Venue: LQ Arena, Stourport on Severn
Date: Sunday, 19th November 2017
YBL U15 South Division
SPARTANS 45 Vs 58 LEADONITES
(Q1: 9-13 / Q2: 13-10 / Q3: 12-22 / Q4: 11-13)
Having lost at home to Spartans, back in September, it was not only important to win this return fixture but to win it by 7 points or more to secure the head-to-head should the two teams finish the season on equal points.
Leadonites took the lead in the second minute and though they were soon pegged back to 4-4 they were never behind at any time in the first period. After recent criticism from their head coach regarding the lack of points scored overall the boys set about building the points margin required. 7-points from Robb (including a 3-pointer), aided with 2-apiece from Nicholls, Calvo-Whitelegg and Chalkley allowed Leadonites to end the first quarter 13-9 ahead.
Spartans hit back and and briefly lead in the second minute of the second quarter. Six straight points from Calvo-Whitelegg (4 pts) and Chalkley restored Leadonites prominence but, despite anther two long range twos from Robb, it was two 3-pointers and a converted And-1 that gave the hosts the second quarter and a fittingly tight half-time score of Spartans 22-23 Leadonites. It could have been worse, Fisher making a vital defensive block, it could have been better, Spriggs missing two late free-throws and clearly struggling with an ankle injury sustained in a school training session.
The third quarter started with Spartans tying the scores up at 23-all but this was the decisive period of the match with guards Chalkley and Hobson finding quick outlet passes and fast break long passes time and again. With the normally proliferate scorer Spriggs limping coach Ian Robb called time on his contribution for this match and he watched from the bench as his Leadonite team mates stretched out their advantage to 11 points; scores from Nicholls, French and Miccio (4 pts) contributing to the power quarter enjoyed by Calvo-Whitelegg (6 pts) and Chalkley (8 pts - including 4 converted free-throws) to leave Leadonites entering the fourth quarter 45-34 up.
Robb stretched the lead to 13 points in the first minute of the final period. Spartans cut the lead to 9 points before French sank a lay-up. Spartans scored again before Robb hit his second 3-pointer of the match in the fifth minute as his final score of a team-high 16 points. Fouls started to mount up against the Leadonites defence with Spartans going to the free-throw line 12 times but only able to sink three of those chances. Calvo-Whitelegg scored the last of his 14 points in the seventh minute before fouling out of the game one minute later. Miccio stretch the lead again, in the nine minute with a fast break lay-up to make the score 56-45 just before French fouled out. Chalkley missed two free-throws but the match, and the margin required, were secure and just to ice the victory Hobson scored the final points of the match.
With two Leadonites players fouling out in the last two minutes of the match the value of
a rounded squad game that has been developed by Coach Robb and Assistant Davis
this season was proven; notably Fisher and Wheeler getting game-time minutes in meaningful parts of the match.
It was nice to see a good spread of points with 7 of the 10 players scoring
but, crucially, everyone pulling their weight on defence in a grind of a match.
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