In the battle for top spot in Basketball England’s National League Division 4 North, the unbeaten Myerscough hosted Newcastle University Knights who also came into the fixture with a perfect record. The experience and class of Newcastle proved a step too far for Myerscough who crumbled to their first defeat of the year 47 – 82.
The young Myerscough team started brightly in what was a low scoring first quarter. Despite not connecting offensively Myerscough battled on the defensive end, restricting the free scoring Knights to just 15 points.
Myerscough continued to limit the traveling teams offense in the second period but failed to execute when needed, as time wound down on the half Newcastle held a 7 point advantage at 27 – 20.
Newcastle turned the screw after the break and began to make their experience count, punishing every mistake that the home side made. A failure to adjust put Myerscough in a 24 point hole with 3 minutes left to play in the third, a deficit the home side would not recover from.
Newcastle pulled away down the stretch to claim top spot in the league leaving Myerscough with their first loss of the season.
Coach Neal Hopkins commented after the game ‘Newcastle are a class act, they are without doubt the best team we have played this year – we played well during the first half, we just lacked the execution we usually have’ Hopkins continued ‘unfortunately we failed to adjust after the break and started poorly which, at this level you simply can’t do – Newcastle punished our inconsistency, they were ruthless but we will learn from this – and I hope it will drive us to be better’.
Next up is a trip to Kendal where Myerscough will hope to get back to winning ways.
Elsewhere Myerscough under 18’s maintained their unbeaten start to the season, taking down local rivals Preston Pride 110 – 27. The U18’s now face Leeds Force in the 3rd round of the National Cup hoping to earn a quarter final spot.
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