3rd February 2008 BiG Storage Cheshire Jets 86 - 72 SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks

BBL Championship Match Preview

Game details:-

Venue: Northgate Arena

Competition:- BBL Championship

Tip-off:- 5.30pm

Quarterscores:- 26-16, 45-38, 70-55

Overtime periods:-

Final result:- 86-72

Officials:- Dale Aitcheson, Roger Harrison, Neil Wilkinson

Top Scorers:

Jets: Hamilton 20, Obazuaye 20, Otten 19

Rocks: Joseph 16, Hampton 15, Davis 14

vs.

The BiG Storage Cheshire Jets levelled the season series with the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks as they shook off Saturday's Trophy semi-final defeat to overpower the Rocks by 86-72 at the Northgate Arena, a win that saw the Jets move up into the BBL Championship Playoff places.

The win was made all the more impressive when you consider that the Jets were without Shawn Myers, who has a broken finger suffered in the semi-final defeat to Newcastle, and that it also snapped the Rocks's six game winning streak.

James Hamilton and Jayson Obazuaye had a big night with 20 points each, whilst Matt Otten continued his good form with 19 for the Jets. Julius Joseph led the visitors with 16 points.

The hosts led from start to finish as a 14-3 start became a 23-7 lead later in the first period, with Jayson Obazuaye and James Hamilton netting 10 points each. The Rocks finished the opening quarter strongly with a 9-3 run to narrow the gap to 26-16.

They carried that over to the second period as Julius Joseph hit three-pointers on four consecutive offences for the Rocks and they got back to 39-35, but were still down 45-38 going in at the half.

The teams traded runs in the third stanza before the Jets prevailed with a fifteen-point lead. Richard Murphy had 5 early points, and Gianni Costantiello 4 points, in a 13-2 start that made the score 58-40. The Rocks responded with a 10-3 push as they attempted a comeback but their efforts were halted as the Jets closed the stanza out 9-3 for a 70-55 lead.

The Rocks came out fighting in the fourth and scored the first two baskets, but when the Jets hit the next 8 points the game was all but settled at 78-59. The Rocks found themselves in the penalty and persistently sent Obazuaye to the line, he made 3/6 down the stretch to keep the visitors at bay.

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