A battling final-quarter fightback wasn’t enough to stop Northants Titans from slipping to a 70-68 EBL Under 13 Boys Midlands South Conference defeat to Bucks Hornets at Weavers at the weekend.
After an exhausting overtime match the previous weekend, Titans were up against much stronger competition in the Hornets.
A concerned Titans entered this game knowing that it would be much more challenging, but after such an eventful season so far, would this be an issue?
With skipper Joseph Mcgrady out of play with a knee injury and the team not having a training session at all that week... maybe!
The beginning of the quarter saw both teams match up surprisingly evenly, until the sixth minute hit and Hornets took off on a scoring streak and finished the quarter with a nine-point lead.
Titans took this all in their stride, following last week’s underdog win, and continued to play up to their fighting name.
However, once again in the sixth minute of this quarter Hornets flew at Titans with numerous fast breaks, attacking the gaps in their half court defence and running in lay-up after lay-up.
Titans certainly felt the Hornets’ sting as they displayed what seemed to be boundless scoring ability, combined with profound athleticism and they buzzed in 18 points in a row, without Titans taking a single basket in return.
The first half ended with Titan trailing 27-45. It was a worrying deficit, yet there was still a lot of the game to be played.
A short half time and some words of encouragement later, and Titans were back on the floor.
This period consisted of Titans taking difficult shots and constantly turning the ball over.
However, this was balanced with their scoring success rate, missing only two shots of the nine taken that quarter.
For both teams this was a low scoring period and finished with Hornets only winning the quarter by two baskets.
Although, on the discouraging side, Titans now only had one period left to pull back a 22-point gap!
The final 10 minutes of play was expected to follow pattern of the previous periods, however, Titans were about to pull something out of their lockers!
Titans marched into the fourth quarter and forced Hornets to witness a real comeback.
After only three minutes of hectic play, Titans had reduced a 22 point shortage to just 12. This was an outstanding effort from such a young, inexperienced side.
Tyler Mutemasango scored all of the 10 points to dent this deficit.
This advantageous start, motivated both the team and crowd and Titans were unstoppable, continuously stealing the ball and improving upon everything they didn’t do as well earlier on in the game.
Titans continued this reign throughout the whole quarter, and by the eighth minute they were only three points behind and sitting comfortably on Hornets’ shoulders.
As the clock took us into the last minute, it was now a one-point game, after Hornets sunk just one more free-throw in the last few seconds, this appeared to seal the deal for the Bucks side.
Titans threw up one last attempt, but it was not enough to take the win.
Titans were exceptional in the final quarter, and surprised family, friends, coaches and more importantly themselves.
This unexpected ending to the game saw Titans take the quarter 29-9, the highest points difference accomplished in one period throughout the whole game.
“This is a winning scoreline within itself, and a great team performance throughout the game, yet again proving Titans potential for the rest of the season.” said coach Bayliss.
Tyler Mutemasango top scored with 25 points, supported by Elijah Mckiernan with 16, backed up by youngster Bradley Powell with nine points and PJ Preston with a steady eight.
EBL Under 14 Boys Midlands Conference
Northamptonshire Titans 106 Northants Thunder 82
With all members of both teams available after East Midlands duty, it was ‘game on’ at Weavers on Saturday.
The Titans starting five came out strong leaving Thunder under no illusion as to who wanted the match.
Titans continued working hard in the first half and ended it by leading by 22 points opening up the lead to enable all of the bench to get good game minutes and show us that training was indeed paying off as they maintained the lead well for the rest of the game.
Everyone contributed to the score sheet with some great improvements from Scott Moore and Tom Weatherson.
With Keenan Salmon and Elliott Farrar sharing only half of Titans’ final score, it was true to say that it was a true team performance that Thunder could not match.
However, Thunder won the final quarter by three points with superb effort from Jacob Round and David Neva.
EBL Under 15 Boys Midlands Conference
Northamptonshire Titans 67 YH Leicestershire Dynamite 88
The second game of the season saw a home game against Leicester Dynamite.
First blood was drawn 90 seconds in by the away team, and it was a tough first quarter with the Titans coming slowly out of the blocks.
The seconnd quarter the team found rhythm and found the basket pulling back 20 points to go into the half time six points down.
The second half continued with Dynamite putting pressure on with fast break and good passing taking an 18 point lead.
In the fourth quarter the Titans stayed their ground and fought back, both Cameron Hawes and James Andrews scoring eight points each.
Titans showed some great defence at times but was not enough to be overrun by Leicester Dynamite with their tough physical play.
Top Scorers were James Andrews 25, Sam Stopps 14 Cameron Hawes 10
EBL VCARS.co.uk Division Three Men South
Oxford Brooks Uni 85 Northamptonshire Titans 68
A busy weekend for the Men’s squad started with a depleted squad travelled to Oxford.
They came frustratingly close to matching a team they will be confident of beating at home.
After a strong opening, Titans had a couple of two minute spells when the defensive intensity dropped, and that was enough to allow Oxford to open a gap that was too big for a late flourish from Titans to close.
The Northamptonshire side conceded an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter, and despite closing the half with a 9-2 run of their own they trailed by five after the first quarter.
The second quarter was another close one, but again defensive lapses and the tendency to rush the offence allowed Oxford a 10-0 run towards the end of the half to leave Titans 34-49 down at the half way stage.
Oxford opened up the second half with a flourish extending the lead to 23 points, before a Titans fightback closed the gap back to 14 points midway through the final period, but they could not sustain the effort to turn the result around.
Abraham Twumasi top scored with 18 points, Benjy Henry added 14 and Anthony Ghatt and Danny Barrett each chipped in with 11 in what was another improved performance.
EBL Mens National Shield
Northamptonshire Titans 94 Northants Thunder 114
On Sunday the Titans side returned home to Weavers to face the young and quick Northants Thunder side, and in a fast and entertaining game the visitors speed was the deciding factor as former Wellingborough Phoenix player Leon Henry ran in 41 points for the visitors.
The first quarter was tight with the lead changing throughout with Mark Gledhill establishing some solid offense with eight early points, but a last second basket from the visitors edged them into a 23-22 lead after the first quarter. Benjy Henry added five quick points to open the second before the visitors went on an 11-0 run to open the first significant gap between the sides.
Titans came back into the game closing the gap to 51-47 at half time as Danny Barrett and Gledhill led the recovery.
Titans opened the second half the stronger as Abraham Twumasi got into the game offensively with seven quick points and Barrett tied the score at 59 midway through the third period, before the visitors ran in a 20-9 burst to close the quarter to open what proved to be an unassailable lead 81-70 going into the fourth quarter.
As the game got more open, the younger and faster Northants team stretched their lead as Titans chased the game in the final period, eventually running out 114-94 winners.
Titans had 22 points from Gledhill leading the way with 17 from Ghatt, 15 from Barrett, Illy Murison added 11 and Twumasi chipped in with 10 in another improved performance.
After a difficult weekend, coach Pete Burgoine said: “We are on a difficult path and we are looking for improvements on a game by game basis.
“Each game showed that this weekend and we have a weekend off next week with a chance to work on some of the details.
“I am convinced this group of players can make the adjustments required to start picking up some wins.”
FIXTURES
Saturday, October 27
13:30: Titans Under 13 Boys away vs. Milton Keynes Lions
15:00: Titans Under 14 Boys away vs. Shropshire Warriors
14:15: Titans Under 15 Boys away vs. Derby Trailblazers
12:20: Titans Under 16 Boys away vs. City of Birmingham
Sunday, October 28
11:45: Titans Under 16 Boys vs. Cheshire Juniors at Northampton Academy
13:15: Titans Women’s team away vs Reading Rockets
 |  |