Match Report
Heat Men vs Tigers
78-61
Competition:
HEAT Tame Wild Tigers!
After a bunch of mixed results including a Win and two losses HEAT were looking to bounce back and showed great team spirit and determination in a game that could have gone either way. Even with some players missing HEAT still had a squad of 12 while the visitors braved the trip to Hartlepool with only 7 players due to injuries.
Heat started the brighter with Robinson assisting both Turner and Donnison to take a 6-point lead before Tigers hit back with Woolams and Cowell who combined well but Heat responded almost immediately with Turner, Donnison and Thomas which helped Heat to hold the lead 17-12 at the end of the 1st.
The 2nd was an excellent quarter as both teams played excellent basketball. Due to baskets from Turner and Robinson Heat found themselves 10-points up after seven minutes and seemed to be cruising until Woolams took the hold of the game with strong plays inside the paint causing HEAT allsorts of problems while Dolphin found his range beyond the arc and within a three minute spell HEAT were trailing 37-34 and failed to score for the rest of the 2nd.
Woolams started the 3rd for Tigers the same way he finished the 2nd but combined plays from Robinson and Reed kept HEAT within 2-points right through until the seventh minute when HEAT had a 5-point unanswered spell to take the lead briefly. Again it was Woolams who bit back for Tigers but a surge from Donnison and Robinson as well as Cowell only able to convert one free-throw helped HEAT to lead going into the last period 51-47.
A motivational talk from Assistant Coach Ord gave HEAT the fuel they needed to burn Tigers and within the first 3 minutes Turner and Robinson were on fire and it lasted the rest of the quarter. Using a change of Defence Heat managed to stop Tigers from scoring as often as they needed to and with a press the Tigers guards could not cope. HEAT win 78-61.
A Special Thank -You from both teams to Pam Fisher who stepped in at the last minute to allow the game to take place. An excellent game of basketball and a great way for Heat to finish the first half of the Teesside League standing in a strong 2nd place.