Hartlepool HEAT 48 – Barnsley Leaders 34
HEAT trailed by 3-points after the first 2-mintues of their opening game but an 8-point run spurred on by Ryan Mckenzie and Jonathon Mee gave HEAT a 5-point cushion. Barnsley hit back with strong drives by Coorer, but each time he was unable to convert luckily for Barnsley though he was fouled by the HEAT defenders and was allowed to get to the free – throw line six times, luckily for HEAT, he only converted 1 of his free six shots.
Stand in captain Daniel Pardue hit the last shot of the quarter and HEAT looked comfortable.
Macaulay Novak who until now had been quiet introduced himself to the game with eight of HEATs 12-points this quarter; Alex Byron who also was having a quiet game by his standard grabbed a great rebound and a put back basket to get his name on the score sheet.
HEAT changed things at half time having a 9-point lead and the points kept on pouring in as HEAT and Barnsley both traded baskets through good spells. Daniel Pardue who was acting as stand in Captain while Jonny Davies was on holiday did a fantastic job leading the team and added another couple of points to the total as well as hitting 2/2 from the free-throw line after being fouled by his opposite number Richard Farmony.
The HEAT went through the motions in the fourth quarter with both Mee and Byron finding their feet and scoring again, Barnsley who had played good basketball throughout matched HEAT for the rest of the game and played right to the end and didn’t give up.
Scorers: Macauley Novak 16, Ryan Mckenzie 12, Jonathon Mee 10