WILDCATS ARE TOP-CATS

Durham Wildcats     (25, 41, 58) 90
Brixton Topcats        (19, 42, 64) 75 

	A remarkable game at Newton Aycliffe proved to be virtually a mirror image of the reverse fixture in Brixton just before Christmas. In that earlier game, Durham led by 21 points with 12 minutes to play, only to suffer a fourth quarter drought as Brixton went on a scoring spree to complete a 26 point turnaround and secure a five point victory. This time it was Brixton’s turn to lead, by 12, late in the third quarter, and it was Durham who dominated the fourth, as a 27 point turnaround gave them a 15 point success.Durham showed no signs of the previous days sluggishness as eight points from Scott Morton helped them into an early 13-5 lead.
Brixton quickly picked up the pace, and ten points from Avelino Antonio, backed up with 6 from big centre Tom Adorian hauled them right back to 19-17, before back-to-back “3”s from Mark Elderkin restored an eight point Wildcats’ advantage. The lead at the break was six, but the Topcats raised their defensive intensity in the second period, and with Durham beginning to struggle to connect from distance, it was Stephen Jones who kept them ahead, with six of their first eight points, and at the mid point of the quarter the lead was still six, 33-27. With Wildcats forced to rest key players with foul trouble, and Paul Mundy-Castle hitting a sparkling vein of form, Brixton put on a 3-15 spurt to reverse the six point advantage, before Morton took the last five points of the half to leave the game finely balanced at 41-42.
	A “trey” apiece from Mark and Paul Elderkin, to keep the margin at one early in the third gave hope that Wildcats’ outside game was beginning to come good, but Benvido Garcia stepped up offensively for Brixton as they went on a 1-12 run for a 48-60 lead to the visitors. The game was becoming increasingly feisty, and as Durham began to haul themselves back, a loose ball incident resulted in a holding foul being called on Morton, and an “unsportsmanlike” one on Mundy-Castle. Scott sank the resulting two free shots, but Wildcats failed to convert the possession-after, and the visitors still led by six at the final break.

Durham were now beginning to hit top form, and a pair of “3”s bracketing a deuce, from Paul Elderkin, levelled the game at 66 early in the final stanza, and a further seven unanswered put the home side ahead, 73-68.
Brixton’s nerves were beginning to show, as the Wildcats’ defence frustrated them, and the home side began to gain more success on the offensive boards, and with 4½ minutes to play, and Durham leading by four, Mundy-Castle pressed the self-destruct button.
Called for a rebounding foul, he responded physically, and the resulting “unsportsmanlike” foul was his fifth offence, which took their most influential player out of the game.
Stephen Jones gratefully sank the two free-throws for the original foul, and though Mark Elderkin spurned both his shots for the “u”, Stephen Jones converted from the possession-after, to give the Wildcats an eight point lead.
There was still time for the Topcats to haul themselves back into the game, but that chance evaporated with four minutes to play when Avelino Antonio was ejected from the game after leaving Mark Elderkin on the floor clutching his stomach.
This time Mark converted one of the two free-throws, and then drained a “trey” on the resulting possession. Stephen Jones then completed the ten point run, for an 85-71 scoreline that left Durham firmly in control at 85-71, with three minutes to play.
Garcia grabbed a basket back for Brixton, but an Anthony Trigg dunk restored the margin. One of two from the stripe by Morton, and a massive Paul Elderkin fast-break dunk iced the victory for Durham, at 90-73, while two from the stripe by Adorian was scant consolation for the distraught visitors.  
Wildcats: Paul Elderkin 27; Scott Morton 22; Mark Elderkin 17; Steve Jones 16; Anthony Trigg 6; Michael Davies 2; Notis Chalkidis; Tolis Apostolidis; Rafa Vilar-Franca.
Brixton: Tom Adorian 17; Benvido Garcia 17; Avelino Antonio 15; Paul Mundy-Castle 13; Laurie Lewis 7; Armand Anebo 2; Ed Saayeng 2; Ishanti Graham 2; Karolis Petkus;  Isaac Omirin; Max Curle; James Miller [dnp]..

“That was a great advert for the way we play basketball” exclaimed a delighted coach Dave Elderkin. “we struggled at times, but kept our composure and refused to be knocked out of our stride.
“Outscoring a quality team like Brixton 32-11 in the final quarter was a real achievement, and I was delighted at the support that we got, throughout the game, from the crowd.
Not that Elderkin was about to break the habits of a lifetime and allow himself to get carried away.

“It’s a great feeling to be out in front at this stage of the season” he said, “and it’s testament to the hard work of the players. However, having done so well to get to this point we must avoid any lapses in intensity – either mental or physical – in the last five games.
“As the last few results have shown there's still time for 'twists and turns', and I want us to see it out by playing the up tempo game we've used all season and not rely on other teams slipping up.”