BASKETBALL: Matt's magic not enough as Thunder lose

In the disappointing defeat, Matt Yates top scored for Thunder with 20 points.

Good support came from Devon Adams, Richard Higgins and Jacob Round.

Northants Thunder produced an impressive defensive performance as they beat Leicester Riders 71-35 in the Under 16 Boys Midlands Conference.

Twelve Thunder squad players played in the Hoopsterz tournament and acquitted themselves very creditably, winning two games and losing one.

The first match produced a 22-18 defeat to Milton Keynes Speeders, despite the best efforts of Tom Heron late in the game.

Next up for Thunder was an 18-12 win against Kettering Phoenix before Thunder, who finished as runners-up, beat Market Harborough 19-17, with Max Kerry contributing vital scores.

Northants Thunder faced NEBC Titans for the third and final time this season - and it was Thunder who came out on top with a 72-55 Under 14 Boys East Midlands II Conference win.

David Nieva and ‘Shaq’ Ntumba claimed 23 and 20 points respectively, while Jaz Cambell supported well with 14 points.

Dina Konikovska scored 21 points, but Northants Lightning lost 63-48 to County Upper Wolves in Under 14 Girls East Conference.

Sade Chambers and Lucy Needham grabbed 10 points.

Fixtures

Saturday, February 4: 9.30am-11am: Junior Ballers; 11.30am: Under 14 Girls versus Southend Swifts; Under 14 Boys versus Worcester Bears; 2pm: Senior Men versus Thames Valley Cavaliers (these games will be played at the Basketball Centre which is situated at Northampton School for Girls in Spinney Hill Road, Northampton); Junior Men travel to Coventry Tornadoes, Under 16 Boys travel to Leicester Warriors, Under 19 and Under 11 Hoopsterz CVL Tournament at NSB

Northamptonshire Titans

Tegan impresses but Titans endure two defeats

With a play-off place already secured, the teams in the EBL U16 Girls Premier 1-8 League are now battling it out for high rankings to secure home court advantage.

The NEBC Titans had two games over last weekend and were on the end of two narrow losses.

They lost at home to City of Sheffield Hatters, despite the best efforts of Tegan Millar-Opongntim (16) and Hannah Bird (12).

That defeat was followed by a trip to take on Surrey Goldhawks and Titans’ start lacked confidence.

They tried to pull the game back but were eventually beaten 59-53.

Opongntim-Millar (14), Lauren Dabbs (11) and Molly O’Leary (10) were the Titans top scorers.

Titans knew a maximum team effort would be required to control Mansfield Giants in their EBL U16 Boys North Premier League match.

Titans were right in the contest as they trailed by just four points in the second quarter.

But they did not take care of Giants’ fast break in the third and paid dearly as the 
home side outscored them 30-12.

To Titans’ credit they kept up their determination right to the very end but couldn’t pull it back as they were eventually beaten 95-77.

Jude Carmichael registered an impressive 22 points, with Taiwo Hamilton grabbing 17 and Diarra Layne securing 10.

Titans were up against leaders Team Birmingham Elite in the EBL Women’s Division Two.

In the previous encounter, Titans were beaten by 60 points and they improved that in an 83-62 loss on this occasion.

Sascha Thompson scored 18 and Georgia Collins grabbed a total of nine in the Titans defeat.

Other results

EBL U14 Boys Midlands II Conference League: NEBC Titans 56 Northants Thunder 72.

U14 Girls East Conference League: Norfolk ICENI 49 NEBC Titans 35.

EBL U18 Men Midlands Conference League: Derby Trailblazers 77 NEBC Titans 67.