HEAT 71 Houghtonians 69
HEAT edge out Houghtonians in Final Thriller!
Hartlepool HEAT Men’s 1st team gave a gutsy team performance against the best team in the league, Durham League Division 1 Champions, Old Houghtonians to clinch the clubs first piece of silverware this season. The win means the Durham League Division 1 cup comes to Hartlepool for the first time since Scopec scooped the prize way back in 1990 but more importantly it means the Hartlepool team have clinched their first Durham League Silverware in their short history. Old Houghtonians who were worthy league champions with only one loss to their name all season started the game as clear favourites. HEAT showed though that league form counts for nothing in cup format as the Hartlepool side rushed to 10-2 lead with baskets from Graham Ord and Adam Turner. Houghton hit back through their influential leader Anthony Burdiss with 8-points while Dale Burrell chipped in with four personal and after the first quarter Houghton had given themselves a small 3-point lead. The second quarter belonged to HEAT as Carl Colmer collected 13 of HEATs 17 points, Houghton struggled to find any sort of rhythm and with only Burrell doing any damage inside the HEAT zone, HEAT had reversed the deficit and led 30-26 at half time.
Houghtonians started the 3rd quarter as the stronger team and within a minute they had pegged back HEAT to tie the game at 30-30. Houghton with some urgency stepped up their game but a great defensive stop by Hartlepool led to a breathtaking two handed slam from Turner giving HEAT a small 2 point cushion. Burrell who was just starting to come alive for Houghton responded with a nice baseline jump shot game tied again at 32-32. Up step Sean McKenzie for HEAT who hit a long 3-pointer, which lifted the team, however Burdiss for Houghton responded with his own 3 –pointer and the game was locked at 35-35. Both teams exchanged basket for basket for the remainder of this quarter and throughout most of the 4th in a nail biting battle for a lead.
With time counting down HEAT had managed to gain a slim 1-point lead after Burdiss had cut their advantage with a 3-pointer. Colmer who was having probably his best game in a HEAT jersey found himself open on the perimeter and drained his fifth 3-pointer of the game extending HEATs lead back to 4 points. Houghton tried to get the ball in the hoop but the pressure from HEAT’s defence was holding out, at least for 23 of the 24 second shot clock until the Houghton attack found Burdiss who hit a massive 3-pointer against the Hartlepool outfit when it mattered most cutting HEAT’s lead back to 1 - point. Robinson seeing an advantage drove strongly at the Houghton defence who were in team fouls and made the basket extending the lead back to three. One minute left. HEAT are leading by 1-point and Turner has the chance to seal the game with two free throws. He misses his first but makes the second. Houghton responds with their giant 7 footer Ian Burlinson who until now HEAT had kept quiet but he simply hooked the ball in to the net and the game is tied! Colmer gets the ball for HEAT and makes a jump shot over the 7footer and HEAT gain a slender two-point lead. Houghton call a time –out and its clear there’s only one man they want the ball to go to, Burdiss. HEAT call their own time-out and pick up man-man and play a smoother defence. The ball comes in to play and is fumbled but the loose ball falls in to the hands of Houghton who get yet another chance to find Burdiss, but the HEAT defence that had been fantastic all game manages to pin down the ball till time had expired and Hartlepool HEAT picked up their first trophy this season.