5:40pm Sunday 7th February 2010
WORCESTER Wolves started the second half of their 2009/10 BBL campaign with a much-needed win against one of their play-off rivals, Plymouth Raiders.
The University of Worcester-based side were in control for the vast majority of the game but nearly let it slip when the Raiders mounted a last quarter charge and got to within two points.
However, the Worcester team had been in the lead from the opening exchange of baskets in the first minute of the match and, with their improving determination to win games, were not to be outdone in the last plays of this enthralling encounter.
Giedrius Knysas started in the centre instead of Devin Smith for Wolves along with his Lithuanian countryman Modestas Sidlauskas.
Frenchman Harry Disy, Danny Gilbert and the in-form Rod Middleton made up the team.
Both teams exchanged 8-0 bursts in the first 10 minutes, but it was Wolves who claimed the early advantage, leading at the end of the first quarter 23-20.
Coach Paul James’s team were mirroring their controlled play of the previous week’s win against the Glasgow Rocks and, thanks to three successive long-range threes from Middleton, were eight points up at the half-time buzzer.
Once again, the home defence was working well and only Raiders’ Florentino Valencia was making any headway as he totalled 21 points — nine of them from the free throw line.
Ex-Worcester player James Noel made little impression against his former club, while a more recent previous Wolves player, Antony Martin, did contribute 12 points.
But when Middleton and Gilbert made three more maximums in the first minute of the second-half, the Raiders looked out of the match.
Wolves’ advantage peaked at 16 points with just seven minutes to go in the final quarter, but then the Devon side sparked into life and compiled a 14-1 run to leave the capacity crowd wondering if they were in for another overtime game.
The lead was down to just two points at 80-78, but Disy — who claimed 19 points and nine rebounds — made a long-range three in the most important play of the game.
Plymouth replied with two Martin free-throws while, with 44 seconds left, Disy contrived to miss two charity shots for Wolves.
At 83-80 to Wolves and in the next play, Plymouth threw their chance away as a needless travelling violation was spotted by the officials which meant that the visitors were reduced to deliberately fouling Wolves to gain possession.
Gilbert made one of the resulting free shots to give the Worcester team a deserved, but slightly nervous, 84-80 win.
Middleton was the game’s highest scorer with 22 points, while Sidlauskas made two vital last-quarter threes in his personal score of 14.
Coach James was a little annoyed that a healthy lead for his team had dissolved to just two points with a comfortable win in sight.
“We made it hardwork for ourselves,” He said.
“I am trying to develop a killer instinct into my players to turn winning positions in to actual wins.
“I have stressed how important the next defence is and how important the next offence is when we have a good lead.
“We had a 16-point lead and allowed Plymouth back into the game.
“Our indiscipline let them into the match and in the end I was glad just to claim the win.”
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