The SLB Cup Finalists continued their good form in the Championship heading into their showdown at the AO Arena on March 22.
Finalists B. Braun Sheffield Hatters and Manchester Basketball both scored wins over the weekend, but with contrasting performances. Essex Rebels and Oaklands Wolves also tasted victories.
B. Braun Sheffield Hatters 83-70 Caledonia Gladiators
The B. Braun Sheffield Hatters secured their eighth consecutive win in the Championship with an 83-70 success over the Caledonia Gladiators in a top-of-the-table battle at the Canon Medical Arena.
However, it wasn’t plain sailing for the league leaders, as the Gladiators, who sit in second, were the aggressors in the early going and even took a 45-39 advantage at the break.
That half-time interval worked wonders for the Hatters, who came out a different side in the third quarter, going on a 9-2 run to knot the game at 48-48 and even took the lead at various stages before settling at 56-56 heading into the final ten, where Sheffield finally took control to take the win.
Antoinette Lewis shot 72% from the field for her 19 points, and she also pulled down six rebounds for the Hatters. Tess Amundsen had 17 for Caledonia.
Manchester Basketball 75-73 Nottingham Wildcats
Manchester Basketball withstood a fourth-quarter onslaught from the Nottingham Wildcats to claim a narrow 75-73 win at the NBPC.
Ahead 59-52 after three quarters, Manchester were in the ascendancy, but Nottingham were not throwing in the towel, as they managed to take the lead in spurts during the last exchanges before Frannie Hottinger secured the win from the foul line.
Hottinger would finish with 21 points and 10 rebounds for Manchester. Maaja Bratka led the winners with 22. Johanna Langbehn and Ophelia Larder-Lee both had 19 points for the Wildcats.
Essex Rebels 102-80 Cardiff Met Archers
Essex Rebels continue to stay on the tails of the top two with a hard-fought 102-80 victory over basement side Cardiff Met Archers at the Essex Sports Arena.
Despite leading for the majority, Essex were unable to pull away properly from a determined Cardiff side, and it wasn’t until the final stages of the third quarter that the hosts created breathing space for themselves to lead by as many as 31 and seal matters.
Quinesha Lockett led the Rebels with 24 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Jordan Lewis had a game-high 29 for Cardiff.
Oaklands Wolves 81-72 Leicester Riders
Oaklands Wolves clinched their third win in a row in the Championship, as they beat the Leicester Riders 81-72 at Oaklands College.
The Wolves led by as many as 23 points with a dominant performance in the first three quarters, before the Riders finished strong in the final ten minutes to make the scoreline more respectable.
Danielle McCray had 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead Oaklands, while going 58% from the floor. Tayjanna Mcghee-Pleasant also chipped in with 14 for the victors.
Katie Januszewska amassed a game-high 20 points and five assists for the Riders, who have slumped to their eighth straight loss.