jolicia Cadogan also had a key role in the win as she chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and four assists. Tamara Fournillier-Onadeko was the bright spark in the Sevenoaks’ loss as she led all scorers with 17 points and four rebounds, with no other Suns player reaching double figures. Notably, Sevenoaks’ star Katie Bennett went scoreless in just under four minutes of action.
Team Solent Kestrels 70 v 56 Team Birmingham Elite 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 3.00pm
Team Solent Kestrels kept up their plight to challenge at the top of WNBL Division One with a competitive victory over a tricky Team Birmingham Elite squad. While the West Midlands’ side’s 1-8 record paints a bleak picture, Coach Robin Hall’s side have been more than competitive in a number of their games this season; none more so than in this trip to the South coast. The ladies from the second city led the contest in the early stages of the third quarter, before a definitive run by the Kestrels gave them a lead they would hold and extend right up until the final buzzer.
Geena Gomez continued a stellar campaign with 19 points and 10 assists, while Krisztina Velkey added 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in a near triple-double effort. Lucy Buxton shone for the visitors with 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists to pace Elite, while Sandra Hewakowska chipped in 14 points and six rebounds. Leading scorer Rebecca Brindley had a quieter day by her standards, but still added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Bristol Academy Flyers 56 v 88 Ipswich 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 3.45pm
Opening up 2019 with match-ups against two of the top three teams in the league, Ipswich could quite easily have had a rough start to the New Year. However, Coach Nick Drane’s side have found a rich vein of form to kick things off following the Christmas break, first defeating Team Solent at home, then heading to Bristol and grabbing a very impressive win. The lead changed hands a few times in the first half, as Ipswich generally maintained a small advantage. However, a solid run to end the third and begin the fourth put the game out of reach for the South West hosts, as the Suffolk-based squad tasted a another crucial triumph.
Harriet Welham exploded for 35 points to lead her team, knocking down five triples and shooting 12-23 from the field, while contributing an all-round near triple-double effort with eight rebounds and eight assists. Danielle Cazey added 24 points and six rebounds, while Charlotte Redhead contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds. A bright spark off the bench for Coach Gareth Till’s squad was the play of Cristina Bigica who had 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists; the only double digit scorer for the hosts.
Anglia Ruskin University 75 v 53 Reading Rockets
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 4.00pm
Opening up a home back-to-back, Anglia Ruskin University picked up an important win to capitalise on the league-leading Bristol Academy Flyers slipping up at the hands of Ipswich. With new head coach Michael Hanson-Morris now in the hot side on the sideline, the Rhinos overcame a slow start on the offensive end to pour in 65 points over the final three quarters as they pulled away late to confirm a solid win.
Jazmin Gyulai led all scorers with 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Katrin Hulme had 19 points and nine rebounds. Nadege Talva rounded out the double digit scorers for the Rhinos with an efficient 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Monica Herranz De Antonio paced Reading with 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, but got little help with Noa Sanchez Marques the only other double figure scorer with 11 points off the bench.
Anglia Ruskin University 65 v 60 Southwark Pride 
Sunday 13 January 2019 - 1.00pm
Closing out their back-to-back, Anglia Ruskin wrapped up the WNBL Division One weekend with a clutch victory over a feisty Southwark Pride squad. The visitors from the capital led in the early stages, opening up a 15 point advantage as the contest entered the second stanza. The hosts fought back to lead by four at the half, and maintained their narrow advantage throughout much of the third period. After trading leads down the stretch, Amelia Sandie tied the game at 60-60 from the foul line with 1:26 to play. Barbara Gonzalez Palacios hit the go-ahead basket for the Rhinos, before Katrin Hulme held her nerve at the line to ice the game – the Pride held scoreless for the final 86 seconds of the contest.
Captain Katrin Hulme led by example with an all-round effort of 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Najha Treadwell followed up a quiet performance against Reading to add 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jazmin Gyulai and Barbara Gonzalez Palacios chipped in 11 and 10, respectively, in the Anglia Ruskin victory. Megan Haines led the visiting squad with 18 points and three steals, while Amelia Sandie came off the bench to add 12 points and six rebounds. Esther Oluade rounded out the double figure scorers with 10 points and two rebounds.
Greenwich Titans 75 v 53 Westminster Warriors 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 3.00pm
A real top vs bottom affair kicked off the NBL Division Two action this weekend, as second-placed Westminster Warriors made the cross-capital trip to visit basement club Greenwich Titans. The Titans, despite their 1-7 record thus far this campaign, gave a very good account of themselves against a talented Westminster unit, trailing by just four points at the half. After tying the game up to head into the final stanza, the visiting Warriors made their experience count with smart play down the stretch as they pulled away for a narrow six point win.
Justin Hitchman led the Warriors with 21 points, while player-coach Jon Johnson added 16. Juan Manning also provided support for Westminster with 14 points. Arturo Noha-Pascual led all scorers with 22 points to pace Greenwich, while Jake Murphy contributed 18 points. Ray Akpofure rounded out the Titans’ double digit scorers with 11 points.
Sussex Bears 76 v 51 Ipswich
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 5.00pm
Sussex Bears jumped to fourth place in NBL Division Two with a confident victory over Ipswich, improving to 6-4 on the season. A cagey opening quarter saw the lead change hands in the early going, before the Bears got their claws into a lead that they would not relinquish. Pouring in 23 points in both the second and fourth quarters, the South coast side were also able to lock down defensively down the stretch as Ipswich could muster just six points in the final stanza.
Cordaris Townes continued an impressive campaign as he led all scorers with 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Tomas Seduikis added 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Joe Carter came off the bench to chip in 10 points, five rebounds and six assists. Meanwhile, Ipswich saw three players hit double figures as Colin Dockrell, Ethan Price and Jed Robinson contributed 10 points apiece in the loss.
East London All Stars 87 v 82 Derbyshire Arrows 
Saturday 12 January 2019 - 5.00pm
The final game of the NBL Division Two weekend saw East London All Stars grab a narrow win over the travelling Derbyshire Arrows at UEL SportsDock on Saturday evening. The visiting Arrows looked comfortable early on as their found their stride offensively, pouring in 28 points in the first period and putting 52 points on the board in the first half. A re-energised East London defense clamped down in the second half as the All Stars chipped away at a 14 point deficit to grab the lead heading into the final stages. Joseph Baugh went two-for-two at the line to keep things interesting at 82-80 with 2:13 to play, before tying the game at 82-82 on the following possession. Jonathan James stepped up big in the closing moments to hit the dagger three that gave the All Stars the 85-82 lead, before Brian Nguru held his nerve to ice two foul shots for a 87-82 win.
Kyle Gouveia had his way on the offensive end to lead all scorers with 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Brian Nguru added an impressive output of his own with 22 points and six rebounds. Jonathan James was the only other double figure scorer as he added 15 points for Coach Dave Greenaway’s side. Joseph Baugh did his best to match Gouveia’s efforts as he led Derbyshire with 27 points and eight rebounds, while George Brownell came off the bench to add 20 points and three rebounds. Callum McKenzie chipped in 17 points, three rebounds and three assists for Coach Jonny Kelly’s outfit.
For full Scores & Schedules from this weekend's action, click the link below:
