BBL Trophy Final
Chester Jets 84   (30,56,69) (Gregory 24, Cauthorn 19, McCord 16)
Kinder London Towers 82  (26,43,65)         (Warren 21, Dixon 18, Holloway 15)

Chester Jets made it a third consecutive BBL Trophy success but had to survive a last second scare before overcoming a spirited London Towers 84-82 at Sheffield Arena.

Behind a MVP performance from Todd Cauthorn, the Jets were forced to the final possession by the underdogs despite leading for much of the contest.

"The Trophy is very special to me," stated Chester coach Robbie Peers. 

"Over the last three seasons, we've been in five finals but winning this one three years in a row would be a real sign of consistency. And that's such a big thing for a small club like ours.

"Each summer I try to put a team together to be competitive and exciting on the floor but that's hard to beat too."

The Londoners opened the game with an 8-2 burst with all eight points coming from Kendrick Warren, before a Jets' 8-2 reply tied the game at 11-11. 

The sides traded baskets before an 11-4 cross-quarter run from the Jets took the score out to 34-26 early in the second period. 

Chester continued to stretch away throughout the quarter, leading by as many as fifteen points at 53-38 off the back of a 13-4 tear, and ultimately led 56-43 at the half. 

In the second half, the Towers clawed their way back thanks to a 12-2 tear midway through the third quarter to get to within three points at 66-63, and trailed by four at 69-65 going into the final stanza. 

The holders started the final quarter with a 9-3 burst to lead 78-68, but a 10-4 Towers tear got the score back to 78-82. 

Kenny Gregory and Calvin   Davis scored a free-throw apiece to extend the Jets lead to six points at 84-78, before Theo Dixon hit two buckets in the final thirty  seconds to reduce the deficit to two points at 84-82. 

David Lindstrom's side had a chance to take the game to overtime, but Dixon's shot after the final buzzer was ruled too late to give the Jets the victory. 

Cauthorn was named MVP thanks to a solid all-round performance, which included 19 points and 7 rebounds. 

Gregory led all scorers with 24 points for the Jets, while  Warren led the Towers scoring with 21.

Peers added: “This is the best of the lot.  We had a lot of luck last year, but to win consistently, is incredible, and to win three Trophy titles in a row is monumental.”

Peers joins former Kingston and Thames Valley Tigers head coaches Kevin Cadle and Mick Bett respectively as the only coaches to have won three consecutive Trophy
Finals.  
 
 

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