Friday 18 October 2013 Worcester Wolves 88-66 Manchester Giants

Worcester Wolves completed a routine 88-66 BBL Cup victory over Manchester Giants on Friday at the University of Worcester Arena.  Having already accumulated an unassailable 24-point advantage by half-time against outclassed opponents, there was plenty of opportunity for coach Paul James to give court time to all the members of his squad.

A laboured start from the Wolves allowed the Giants to nudge into a 4-9 lead after four minutes of the match had elapsed. However, this would be the only time that the visitors posed a serious threat, with a three-pointer from Wolves’ Alex Owumi then sparking his side into action.

Point guard Zaire Taylor weaved his way through slower opponents to provide an assist for team-mate Stefan Djukic to lay in, and the scores were level. Wolves centre Will Creekmore sank a triple, before Owumi did likewise.

New signing Andreas Schreiber was fouled in the act of shooting and subsequently opened his Worcester scoring account with a couple of free throws to put the hosts in front at 17-9. Giants’ scoreless period was finally ended by a long-range score from former Wolves favourite David Watts, with three minutes of the quarter remaining.

The second quarter began with little-used Wolves forward Daniel Belgrave converting a neat pass from Schreiber to take the score to 26-16. It was a full five minutes later, after Belgrave had once more made a basket, before Giants guard James Jones would end a tortuous barren spell for his team, putting matters at 36-18.

A score from Manchester-born veteran Yorick Williams prompted a Worcester time out with two minutes left in the half with the evening standing at 44-30, but from there until the half-time interval the Giants were again held scoreless.

A double of long-range baskets from Owumi rounded off a highly-impressive tally of six from six scores from outside the arc for the Worcester guard. His only miss of the half came as time expired, but even then Creekmore was on hand to tip in the miss and finalise a comfortable 54-30 home advantage.

There was a brief third-quarter revival for the visitors on the back of accurate outside shooting, but closer to the net they had little answer to the bustling inside play of Creekmore and Schreiber. Creekmore made a perfect seven from seven free throws to keep the Giants at arm’s length, at 69-49.

In the last ten minutes the Wolves sauntered to the inevitable victory, giving more of their bench players a chance to impress. Harry Turner joined the three-point scoring fest with his first touch of the game, and repeated the act in the final minute of the evening.

Paul James was satisfied with a workmanlike performance from his team, commenting: “The main thing today was to come through the game injury-free, and as smoothly as possible, and I’m glad to say that we did that.”

The 88-66 win means that Wolves travel to Leicester Riders in the next round of the competition, a prospect that James is relishing, adding: “Leicester will be much harder, a tough test, but we will be ready for them.”

The night’s scoring was topped by Creekmore with 24 points, as well as grabbing 12 rebounds, closely followed by Owumi with 23 points. David Aliu was Manchester’s highest scorer with 15 points.

The Wolves will now return to league action with a trip over to Birmingham Knights on Sunday afternoon (3pm).