Friday 4th April Worcester Wolves 88-66 Durham Wildcats

Worcester Wolves easily saw off the challenge of Durham Wildcats by 88-66 at the University of Worcester Arena on Friday to maintain their second-place position in the British Basketball League. On the same night, top-of-the-table Newcastle Eagles overcame third-placed Sheffield Sharks, meaning that Wolves will now need to rely on the results of others if they are to have a chance of overhauling the Eagles by the season’s end.

Coming on the back of last Sunday’s emotional BBL Trophy success, it was always possible that, unless the players remained focused, Durham could rain on Worcester’s parade. After a ponderous start, where the teams were tied after the first quarter, Wolves ensured there would be no such let-down, gradually turning up the intensity and eventually easing away to a comfortable win.

Will Creekmore opened proceedings with a confident three-pointer, and saw his fellow stalwarts, Zaire Taylor and Alex Owumi bag six points apiece over the initial ten minutes. Creekmore slotted home a double of baskets at the beginning of the second period, stretching the host’s advantage to 19-15.

Aside from another score from Taylor, it was all Creekmore over the next six minutes. Time and again he was passed the ball close to the hoop, and time and again he casually stepped around helpless Wildcat defenders to lay the ball home. Once Sunday’s Most Valuable Player Jamal Williams had also showed his mettle with a coast-to-coast dribble and conversion, Durham coach Lee Davie was forced to call for a time-out, with his side trailing 34-20.

Coming out of the half-time locker rooms still in arrears at 44-34, there was a final flurry of resistance from the visitors. A triple from point guard Devin Ginty and a bucket from his backcourt partner Rj Evans reduced the deficit to 46-41, but Worcester once more turned to the metronomic efficiency of Creekmore as he added twelve more points to the eighteen he had accumulated before the interval.

By the last minute of the third quarter the win had already been effectively sealed at 63-45 but, for good measure, Taylor, Owumi and Williams entertained another big Friday night crowd by combining in teasing pat-a-cake-passing before Williams finished the play with a neat teardrop shot through the hoop.

The final quarter torment continued for the Wildcats until Wolves’ coach Paul James mercifully called off his big guns and gave some useful court time to his reserves, mindful of a potentially tricky encounter at Manchester Giants this Sunday.

James was pleased by what he saw, saying: “Once we established our defence, everything started to click. We chased them off the three-point line, keeping them down to only one success from nine attempts in the second half. It was then just down to us executing our offence.”

Referring to the huge 36 point performance of Creekmore, James remarked: “We went to one of our strengths. Durham had no one who could hold Will back, so we just kept feeding him. Our players understand that if someone is hot then you get him the ball.”

Looking ahead to the trip to Manchester, James added: “Giants still have plenty to play for, battling for a play-off place. Just like tonight, we need to guard their shooters, limit their shot attempts and carry on running good offences. We’re concentrating on the games we have left in the league and getting ourselves ready for the play-offs.”

Alongside Creekmore who grabbed 17 rebounds to go with his mighty points haul, Worcester will be delighted that a couple of other players also registered a double-double of statistics. Owumi tallied 16 points and nabbed 10 rebounds, while Taylor scored 18 points and served up an impressive 14 assists. Ginty top-scored for Durham with 16 points.

The next home fixture for Wolves will be the visit of Leicester Riders to the University of Worcester Arena on Friday 11 April.