Scottish Phoenix
Honda Record Rocks 83 (29,45,65) (Je.Williams 28, McGee
17, Perre 16)
TCS Chester Jets
86 (23,51,66) (McCord 21, Huntley 20, Davis 18)
TCS Chester Jets
progressed to the BBL Championship Play-off Semi-finals courtesy of an
86-83 road
success over last
season's Play-off champions Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks on Sunday
evening.
Rocks enjoyed a
14-3 first quarter tear and led 29-23 heading into the second period, but
Jets
turned the game
to their advantage in the second stanza to lead by six themselves at 51-45.
Jets'
advantage was down
to a single point by the end of the third at 66-65 and the game remained
close
through the final
quarter. Rocks led 82-78 late on, before a Michael Nurse three pointer
trimmed the
gap to one point
at 82-81 with 1.19 to go. Billy Singleton put Jets ahead at 85-82 with
a bucket and
two free throws
inside the final minute. Terrance McGee had the chance to bring Rocks back
level
after he was fouled
by John McCord attempting a three point shot, but he made just one of his
shots
from the charity
stripe. Singleton bagged another free throw to make it 86-83 and McGee's
last gasp
three-point
attempt, which would have forced overtime, rimmed out. Jerry Williams led
all scorers
with 28 for Rocks;
John McCord added 21 for Jets.
Westfield Sharks
Sheffield 118 (33,57,83) (Phoenix/Yanders 27, Coleman
21)
Thames Valley
Tigers 100 (24,54,75) (Bailey 25, James 23, Cetnar 16)
Westfield Sharks
Sheffield booked themselves a Play-off Semi-final berth for the fourth
successive
season with a 118-100
victory over Thames Valley Tigers on Sunday afternoon. Sharks started well,
bagging an impressive
33 first quarter points on their way to a nine-point advantage. However,
Tigers battled back
in the second stanza, cutting the gap to just three points at half-time
at
57-54. Tigers tied
the game at 66-66 midway through the third, only for Sharks to hit a 10-3
burst
to re-take the lead.
Their lead peaked at 10 points at 81-71, but Tigers got it back to single
digits by the end
of the third at 83-75. The decisive run came midway through the fourth
quarter, as
Sharks hit 13 points
without reply to lead 99-82 and Tigers could find no way back. Quinton
Bailey
led Tigers' scoring
with 25 points, topped by Justin Phoenix and Rob Yanders with 27 each.