Glasgow Rocks were crushed 88-72 by Worcester Wolves last night at the Emirates Arena to leave their hold on third place in the British Basketball League hanging by a thread.
Sterling Davis’ men rallied from trailing 23-13 in the first period to lead 37-33 late in the second but could not match the intensity of their visitors.
After edging 42-39 ahead at half-time, Worcester – paced by 20 points from Scotland guard Danny Huffor – punished the poor shooting of their hosts and surged decisively clear, eventually underlining their superiority with a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter that took them as much 80-57 in front.
“We took some bad shots, especially in the second half,” said Davis. “The qualify of the attempts we took were not great. We didn’t come out with a sense of energy and although we did a good job of coming back in the second half, we lacked composure. When you’re shooting 7-31 from three-point range, you’ve not gone about it the right way.”
It was a sixth reverse in seven games for Glasgow who were led by 19 points from Kieron Achara. And with Worcester moving level on points with the Rocks and Sheffield in their three-way battle for third, it also cost the hosts an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with five games remaining.
Elsewhere Leicester Riders moved eight points clear on second-placed Newcastle as they closed on the retaining the BBL title with an 85-71 win at Surrey Scorchers while Mike DiDunno scored 40 as Cheshire Phoenix overpowered London Lions 111-94.
Caledonia Pride moved into the thick of the WBBL Playoff race by thrashing Barking Abbey 70-47 to move level on points with eighth-placed Cardiff.
Sarah Thomson had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Scots who led by as much 31 in the fourth after racing into an early 14-0 lead.
And Thomson admits the Pride, who have now won three on the bounce, are ready to go all out in the last three games off their inaugural league campaign.
“We knew we’d have to win five out of our last six because we don’t have the tie-breaker with Cardiff,” the Scotland forward said. “But at least now our playoff hopes are alive. We’re really pushing and I believe we’re now playing our top basketball, the way we should have done at the start.”
RESULTS
BBL. Glasgow Rocks 72 Worcester Wolves 88, Surrey Scorchers 71 Leicester Riders 85, Cheshire Phoenix 111 London Lions 94. Sat: Leicester Riders 88 Plymouth Raiders 71, Bristol Flyers 85 Leeds Force 77
WBBL. Caledonia Pride 70 Barking Abbey 47. Sat: WBBL. Caledonia Pride 66 Oaklands Wolves 56
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