Wildcats Go Into Quarter Final Against Division 1 Leaders Manchester Magic

 

National Cup Third Round.
Team Northumbria   (15, 19, 32) 52            

Durham Wildcats       (15, 41, 71) 96

Having been caught out by the Wildcats’ blistering start in their previous encounter, Northumbria were not about to allow a repeat performance, and though Paul Elderkin opened the scoring, with a “3” it was a closely contested first quarter, with six lead changes.
The home side enjoyed their biggest lead of the game at 11-7, off a “3” from Berry, but seven unanswered put the Wildcats back ahead by three. Steubel and Chris Pearce (the home side’s best player on the night) edged Northumbria back in front before 1 of 2 from the stripe by Steve Jones left the teams all square at the break.
It was at the start of the second period that the visitors broke the game open, as they scored the first seventeen points, with their usual combination of intense defence and creative, but controlled offence.
Having established a grip on the game, the Wildcats were not going to let it slip, and they held Northumbria to just four points in the second quarter, and the 22 point lead at the half left no way back for the home side.
Durham continued to edge away early in the third quarter, to 55-29, and then turned the screw again with a 16-3 spurt to lead by 39 going into the final stanza.
The eventual 44 point victory was well earned, and it provides the Wildcats with a home tie in the quarter finals, on 29th November, against last year’s Finalists, and Winners in the previous two seasons, Manchester Magic.
Wildcats’ Scorers: Paul Elderkin 26; Scott Morton 14; Notis Chalkidis 14; Tolis Apostolidis 10; Michael Davis 8; Stephen Jones 7; Rafa Vilar-Franca 7; Anthony Trigg 5; Sam Chambers 5; Mark Elderkin 3.
Northumbria leading Scorers: Chris Pearce 12, Gomez 9, Billy Eldridge 7 & Connor Gypsyn 7

“I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the season” said a delighted coach Elderkin. “The team has gelled far more quickly than anyone could have expected, and to go ten games unbeaten is a remarkable achievement.
“Our biggest danger now could be complacency, but we’ll be working hard to make sure that doesn’t creep in. We’ve got where we are through an incredible amount of hard work and effort – and teamwork.
“The only way forward is through more of the same.”

The Wildcats return home next weekend, for the first test of that philosophy, with the visit of Birmingham University

The game tips off, at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, at 7.00pm on Saturday 14th November