Recap
The Eagles were looking to continue their recent good form against one of the top 3 teams in the league who are pushing for the play offs…
The game started with the Eagles somewhat going back to their original starters and it proved dividend as they jumped out to an early 8-2 lead with the visitors in white struggling to contain the home side as they fouled them sending them to the line a lot… The Panthers then had the better of the middle section as they started to find their scoring touch and by the 9th minute they were 14-18 up… The Eagles though had a great finish to the period as they went on a 6-0 run with Dan Parkin bagging back to back baskets closing out the 1st at 20-18…
The second quarter was again a tight affair with both teams going on mini scoring runs but again the Eagles this time with Alex Horta hitting the last 3 scores taking the game into the half time at 35-33… (15-15)
The second half got underway with Horta hitting a three from downtown and with Alex Williams hitting another perimeter shot at the 4th minute it was Eagles who lead 43-39… The latter part of the period saw the Panthers get some good offence from their top scorer Jasulahs as his 5 points back to back made it 47-46… The Eagles though had the final say again as they responded with 5 points of their own with MVP Tom Usher scoring followed by a three from Blake Keeble… 52-46 (17-13)
The 4th quarter saw both teams go looking for the win and it was the home team who took control of the early exchanges building up a 10 point lead by the 7th minute 69-59… However back came the panthers with their top scorer hitting two 3 pointers off the belt making it 69-67… The Eagles then steadied the ship with their top scorer Themba Yabantu made his free throws closing the game out at 77-71… (25-25) The Panthers MVP was Kutkevicius….
Eagles U23 Head Coach Graham Heath said “That was probably our most complete 4 periods of basketball this season… The visitors played some good basketball but we were the most consistent team across 40 minutes… All our players got on the score sheet and 3 hit double figures…. We did a very good job off the boards at both ends and shot the ball well… We will now head into our real busy last weekend feeling good….”
Eagles Top Scorers- Themba Yabantu 15, Alex Horta 14 and Blake Keeble 10…
Eagles U23 v Sefton Stars tip off 2pm at Benfield
Eagles U23 v York Vikings tip off 4pm at Benfield
These games take place on Saturday 24th March 2018…..
