Blazers hammer Cavs in play-offs

Derby were boosted by the return of Malcolm Smith, who had missed the previous five games with an ankle injury sustained in the win over Solent Kestrels last month. Despite still not being 100%, the influential American forward played 25 minutes and finished with 21 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Raheem May-Thompson led the way with 23 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. Jonas Dieterich converted four out of six three-pointers on his way to 19 points, adding two rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Ryan Bruggeman finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and one steal.

Bruggeman and Charlie Brown were particularly effective in the back court, combining for 18 rebounds and 19 assists, as Brown racked up an astonishing 13 dimes. Elsewhere, Eric Donaldson had ten points and Jase Harrison had a team-leading four steals, more than double his average this season.

As a team, Derby made those steals count, netting nineteen points from turnovers. They out-rebounded the visitors 40-34 and had almost double the number of assists. They also went fifteen of fifteen from the free-throw line to complete a very satisfactory performance.

Thames Valley were led by Roko Dominovic with 15 points and four rebounds. Victor Olarerin had 13 and seven, AJ Roberts added 12 and six, while veteran guard Bode Adeluola scored eleven.

After both sides missed opening opportunities, the Trailblazers were first to score when Harrison bagged his first steal and fed Bruggeman for a lay-up, which was countered by AJ Roberts before May-Thompson set up Dieterich for a three-pointer.

The two sides then traded baskets with the Cavaliers nudging ahead at 11-9, before Derby a Bruggeman bucket and a three-point play from May-Thompson put the Blazers back in the lead at 14-11 and they were still 18-17 ahead at the end of the first quarter.

That tight first quarter had given no indication of what was to come at the start the second, when Smith got to work, scoring ten straight points in a 12-0 run which was started by Harrison. Thames Valley committed five turnovers and missed four shots during that spell and unsurprisingly had to call a time-out with 6’31” on the clock.

Dominovic eventually broke the sequence with a jump shot to make it 30-19, but try as they might, the Cavaliers couldn’t close the gap any further in the second quarter. Each time they scored, Derby either matched them or bettered their efforts. Their problems were highlighted when May-Thompson blocked a shot, gathered the rebound and pelted up court for a lay-up to make it 43-27.

Dieterich was then fouled attempting a wild three-pointer with two seconds on the clock, but made all three-shots at the line to ensure Derby took a sixteen point lead into the break, at 46-30.

Olarerin opened the scoring for the visitors in the third but his lay-up was countered by Dieterich’s third triple of the game. However, the Cavaliers finally began to find some success and gradually started to trim the gap.

Six points from Olarerin along with three-pointers from Adeluola and Roberts helped them embark on a 14-4 run, cutting the gap to just seven points. A fourth triple from Dieterich subsequently broke their rhythm and after Juan Manning sank a pair of free-throws, Derby closed the third quarter with a 10-3 run to put them 66-51 ahead going into the final period.

Another 10-3 at the start of the fourth took the score to 76-51 and it was pretty much game over. The Blazers were able to rest key players and give court time to bench players over the final nine minutes, safe in the knowledge that their semi-final places was virtually certain.

Thames Valley never managed to reduce the gap to less than 19 points and Derby closed the night with an impressive 17-5 run to take the game 102-73.

Overtime heartbreak for Blazers (cont)

“It was such a heart-breaking way to end the season,” admitted Trailblazers Head Coach Matt Shaw. “I’m gutted for the guys and the fans because it was such a thrilling game. It was so close and yet that’s the beauty of basketball and so many other sports.

“I’d like to offer our congratulations to Hemel and I hope they do well in the rest of the play-offs. It was a phenomenal game, exciting throughout, but just so disappointing to be on the wrong side at the end of the match.

“We started the game badly and really didn’t play our best basketball in the first half, but we found a way to hang on in there and stay close. In the second half, we played some incredible defence to hold Taylor Johnson and Greg Polen to just six and two points respectively.

“I think that showed just how well we defended and we really made them struggle in that second half. We got into a little bit of rhythm but we still weren’t at our best offensively.

“There’s no two ways about it; Hemel did a good job of controlling the game, playing some very good defence and made it difficult for us. In the end, I thought we’d perhaps done enough to get over the line, but fair play to Bode for that spectacular shot to force overtime, despite being under great pressure from our defence.

“We’d obviously love to have those last ten seconds back and do things a little differently, but unfortunately the nature of the game means that’s not going to happen.

Derby were led by Blake Bowman who capped off a phenomenal season with 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal. Dieterich completed a 21 point / ten rebound double-double, while captain Malcolm Smith also finished with 21 points, adding six rebounds and two assists.

Unfortunately, no other Blazer made double-figures, while Hemel had a quintet of players with ten or more. They were led by Johnson on 23, Adeluola on 18, Poleon and Tayo Oyefusi on 14, with Jonathan Lashley adding a further ten.

The visitors also won the battle of the boards, dished off more assists and outscored Derby 15-4 in second chance points.

Many of Derby’s problems came from a sluggish start, during which Hemel looked much more fired up for the occasion.

They took the first quarter 24-19, with Johnson surging towards thirteen points in the opening period. He also made life difficult for Ryan Bruggeman, holding him to just eight points.

Meanwhile, Poleon was doing a good job on Smith, who was scoreless in the first, before scoring nine in the second, but the captain struggled at the line, converting just 50% of his foul shots.

Despite this, five straight points from Smith either side of the half-time break saw the gap trimmed to 46-39, providing a glimmer of hope which was quickly rewarded.

After a basket from Johnson temporarily restored a nine-point lead, a Dieterich three-point began a 20-4 run which also included a steal and an explosive fast break dunk from Bowman, opening up a 59-53 lead late in the third.

Hemel eventually ended the run with a three-point play from Lashley, before Bruggeman and Lashley exchanged three-pointers, leaving Derby 62-59 ahead going in the final period.

Strong defence from both sides led a low scoring start to the fourth, but Hemel nudged 69-68 ahead with 2’39” left. However, a fadeaway from Smith was followed by a steal from Leighton Elliott-Sewell, which allowed Bruggeman to feed Bowman for another dunk.

Adeluola then made it 72-71 before Smith split two pairs of free-throws on successive visits to the line, the latter of which led to Hemel calling time out with three and a half seconds remaining.

Despite tenacious defence, Adeluola somehow managed to launch a buzzer beating three to force overtime and then converted another from the opposite side in the first possession of the extra period.

His long range was shot was matched by Dieterich as both teams tried to win it from outside the arc. Oyefusi then made a pair of three-pointers either side of another from Dieterich, but his next attempt rimmed out and Sam Newman went on to sink two free-throws, opening an 87-81 lead.

A three-point play from Smith and a lay-up from Smith cut it back to a single-point game with 51 seconds remaining, before Johnson made it 89-86 with 28 seconds left.

Bowman could subsequently only sink one of two at the line, meaningly Lashley’s lay-up made it a four-point game with 16 seconds on the clock. Despite Dieterich managing to net his seventh triple of the game, it wasn’t enough because time had run out, leaving Hemel to celebrate and the Blazers wondering what could have been.

“When we look back, we’ll have to say it’s been a really good season for us,” Shaw said.

“Winning the L Lynch Trophy Final was an incredible experience, as was the run we had in the BBL Trophy. Some of the crowds that we’ve had at The Wig this season including the one we had on Saturday have been the best we’ve ever had.

“The group of guys we’ve had have been a pleasure to coach and they’ve enjoyed playing together. I think they’ve been a credit to the whole club, so there have been lots of positives to take forward and build on as we try to bounce back better than ever next season,” he said.

Double Riders woe for Derby (cont)

Derby got off to a great start and looked like they really meant business, piling in eleven unanswered points. Riders took an early time-out after the first two scores by Bruggeman and Jonas Dieterich, but the Blazers responded with further scores from Charlie Brown, Dieterich and a Bruggeman triple to lead 11-0.

It took Loughborough more than six minutes to get on the scoreboard, with a solitary free-throw from Victor Ndoukou, but that was the start of an 8-nil burst by the visitors. A second three-pointer from Bruggeman helped guide Derby to an 18-14 first quarter advantage.

The game remained tight in the early stages of the second as both sides traded three-pointers. Loughborough’s fourth in the period put them 30-29 ahead and prompted a Derby time-out with 4’49” on the clock.

A three-point play from Donaldson restored Derby’s advantage before one of the highlights of the game saw May-Thompson deliver a no-look pass to Dieterich who sank a three-pointer. The Blazers took a 39-38 lead into the half-time break and were looking good at the start of the third, as Jase Harrison sank a triple to make it 50-48 with 6’24” on the clock.

However, Riders went on a 16-4 run over the next five and a half minutes to open up a 64-54 lead. Loughborough maintained their ten-point advantage over the next seven minutes and were looking well set at 84-74 ahead with 4’08” remaining.

However, Bruggeman had other ideas and after grabbing a defensive rebound, he netted a three-pointer and added two more to cut the gap to five points. The Riders responded through a Hedley free-throw and a Gamble basket, before Bruggeman struck again from downtown.

Dieterich then sank three of three at the line to make it a three-point game with 46 seconds left. Bailey and Bruggeman each converted a pair of free-throws before the former added two more shots from the line only for Donaldson to make a lay-up, reducing the gap back to three points.

Logan Rooney then made one of two at the line to put his side 93-89 ahead with five seconds on the clock and the Trailblazers were left needing a miracle. Instead, they turned the ball over leaving a packed house to go home bitterly disappointed.

With Loughborough having confirmed fifth place after Saturday’s success, Sunday’s game was even more of a dead rubber, but it was watched by a decent crowd, with many Blazers fans making the short trip.

Riders were able to rest Gamble, Hedley and Ndoukou from the previous day’s roster, while Derby brought in Elliot Lawrence to replace Joe Webster who was with the D3 side.

The Blazers were led by Dieterich and May-Thompson who both enjoyed their return to their old club, sinking 22 points each. Dieterich shot six out of eleven from deep, adding five rebounds and two assists, while May-Thompson had eight board, five assists, three steals and two blocks.

With Harrison adding 14, Bruggeman 9, both Donaldson and Brown a further seven each and Morgan Carter six, it was once again a good spread, with Lawrence also getting on the scoresheet.

For the second day in succession, Loughborough were led by Bailey on 28, with Rooney adding 21 and Conroy Hayden having ten points and eleven boards.

Unlike the previous day, there were no big runs in the early stages. The Riders took a 24-22 lead into the first break, but they opened up a ten point lead midway through the second off the back of a 10-3 run.

Derby responded with a basket from Harrison before Brown stole the ball and set up May-Thompson for a dunk. The lead was briefly back to nine before Donaldson sank a three-pointer to make it 43-39 to the Riders at the half-time break.

Loughborough started the third quarter with seven unanswered points as they established what would be their biggest lead of the game at 50-39. However, the run was halted when Bruggeman found Dieterich open from outside the arc.

Bailey replied from inside before Brown also added a triple. Another score from Bailey was followed by a May-Thompson three-point play, cutting the gap to five. Over the next five possessions, Dieterich scored a trio of three-pointers and a pair of free-throws to nudge Derby into a 64-63 advantage with 3’23” remaining.

Riders quickly retook the lead through a Rooney triple before a Derby time-out was followed by nine unanswered points as a driving lay-up from Carter was followed by a Donaldson triple, a pair of May-Thompson free-throws and a Bruggeman lay-up.

That gave them a 73-66 lead going into the final quarter, but a 10-4 start to the fourth saw Loughborough right back in the game with just a single point separating the two sides.

The Riders took a time-out with 6’25” left but it was Derby who responded best, with Harrison getting a steal to allow Bruggeman to score. May-Thompson then blocked a shot and fed Bruggeman for another score.

The Blazers maintained their five-point lead over the next few possessions, but after Riders netted a pair of free-throws, a turnover allowed Rooney to get a dunk with two minutes remaining. Free-throws from Harrison (2) and May-Thompson (1) restored a four-point advantage before Riders brought it back to a one-point game with a free-throw and a lay-up.

Derby thought they had won the game when May-Thompson sank a basket with ten seconds left, but it was ruled out by the officials for a controversial shot clock violation. Riders then called time-out and when play resumed, 1.2 seconds had mysteriously been added back onto the clock.

The Blazers dug deep and defended brilliantly to deny Bailey from scoring, but an offensive put-back from Hayden was controversially given good, despite appearing to have come after time had run out, giving Riders their second win in two days over Derby.

Summing up a difficult weekend, assistant coach Jake Brown said despite losing both games, there were some positives which shone through:

“These kinds of games are always tricky to get players going for given we had already secured third place. Credit to Loughborough as they came out ready to play, with their first win of the double securing a fifth placed finish.

“We performed well in stints but struggled to string together sustained periods of defensive stops and quality looks for us. On Saturday we didn’t do a good enough job at getting stops, particularly as we gave 30 points in the third quarter, which makes it tough to win.

“Sunday was better in stints but came down to that last possession. That’s the beauty of basketball and unfortunately it didn’t go our way this time, and we have to take that and learn from it.

“Charlie was solid in both games, putting major pressure on the offensive glass, helping to provide us with second chances. It’s also a bonus seeing him getting points on the board, as it adds an extra dimension to not only his game but the way teams guard us collectively.

“Ryan striking from beyond the arc at 50% on Saturday and being reliable as ever at the charity stripe helped to keep our scoring ticking over.

“On Sunday it was Jonas and Raheem who carried the scoring load, undoubtedly giving Jonas a boost shooting so well the game before the playoffs. Without Malcolm, Raheem has had much more freedom to play inside and yesterday he did a good job of utilizing that space.

“This week will focus on building on those positives but also taking a close look at what we need to do better as we enter the post season. We have to re-establish our high standards of ourselves and get ourselves back on track to peak at the right moment to allow a deep playoff run.

“Thames Valley will not be easy, as shown by our one-point win last time we played each other. I know the guys will be fully locked in this coming week and we can’t spend too long looking back; we just have to focus on what’s at hand,” he said.

Trailblazers head into play-offs on a high (cont)

Having finished third in the regular season with a 19-7 win-loss record, Derby will be at home to sixth placed Hemel Storm, who finished six points behind the Trailblazers, with a 16-10 record.

Both regular season games between Derby and Hemel ended in victory for the Trailblazers, with Derby winning 93-74 on the road and 91-82 at the Clarence Wiggins Sports Centre, despite a late fight-back from the visitors.

One of the key factors in the two wins was the way in which the Blazers restricted Storm guard Taylor Johnson. The American led the D1M scoring stats this season, averaging 27.2 points per game, but was held to just twelve points in Hemel and seventeen in the return fixture in Derby.

Fellow countryman Greg Poleon top scored with 21 and 23 respectively, while Sam Newman finished with 14 in each game.

Derby were led by Malcolm Smith with 30 points in Hemel and 23 at home, while Raheem May-Thompson added 16 and 15 respectively. Ryan Bruggeman netted 23 on the road, while Blake Bowman had 19 at The Wig.

Both teams have a number of other players who can step up and score double-figures on any given day, with the likes of Tayo Oyefusi for Hemel and Derby’s Leighton Elliott-Sewell both capable of being game changers for their respective sides.

Remarkably, the two sides have never met in a straight knock-out game, but Hemel hold a slender 9-8 advantage in terms of overall league wins and were the defeated play-off finalists last season.

The Trailblazers Head Coach Matt Shaw says home advantage could play a huge part as The Wig has gained a formidable reputation for being a difficult place for visiting teams to play:

“We’re hoping for a big crowd. We’ve had some fantastic support which has generated a fantastic atmosphere at our home games this season. I really hope we get another big and noisy crowd on Saturday because it makes a huge difference in terms of getting the guys across the line.

“It’s fantastic for us to be in the play-offs and to have a home draw after a great finish to the regular season. Hemel will be a very tough game and we know how good they can be, as they’re one of only two teams to have beaten Solent in the league.

“They’ve got so many good players and they’re capable of producing a shock on any given day, so we’ll have to be at our best if we’re to get the win and keep our season alive,” he said.