Sunday 24 April 2016 Worcester Wolves 88-83 Glasgow Rocks

Worcester Wolves have bowed out of this year’s British Basketball League playoffs despite an entertaining 88-83 win over Glasgow Rocks at the University of Worcester Arena on Sunday.

A highly-disappointing 37-point defeat in Friday’s first-leg in Scotland meant it was always going to be a mountainous task for Wolves to make it to the semi-finals of the competition.

However, Worcester began the afternoon with a fighting spirit that, by the beginning of the second quarter, had retrieved more than half of Friday’s deficit with a 39-17 lead. As if now fatigued by the effort already expended, the Wolves’ players were unable to maintain their early pace, allowing the away side to recover enough to cling onto a sufficient advantage to progress onwards.

There were across-the-board contributions in scoring. Jordan Aaron led the way with 20 points, backed up by 14 points apiece for Perris Blackwell and Orlan Jackman. Jay Couisnard chipped in 12 while Ben Eaves and Pavol Losonsky both tallied 10 points.

Just as in the first-leg, it was Warren Gillis and Kieron Achara who again top-scored for Rocks, with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Jackman was in the thick of the action from the opening tip. He set up a score for Aaron, made one of his own, and then stole the ball from Achara, prompting Glasgow coach Sterling Davis to request a time out in only the second minute of the contest.

The stoppage did little to settle his team’s nerves. Four minutes later an exasperated Davis was yelling to the officials for a further break in play following a mighty dunk from Blackwell and a double of baskets for Couisnard that extended matters to 22-9.

Still the Wolves’ onslaught continued, closing the first quarter at 32-15 after a pinpoint Aaron pass from half-court that found Eaves under the hoop for a thrilling alley oop.

Two three-pointers for Aaron and one for Ashton Khan on his return to action from injury had fans up on their feet in celebration as the Worcester advantage peaked.

But it was Glasgow who now took the upper hand. Lively guard Jordan Clarke forced a trio of steals, helping to trim the lead to 42-28. Employing a more methodical and slowed-down offense, Rocks had dragged the arrears all the way back to 49-40 by half-time.

Wolves’ last hurrah came in the third period. While rat-a-tat buckets from Jackman and Couisnard rebuilt the lead to 77-59, time was now running out.

The Worcester attacks petered out completely in the final quarter. Couisnard and Blackwell were forced to the bench after their fifth fouls. Just three scores came from the hosts over the entire ten minutes. Brimming with confidence, Glasgow were left to saunter to their final 173-141 aggregate victory.

Coach Paul James praised his players’ latest efforts, saying: “Unfortunately the damage was all done on Friday.

“The players gave it their all today – we got the deficit all the way back to 15 points, but it’s extremely hard to sustain that level of intensity for long periods of time. Glasgow finally started to relax and play their game.

“Today we showed a little bit of what can be achieved by playing hard.”

Asked about what may be taking place over the summer, James replied: “It’s going to be time to reflect, to look at players as individuals and at the season as a whole.

“Over the years we have progressed from a side that has not made the playoffs, to one that regularly makes them by finishing top-four in the table. But recently we have failed in the playoffs. We need to move forward.

“We will certainly be looking to put a strong team on the floor next season, one that will be challenging for honours.”

The three teams joining Glasgow in the battle for places in the Playoff Final at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday 1 May are Championship winners Leicester Riders, Sheffield Sharks, and seventh-placed Cheshire Phoenix who shocked the league runners-up Newcastle Eagles in their quarter-final tie.