30th January 2008 SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks 79-78 PAWS London Capital

BBL Championship Match Preview

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The first ever BBL Championship clash between the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks and the PAWS London Capital finished with a 79-78 victory for the Rocks at the Braehead Arena. It was their sixth consecutive win in all competitions, fifth straight win in the league, and drew the Rocks level with the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders in fourth place in the BBL Championship table.

The home side almost saw their good run ended as, with 12 seconds remaining, they trailed 74-78. From there Gareth Murray hit a three-pointer to narrow the gap to a single point before, with 10 seconds left, Santa Ataha was sent to the free-throw line. The London guard missed both free-throws in-front of a raucous crowd, and the Rocks found Rob Yanders on the outlet, who was fouled himself with 6 seconds to go. The BBL All-Star made both of his free-throws to give the Rocks the lead 79-78. In the dying seconds Ataha drove against Yanders and looked to score with a lay-up, only to have his shot blocked by Sterling Davis. The Capital inbounded the ball with 1.9 seconds remaining but Sam Bradley could not connect on the three-pointer under masses of defensive pressure.

It was Yanders who led the Rocks with 20 points, supported by 15 from player/coach Davis. Sam Bradley led all scorers with 29 points in vain for the Capital.

The Rocks had also come from behind early on after the visitors started the game the better with 7 points from Mansour Mbeye and 6 from Lijah Perkins giving them a 14-21 first quarter lead.

The Rocks overturned that early in the second as an 8-0 burst, including 6 for Davis, made it 25-23. That lead didn't expand until the third period as Murray hit two triples to help the Rocks edge out to 64-58, but 12 points in the quarter from Bradley kept the visitors in touch.

That amazing finale was set up as London chipped away at the lead early in the fourth before Bradley connected from long range to tie the game at 72. Capital went ahead at 76-74 on a Tayo Ogedengbe score and made it 78-74 after a pair of Bradley free-throws, before the final 12 seconds ensued.

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