Hartlepool HEAT 86 – Biddick Storm 91
Biddick weather the HEAT Storm
Newly promoted Hartlepool HEAT started where they left off last season with an excellent team performance in their new division. Sadly though after over time, foul trouble and a much ‘bigger’ team undid all their hard work.
Biddick opened the scoring but the HEAT hit back with 8 points to silence the Biddick team who were very boisterous.
Team Captain Stephen Purdy picked up a few points and was well supported by Andrew Ray but it was youngster Adam Wilcox who set the game alight with his superb outside shooting.
Joe Davison was in great form for HEAT in the second and a combination of 12 points between him and Purdy made sure HEAT had a comfortable lead at half time 47-38.
Biddick struck back in the 3rd quarter with Sturrock leading the way, HEAT matched them and Lewis Fisher scored a nice couple of baskets but Biddick were starting to get their rhythm and with the HEAT in foul trouble, Biddick used their experience and size to cause the home side all sorts of problems in the low post. Team fouls the most concerning.
At the start of the 4th Biddick had trimmed the HEAT’s lead down to 5- points but Biddick where far from slowing down as their captain Trevor Whitehead who had been an onlooker so far from an offensive point of view managed to drop of brace of 3-pointers which ultimately lifted Biddick to finally re-take the lead for the first time since the first minute of the game. Lewis Fisher then added four more points to his tally for the Hartlepool team and the lead was back with HEAT.
The closing second were nail biting and the large crowd at Manor College sense their team could snatched the victory but Biddick scored 6-points and with the clock ticking HEAT trailed by 2. A Joe Davison fast break gave HEAT the 2-points they needed and as Davison finished he was fouled however he couldn’t make his one free shot and Biddick came up the court with 11 seconds to see if they could close the game out.
HEAT call a time-out and take up a smother Defence. It works and HEAT steal the ball through Davison with 7 seconds left, however the officials blow for a travel and HEAT lose possession with less than 4 seconds remaining.
Biddick get the ball in but their shot attempt fails due to hard work from the Home sides defence.
Over time!
The game followed the same trend in over time as both teams exchange baskets to begin with. However Biddick begin to edge in front and with no replacement for the lost Purdy the HEAT struggle to fill the gap which is exactly where the visitors made it count, with a couple of baskets right inside the HEAT zone and holding on for a 5-point win.
Scorers: Stephen Purdy 16, Joe Davison 15, Adam Wilcox 13