Club news
Wildnight In Durham As Wildcats Make History
The Wildcats collected their first victory since stepping up to the BBL with a thrilling 74-72 victory against Cheshire Jets, on Saturday.
Having led by 17 points at half-time, the BBL new-boys withheld a furious comeback from the Jets to take their first win at Newton Aycliffe Sports Centre.
Understandably, coach Dave Elderkin was a happy man after the game: “Well obviously it was a very welcome win for us. We were six games in with four Trophy games and a Cup match and we’d drawn blanks in all of them.
“I thought we deserved it over the 40 minutes even though they had a good go at us in the second half. It was a good team effort, and I thought the second quarter was the best we’d played this season as we held them to five points. At half-time we talked about not being complacent, but we came out and played complacently with soft defence and slow offence and we let them make a real game of it.”
Indee, the midway break did Elderkin's men no favours, as the Jets got themselves back into the game, taking the third period 30-12 as well as the overall lead 58-57.
It was the fourth and final period, however, that set Newton Aycliffe alight. The teams traded baskets again, much like the first quarter, but with 2.20 left on the clock Durham trailed 66-70.
Four points from Hinnenkamp and a Mark Elderkin free throw gave them the advantage 71-70 with only 46 seconds left. Bill Cole took back the lead for Jets with a pair of free throws himself.
With 20 seconds left and down 72-73, Durham's Obida Attah was fouled and held his nerve in the clutch, taking both points and the lead.
Attah was in action at the other end as he blocked Cheshire's last-ditch shot, was fouled himself and sank one of his two free throws to clinch the win.
Bucci led the scoring for Durham with 19 points and was supported well by Durham University student Hinnenkamp, who had 16.
