WORCESTER Wolves director of basketball Paul James hailed his team’s performance after they were edged out in a British Basketball League thriller.
The top two sides in the table went toe-toe throughout the University of Worcester contest with Wolves falling agonisingly short in their quest to complete a double over the leaders.
Newcastle’s Joe Chapman led the way with an impressive 39-point haul to help move the Eagles six points clear at the summit.
Sherrad Prezzie-Blue top-scored for Wolves with 27 points, followed by Tommy Freeman with 22 points.
“It’s a disappointing loss, but I’m proud of the guys,” James said. “We took on the best and we pushed them all the way. It was a great game of basketball for the spectators and both teams played their hearts out.”
Forward Freeman opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the left but consecutive baskets by Newcastle’s Chapman gave his side the lead.
Tit-for-tat scoring continued until midway through the opening quarter when a neat lay-up from Carlos Fernandez, followed by a block of an Eagles scoring attempt, began to put some daylight between the teams.
A 28-21 first period advantage was increased to 32-23 when a pass from Fernandez was converted by David Watts.
However, a 16-4 burst from the visitors swung the momentum back in their favour at 39-36 before another shot from distance by Freeman levelled the scores with four minutes of the half remaining.
Hard-working Wolves forward Alex Zimnickas took his team back in front at 47-44, before a reply from Chapman once more tied the scores.
A double of long-range efforts from Prezzie-Blue, the second of which came with only four seconds to go before the break, saw Wolves head into the locker rooms with a 55-47 lead.
Another Freeman basket midway through the third quarter gave the Wolves the lead at 62-55, but the Eagles found their range from beyond the arc as they drained four consecutive three-pointers in a 14-4 tear to regain the lead at 69-66.
A 12-2 response from the hosts handed James’ men the advantage once again at 78-72, and they held on to their lead at 80-77 heading into the final period.
Prezzie-Blue sliced through the Newcastle defence to open up a seven-point advantage at 90-83 but the visitors clawed their way back to tie the contest at 95-95 with less than two minutes left.
With 60 seconds to go, Chapman made his eighth three-pointer to give Newcastle the lead at 98-95.
A pair of free-throws from Charles Smith, sandwiched between a Richie Gordon basket and another three-pointer from Prezzie-Blue, saw the game tied at 100-100 with 25 seconds remaining.
Smith edged the visitors ahead with 11 seconds to go and a wild last-gasp shot from Freeman fell short.
