WILDCATS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS IN STYLE

Durham Wildcats       (30, 62, 80) 109
Plymouth Marjon       (22, 36, 60)   75

With leaders Brixton losing to Edmonton on Saturday night, and Westminster and Mansfield both winning, the Wildcats went into Sunday’s game knowing they could afford no slip ups in what is now a five-team title race.
Durham began confidently, with Scott Morton contributing the first five points of a 7-0 start, but the visitors responded well to the early pressure. With John Peake prominent inside, they kept their hosts within reach, at 20-12 going into the last three minutes of the first quarter, before three “3”s from Paul Elderkin helped the Wildcats out to a 30-16 advantage. Plymouth responded with the last six points of the quarter, however, and Durham’s lead was back to eight.
Anthony Trigg contributed six points early in the second period, but the Wildcats were showing signs of match-rustiness after the long lay-off, and midway through the quarter they had only edged away to 41-30.
A “trey” from captain Mark Elderkin began the spurt in the last five minutes of the half, and with Scott Morton and Steven Jones outstanding Durham surged away to lead by 26 at the break. Only Peake and Adam Hatchell were able to find the basket for Marjon during this spell.
With the score at 70-40 early in the third, coach Dave Elderkin began to give his bench players an extended run, and a nine-point contribution from Mark Gilbard helped Plymouth to narrow the margin to twenty points at the final break.
The bench players responded with the first seven points of the final stanza, for an 87-60 lead, and when Elderkin reintroduced his starters for the last five minutes they showed their hunger as they took the lead out to 38 on the way to a convincing victory.
Paul Elderkin had four “3”s and two dunks on his way to a game-high 33 points, and he was ably supported at the offensive end by Scott Morton with 22, and every one of the nine players contributed well at both ends of the court.  

 

Wildcats: Paul Elderkin 33; Scott Morton 22; Steve Jones 17; Anthony Trigg 8; Mark Elderkin 6; Rafa Vilar-Franca 6; Tolis Apostolidis 6; Notis Chalkidis 5; Michael Davies 4.
Plymouth: Adam Hatchell 17; Mark Gilbard 15; John Peake 13; Russell Martin 6; David Hickson 6; Matthew Peard 6; Henry Spring 5; Luke Pollard 4; Sean Porter 3.

 

Coach Elderkin was pleased with the performance, but refuses to get carried away.
“We look to be back in business” he commented, “and I was pleased with the way all the players responded to what we were trying to do.
“There’s still a long way to go, though, and we’ll continue to concentrate on one game at a time, and to work on the things that still need improvement, such as not picking up silly fouls.