BBL Trophy Group Stages
Glasgow Rocks 90 (17,41,57) (Mubark 25, Livas 21, Copeland 16)
Newcastle Eagles 99 (23,40,55) (Chapman 33, Lockhart/Bridge 16)
(After double-overtime. Tied at 76-76 at end of regulation and 88-88 after 1st overtime)
In a thrilling ‘Battle of the North’ clash at Kelvin Hall, the Newcastle Eagles got their 2010/11 BBL Trophy campaign underway with a 90-99 victory over the Glasgow Rocks, but they needed two periods of overtime to walk away with the “W”.
The game was tied at 73-73 with 1:35 left in regulation when Moses Mubark bagged a three-pointer to give the Rocks the lead at 76-73, but a Charles Smith three-pointer with 1:09 left tied the game at 76-76. Both teams had opportunities to win the game in regulation, but could not take advantage of it as the game headed into overtime.
In the first period of overtime, a Joe Chapman three-pointer with 1:35 remaining gave the Eagles the lead at 81-86 before a Sterling Davis reply trimmed the deficit to two points at 84-86. A pair of free throws from Andre Lockhart made the score 84-88, but the Rocks were not to be outdone as a Brice Fantazia basket and a pair of free throws from Davis tied the score once again to send the game into double-overtime.
In the second period, the Eagles ended the Rocks resistence as a 9-0 start took the score out to 88-97 with 55 seconds left.
Earlier in the game, the Eagles enjoyed an 11-2 tear in the first period to lead 10-16 and they maintained that lead throughout the remainder of the quarter to take the score to 17-23 at the end of the first.
In the second quarter, the Eagles steadily increased their lead thanks to five points from Lockhart and a further three points from Andrew Bridge helped the visitors take the score out to 22-36. The Rocks got themselves back into the game thanks to 11 points from Mubark in a 19-2 tear to give them the lead at 41-38. Two free throws from Lockhart saw the Eagles trim the deficit to a single point at 41-40 at the half.
The second half saw the Eagles re-take the lead at 43-49 thanks to a 9-2 burst, but the Rocks came straight back at the Eagles with an 11-0 response to lead 54-49 with three minutes left in the period. A pair of free throws from Bridge to close out the third period left the Rocks leading 57-55 heading into the final stanza.
In the final quarter both teams traded baskets throughout the opening exchanges before the fireworks at the end of the game happened.
Chapman led all scorers in the game with an impressive 33-point haul for the Eagles, while Mubark endeared himself to the Rocks faithful to lead their scoring with 25 points.
At the end of the game, Eagles coach Fab Flournoy commented “Rocks against Newcastle is always like that and it brings out the best in us and them. It was one of those games where either team could have won, but I’m pleased that we got our season off to a winning start.”
