Match Report
Heat Men vs Durham Wildcats
56-61
Competition:
Heat Drive Cats Wild
Hartlepool Heat found themselves in a close fought battle with a very experienced and well-drilled Durham side in their last home game of 2006.
Heat started with a five of McKenzie, Thomas, Errington, Robinson and Turner in a 2-3 Zone while the visitors Coached by Dave Elderkin and led by Knox started Man with Knox, Hewitt, Hobbs, Ballard and Graham.
Ballard wins the tip but Heat score first through Robinson before Hobbs scores what would be his first of 22 points with a 3. Heat then hit back with solid screens and good ball movement by Thomas and Robinson to take the lead briefly but Graham, Hewitt and Hobbs combine well to give the Wildcats a 2-point advantage at the end of the first.12-10 to the visitors.
After a good team talk and a change in offensive tactics Heat come out on Fire with Robinson and Colmer linking up for a combined 18-points while the Cats struggle to break down the Heat Zone scoring only in the 3rd, 5th and 10th minute of the quarter while Heat scored 23.Half-time Heat lead 32-18.
The 3rd was a complete turn around as the Wildcats clawed their way back into the game. Having held Durham to only 6-points in the 2nd Heat were now held to 7-points this quarter as Durham showed their experience and with Knox and Hewitt pulling the strings Durham scored 22 to Heats -7 which meant the score going into the last 10 was 39-40 to Wildcats.
Anyone’s Game!
Heat started the 4th in the right way attacking the basket and drawing the fouls and with Durham in foul trouble the game could have gone either way. Errington and Turner scored some early baskets for Heat but Colmer struggled to convert the And1. The first 5 minutes had been all Heat then disaster struck in the form of a 2-mintue spell without scoring while Wildcats put the final bite on Heat with a physical 1-2-2 Zone and fast breaks from Hobbs, Hewitt and Knox. With only a minute left Heat tried running set plays to get the 3 points needed for overtime but Durham held on and a final break from Knox sealed the win in what was an excellent game of Basketball.