KESTRELS TAKE POLE POSITION IN NBL D1 TITLE RACE
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels avenged their loss to Thames Valley Cavaliers last month in style, as they dominated from start to finish on Sunday afternoon at the Solent Sports Complex to run out 90-69 winners. The victory puts TSK back in pole position for the NBL D1 regular season title with 2 games left on the schedule, vs. Leicester Warriors and on the road at Essex Rebels. 1 win out of 2 will see Kestrels crowned league champions for the third successive season.
It was a free flowing start to this one with both teams finding easy scores early on as Ian Smith and Travis Charles opened up the hosts account, whilst Taylor Johnson converted on a pair of lay ups for TVC. A 7-2 run to follow for TSK prompted the visitors into their first timeout of the contest with the score at 11-6 and despite a Kai Williams lay post timeout, Kestrels continued in the ascendancy. A 10-0 run capped off by an Andre Arissol triple gave TSK a 23-8 advantage with a little under 3 minutes to play in the quarter. Johnson stopped the drought with a three of his own but back to back trips to the line for Smith ensured Kestrels were 27-11 to the good.
Kestrels shifted through the gears in style to begin the second quarter as they opened up with a 14-0 run which ultimately ended up in them holding TVC scoreless for a 7 and a half minute spell. A balanced scoring effort for the hosts saw a number of players knock down shots and when Elliot Dadds stroked a three from fantastic ball movement, Kestrels held a 41-11 lead. Blayne Freckleton and Lewis Champion stopped the run with 4 quick points but Arissol would push the lead out to 31 with a triple in reply. The sides would trade baskets to close the half but that would see TSK firmly in control, up 51-23 at the break.
Hakeem Sylla scored 4 straight for the visitors to start the second half but Travis Charles would reply instantly followed by Smith and Brendan Okoronkwo who both scored on lay ups, to push the gap to 33 and force a TVC timeout. Post timeout it would be a back and forth affair until Chris Scarlett knocked down a pair three’s to give TSK a 34 point lead at 72-38. Cavaliers rallied and strung together 7 unanswered points across the back end of the third but Johnathan Lashley ensured the home side would take a 29 point lead into the final period, when he knocked a mid range jumper with 17 seconds left.
Taylor Johnson set about trimming the deficit for Thames Valley and he would eventually bring his side to within 24 when he knocked down a pair of free throws, however Ian Smith stopped the scoring shortage for TSK at the free throw line. After a Kestrels timeout an 8-0 run restored a 30 point deficit whilst Lewis Champion would be ejected for TVC after picking up an Unsportsmanlike foul (Technical Foul awarded in the first half). The Cavaliers were able to trim the gap from the line down the stretch and a flurry of late scores would make the scoreline read a little closer than the perhaps the game actually was throughout. Kestrels winning 90-69.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon weighed in on his sides performance, “I’m really proud of our guys for producing a statement with todays performance, right from the opening tip the focus was at a level we haven’t seen to often this season and we were able to cause Thames Valley a lot of problems with our defensive intensity. I thought we had a number of key contributions across the board and guys stepping up in the absence of OJ. We look forward to preparing for the final weekend of the regular season.”
Kestrels were led by the reigning NBL D1 MVP Ian Smith, who posted 28 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 23 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds and Travis Charles chipped in 15 points. Thames Valley’s Taylor Johnson had 25 points to lead the visitors scoring charge with Blayne Freckleton the only other player in double figures on 18.
TSK now know the league title is in their hands as they play host to Leicester Warriors next Saturday before making the trip to east, to face Essex Rebels on Sunday.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774050/
Watch the Game; youtu.be/9cdjMmW_lnM
It was a free flowing start to this one with both teams finding easy scores early on as Ian Smith and Travis Charles opened up the hosts account, whilst Taylor Johnson converted on a pair of lay ups for TVC. A 7-2 run to follow for TSK prompted the visitors into their first timeout of the contest with the score at 11-6 and despite a Kai Williams lay post timeout, Kestrels continued in the ascendancy. A 10-0 run capped off by an Andre Arissol triple gave TSK a 23-8 advantage with a little under 3 minutes to play in the quarter. Johnson stopped the drought with a three of his own but back to back trips to the line for Smith ensured Kestrels were 27-11 to the good.
Kestrels shifted through the gears in style to begin the second quarter as they opened up with a 14-0 run which ultimately ended up in them holding TVC scoreless for a 7 and a half minute spell. A balanced scoring effort for the hosts saw a number of players knock down shots and when Elliot Dadds stroked a three from fantastic ball movement, Kestrels held a 41-11 lead. Blayne Freckleton and Lewis Champion stopped the run with 4 quick points but Arissol would push the lead out to 31 with a triple in reply. The sides would trade baskets to close the half but that would see TSK firmly in control, up 51-23 at the break.
Hakeem Sylla scored 4 straight for the visitors to start the second half but Travis Charles would reply instantly followed by Smith and Brendan Okoronkwo who both scored on lay ups, to push the gap to 33 and force a TVC timeout. Post timeout it would be a back and forth affair until Chris Scarlett knocked down a pair three’s to give TSK a 34 point lead at 72-38. Cavaliers rallied and strung together 7 unanswered points across the back end of the third but Johnathan Lashley ensured the home side would take a 29 point lead into the final period, when he knocked a mid range jumper with 17 seconds left.
Taylor Johnson set about trimming the deficit for Thames Valley and he would eventually bring his side to within 24 when he knocked down a pair of free throws, however Ian Smith stopped the scoring shortage for TSK at the free throw line. After a Kestrels timeout an 8-0 run restored a 30 point deficit whilst Lewis Champion would be ejected for TVC after picking up an Unsportsmanlike foul (Technical Foul awarded in the first half). The Cavaliers were able to trim the gap from the line down the stretch and a flurry of late scores would make the scoreline read a little closer than the perhaps the game actually was throughout. Kestrels winning 90-69.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon weighed in on his sides performance, “I’m really proud of our guys for producing a statement with todays performance, right from the opening tip the focus was at a level we haven’t seen to often this season and we were able to cause Thames Valley a lot of problems with our defensive intensity. I thought we had a number of key contributions across the board and guys stepping up in the absence of OJ. We look forward to preparing for the final weekend of the regular season.”
Kestrels were led by the reigning NBL D1 MVP Ian Smith, who posted 28 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 23 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds and Travis Charles chipped in 15 points. Thames Valley’s Taylor Johnson had 25 points to lead the visitors scoring charge with Blayne Freckleton the only other player in double figures on 18.
TSK now know the league title is in their hands as they play host to Leicester Warriors next Saturday before making the trip to east, to face Essex Rebels on Sunday.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774050/
Watch the Game; youtu.be/9cdjMmW_lnM
TSK BOUNCE BACK IN STYLE WITH IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER DERBY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels bounced back from their first loss in 57 NBL contests in style on Saturday afternoon at the Solent Sports Complex, as they defeated Derby Trailblazers 89-60. The dominant display saw TSK get back to winning ways as they all but guaranteed themselves a top 2 finish for the fourth consecutive season.
Kestrels wasted no time in taking control of this one as they raced out to a 9-1 lead early on, with Travis Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo providing the scoring punch for the hosts. Despite a timeout for the Trailblazers and a brief 4-0 run, Kestrels would continue to pour it on offensively and would hold a 17-7 lead with just three minutes left in the period. Whilst TSK were able to find their scoring rhythm it was the defensive effort that shone through however, holding Derby to just 8 first quarter points, giving them a 25-8 lead after one.
The sides traded baskets to open the second quarter as Charles continued his dominant start to the game but it would be Derby’s American Forward who also provided their scoring run, with 6 straight for the visitors. The hosts would call for timeout mid way through the second as the Trailblazers showed their quality trimming the gap to just 12 points through Jacob Conway. Despite the lead being trimmed to 10 post timeout it was TSK who strung together an 8-0 run to regain control of the game ahead of the break. A late flurry of scores from Derby’s bench through Ash Ugo and Kieran Jones would leave the scoreline at 44-31 in favour of TSK at the interval.
Conway knocked down a pair of free throws to kick start the second half but it was Kestrels who put an 11-0 run together, including a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, to give them their biggest lead of the game at 22 and Coach Matt Shaw called for his first timeout of the half. 5 more TSK points post timeout increased the margin to 27, however an 8-0 run for the Trailblazers showed they had plenty of fight left and Coach Matt Guymon used his first timeout of the half also. Luke Busumbru got to the basket and finished out of the timeout to give his side a much needed score, after a lack of execution pre timeout but it was Derby who trimmed the gap to 19 heading into the final quarter, 64-45 TSK.
A rapid 6-0 start to the fourth quarter effectively put this one out of reach for TSK as Ian Smith and Andre Arissol took advantage of some transition scoring opportunities and pushed the lead to 25. Both teams scored on back to back possessions out of a Derby timeout but that better suited the home side who were still out in front 76-50. Okoronkwo knocked down a step back three to increase the deficit to 29 and with some back and forth scoring to close the game that would be how the gap stayed to finish, TSK clinching an 89-60 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance; “It was great to get back on the floor again this week after a tough loss last weekend. I thought all of the guys did a fantastic job with their focus and commitment to the defensive end of the court. We look forward to getting back to work this week as we hope to continue to build momentum as we move towards the playoffs.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had a monster double double with 25 points and 15 rebounds as he proved unstoppable, whilst Andre Arissol added 15 points and Ian Smith 14. Derby’s American Forward Malcolm Smith had 22 points to lead their offensive charge with Jacob Conway the only other player in double figures chipping in 10.
Kestrels will now shift their focus to the biggest game of the regular season as they welcome Thames Valley Cavaliers to the SSC next Sunday, in what may prove to be a league title deciding clash.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774037/
Watch the Game; youtu.be/D5cgWd9o7E8
Kestrels wasted no time in taking control of this one as they raced out to a 9-1 lead early on, with Travis Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo providing the scoring punch for the hosts. Despite a timeout for the Trailblazers and a brief 4-0 run, Kestrels would continue to pour it on offensively and would hold a 17-7 lead with just three minutes left in the period. Whilst TSK were able to find their scoring rhythm it was the defensive effort that shone through however, holding Derby to just 8 first quarter points, giving them a 25-8 lead after one.
The sides traded baskets to open the second quarter as Charles continued his dominant start to the game but it would be Derby’s American Forward who also provided their scoring run, with 6 straight for the visitors. The hosts would call for timeout mid way through the second as the Trailblazers showed their quality trimming the gap to just 12 points through Jacob Conway. Despite the lead being trimmed to 10 post timeout it was TSK who strung together an 8-0 run to regain control of the game ahead of the break. A late flurry of scores from Derby’s bench through Ash Ugo and Kieran Jones would leave the scoreline at 44-31 in favour of TSK at the interval.
Conway knocked down a pair of free throws to kick start the second half but it was Kestrels who put an 11-0 run together, including a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, to give them their biggest lead of the game at 22 and Coach Matt Shaw called for his first timeout of the half. 5 more TSK points post timeout increased the margin to 27, however an 8-0 run for the Trailblazers showed they had plenty of fight left and Coach Matt Guymon used his first timeout of the half also. Luke Busumbru got to the basket and finished out of the timeout to give his side a much needed score, after a lack of execution pre timeout but it was Derby who trimmed the gap to 19 heading into the final quarter, 64-45 TSK.
A rapid 6-0 start to the fourth quarter effectively put this one out of reach for TSK as Ian Smith and Andre Arissol took advantage of some transition scoring opportunities and pushed the lead to 25. Both teams scored on back to back possessions out of a Derby timeout but that better suited the home side who were still out in front 76-50. Okoronkwo knocked down a step back three to increase the deficit to 29 and with some back and forth scoring to close the game that would be how the gap stayed to finish, TSK clinching an 89-60 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance; “It was great to get back on the floor again this week after a tough loss last weekend. I thought all of the guys did a fantastic job with their focus and commitment to the defensive end of the court. We look forward to getting back to work this week as we hope to continue to build momentum as we move towards the playoffs.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had a monster double double with 25 points and 15 rebounds as he proved unstoppable, whilst Andre Arissol added 15 points and Ian Smith 14. Derby’s American Forward Malcolm Smith had 22 points to lead their offensive charge with Jacob Conway the only other player in double figures chipping in 10.
Kestrels will now shift their focus to the biggest game of the regular season as they welcome Thames Valley Cavaliers to the SSC next Sunday, in what may prove to be a league title deciding clash.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774037/
Watch the Game; youtu.be/D5cgWd9o7E8
KESTRELS DROP TO FIRST DEFEAT IN 57 NBL GAMES
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday evening saw Team Solent Kestrels drop to their first defeat in all NBL competitions in over two years, as Thames Valley Cavaliers handed them an 81-70 loss at Uxbridge College. The loss moves the sides both to 1 in the column with an NBL D1 showdown now nicely in the balance in two weeks time, in the return fixture.
The hosts would race out to a 9-4 lead early in this one behind Charles Acquah-Davies who scored 7 of the first 9 for TVC, despite Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smiths efforts to get TSK going. Travis Charles would get going from the mid range with a pair of trademark jumpers however it was the Cavaliers who would be in the ascendency still as they pushed the gap to 7 through the mid point of the first. A 9-0 run to follow for TVC behind some sloppy Kestrels play forced Coach Matt Guymon into his first timeout of the game as the lead had now grown to 14. The hosts would go into the first quarter break 26-10 to the good.
Johnathan Lashley came off the bench for TSK to provide a much needed spark as he scored inside followed by a pair of Ian Smith lay ups and an Andre Arissol triple, which cut the gap to 9. After a timeout for the home side Kestrels continued to claw their way back and were within 5 by the six minute mark of the quarter. The sides traded baskets for a four minute spell as the game remained a one or two possession ball game, however a 10-0 run through the final 2 minutes of the period saw the visitors take a 4 point lead. TVC struck back in the closing minute but Orlan Jackman went coast to coast as he beat the half time buzzer to take his side into the break, 37-38 to the good.
Brendan Okoronkwo stroked a triple to open the second half in what would be a cagey opening few minutes with neither side able to establish scoring rhythm. Travis Charles scored 4 straight including a pair from the free throw line but Kai Williams and Lewis Champion would answer immediately for the hosts. Kestrels strung together a 6-0 run to give them their biggest lead on the night, 46-54 after Arissol stole the ball and went coast to coast. An 8-2 run to close the quarter for TVC would trim the gap to 2 with just ten minutes to play.
Lashley scored inside to start the fourth and gave Kestrels a brief 4 point lead, however a 9-2 run for the home side gave them a 63-60 advantage after Lewis Champion connected from three. Champion would hit another three to push the lead to 6 before Charles and Dadds trimmed the deficit from the foul line. 5 unanswered from Champion and Taylor Johnson forced TSK into a timeout with 3:27 left in the game with Cavaliers 71-62 to the good. Luke Busumbru scored post timeout but Johnson extended the advantage to 11 with 1:34 on the clock. An empty possession for the Kestrels followed by a Champion pull up jump shot effective iced the game, 78-65 TVC. 5 quick points from Okoronkwo and Dadds trimmed the lead to 8 but Johnson and Freckleton ensured their would be no comeback and Kestrels would slump to their first defeat in 57 competitive NBL fixtures, 81-70.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides display, “Credit to Thames Valley’s guys who played three games in seven days and were able to make plays down the stretch to win them the game. After a slow start I was proud of the way our guys regrouped and were able to get us back in the game by half time. However poor execution on the offensive end and defensive lapses down the stretch shifted the momentum to Thames Valley and ultimately gave us too much to do in the closing stages. We now have an important run of games to close out the regular season and look forward to the challenge of bouncing back this week.”
Team Solent Kestrels ever present Travis Charles led them with 15 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 13 and Elliot Dadds 9. Thames Valley’s guard Lewis Champion had 19 points to lead their scoring charge with Taylor Johnson and Hakeem Sylla chipping in 18 and 16 respectively.
TSK now return home to the SSC for a three game home stand which begins next Saturday, as they welcome Derby Trailblazers to the south coast.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774137/
Watch the full game; https://youtu.be/EIRYaWoxuEo
The hosts would race out to a 9-4 lead early in this one behind Charles Acquah-Davies who scored 7 of the first 9 for TVC, despite Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smiths efforts to get TSK going. Travis Charles would get going from the mid range with a pair of trademark jumpers however it was the Cavaliers who would be in the ascendency still as they pushed the gap to 7 through the mid point of the first. A 9-0 run to follow for TVC behind some sloppy Kestrels play forced Coach Matt Guymon into his first timeout of the game as the lead had now grown to 14. The hosts would go into the first quarter break 26-10 to the good.
Johnathan Lashley came off the bench for TSK to provide a much needed spark as he scored inside followed by a pair of Ian Smith lay ups and an Andre Arissol triple, which cut the gap to 9. After a timeout for the home side Kestrels continued to claw their way back and were within 5 by the six minute mark of the quarter. The sides traded baskets for a four minute spell as the game remained a one or two possession ball game, however a 10-0 run through the final 2 minutes of the period saw the visitors take a 4 point lead. TVC struck back in the closing minute but Orlan Jackman went coast to coast as he beat the half time buzzer to take his side into the break, 37-38 to the good.
Brendan Okoronkwo stroked a triple to open the second half in what would be a cagey opening few minutes with neither side able to establish scoring rhythm. Travis Charles scored 4 straight including a pair from the free throw line but Kai Williams and Lewis Champion would answer immediately for the hosts. Kestrels strung together a 6-0 run to give them their biggest lead on the night, 46-54 after Arissol stole the ball and went coast to coast. An 8-2 run to close the quarter for TVC would trim the gap to 2 with just ten minutes to play.
Lashley scored inside to start the fourth and gave Kestrels a brief 4 point lead, however a 9-2 run for the home side gave them a 63-60 advantage after Lewis Champion connected from three. Champion would hit another three to push the lead to 6 before Charles and Dadds trimmed the deficit from the foul line. 5 unanswered from Champion and Taylor Johnson forced TSK into a timeout with 3:27 left in the game with Cavaliers 71-62 to the good. Luke Busumbru scored post timeout but Johnson extended the advantage to 11 with 1:34 on the clock. An empty possession for the Kestrels followed by a Champion pull up jump shot effective iced the game, 78-65 TVC. 5 quick points from Okoronkwo and Dadds trimmed the lead to 8 but Johnson and Freckleton ensured their would be no comeback and Kestrels would slump to their first defeat in 57 competitive NBL fixtures, 81-70.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides display, “Credit to Thames Valley’s guys who played three games in seven days and were able to make plays down the stretch to win them the game. After a slow start I was proud of the way our guys regrouped and were able to get us back in the game by half time. However poor execution on the offensive end and defensive lapses down the stretch shifted the momentum to Thames Valley and ultimately gave us too much to do in the closing stages. We now have an important run of games to close out the regular season and look forward to the challenge of bouncing back this week.”
Team Solent Kestrels ever present Travis Charles led them with 15 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 13 and Elliot Dadds 9. Thames Valley’s guard Lewis Champion had 19 points to lead their scoring charge with Taylor Johnson and Hakeem Sylla chipping in 18 and 16 respectively.
TSK now return home to the SSC for a three game home stand which begins next Saturday, as they welcome Derby Trailblazers to the south coast.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774137/
Watch the full game; https://youtu.be/EIRYaWoxuEo
TSK TAKE INAUGURAL L LYNCH TROPHY TITLE
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels were crowned the inaugural L Lynch Trophy champions on Saturday evening as they beat Thames Valley Cavaliers, 87-78, in a closely contested final at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. The competition in its first year, backed by sponsors L Lynch Plant Hire, allowed for the return to play across NBL D1 back in October and after both sides navigated their way to the final with unbeaten records, it would make for a marquee match up in the championship game.
Thames Valley started the better of the sides as Lewis Champion scored 5 straight points and although Orlan Jackman scored in the paint for TSK, Cavaliers were up 2-9 when Blayne Freckleton and Taylor Johnson scored in transition. That kicked Kestrels into gear however as a 15-0 run would follow and give TSK a 17-9 lead behind Jackman, Ian Smith and Andre Arissol. In what would prove to be a game of runs it was TVC who struck right back with a 12-2 scoring run of their own as they edged back ahead. The period would come to a close in back and forth fashion as both teams traded scores but Travis Charles connected on a turnaround jump shot as time expired to give his side a 25-24 advantage.
The second quarter begun in the same way the first finished, with the teams exchanging blows through Ian Smith for the Kestrels and Taylor Johnson for Thames Valley. Lewis Champion would return to the game after a brief injury scare to break the exchange, as he pushed the deficit to 4 in favour of the Cavaliers. That would be short lived as Kestrels used a 7-2 run including successful trips to the foul line for Jackman and Johnathan Lashley, to edge their noses in front at the the break 46-45.
TSK flew out the gate in second half as a quick 6-2 run forced an early timeout for TVC and it would only get better for the league leaders as a further 10-2 run post timeout behind Arissol, Smith and this time Okoronkwo, pushed the arrears to 13 at 62-49. Freckleton and Johnson would not let that lead get any further out of hand and they knocked down back to back triples for the Cavaliers, trimming the gap to 7 at the mid point of the period. The scoring dried up for both teams to close the quarter and it was only when Lashley and Arissol scored 5 unanswered in the closing minute, that Kestrels would restore a double digit lead up 69-57 with ten minutes to play.
Kestrels turned up the defensively intensity to start the fourth and used a short 5-0 run to give themselves the biggest lead of the contest at 17. Thames Valley showed their quality though and they were certainly not done, using a 7-0 run to force Coach Guymon into his first timeout of the half, 74-64 with 6:26 on the clock. Ian Smith scored on a timely high arcing lay up before Arissol stroked a triple and Charles scored inside, as TSK replenished their lead and gave TVC it all to do with just under five minutes left. Cavs were able to rally however and they cut the gap to 10 with 1:44 on the game clock as Bernard Hehetro threw down a dunk, prompting a Kestrels timeout to settle things down. Charles and Johnson traded scores post timeout and even though Kai Williams trimmed the lead further to just 7 that would be as close as TVC would get. Kestrels securing the inaugural L Lynch Trophy title with an 87-78 victory.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of his sides performance on his return to the sideline; “It was great to be able to return to the sidelines this weekend to share this moment with this amazing group of players and staff. This is the game that the fans of the NBL have been waiting for all year and it didn’t disappoint. After a high scoring first half I thought we were able to do a great job increasing our defensive intensity and making life difficult for their key playmakers, which ultimately allowed us to go on a number of critical runs to help secure the win. This was another balanced performance from our team, where our depth and unselfishness continued to shine through. We look forward to getting back to work this week and preparing for the remainder of the league schedule.”
TSK’s Andre Arissol picked up the Finals MVP award as he poured in 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals whilst Travis Charles added 19 points and Orlan Jackman had a 15 point, 12 rebound double double. Thames Valley Cavaliers American guard Taylor Johnson had 21 points to lead them with Blayne Freckleton and Hakeem Sylla adding 16 and 15 respectively.
The sides will meet again this coming weekend as the attention shifts back to NBL D1 in a 1 vs. 2 show down at Uxbridge College on Saturday evening.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1861195/index.html
Watch The Game Back; youtu.be/gtmQn_IlIpw
Thames Valley started the better of the sides as Lewis Champion scored 5 straight points and although Orlan Jackman scored in the paint for TSK, Cavaliers were up 2-9 when Blayne Freckleton and Taylor Johnson scored in transition. That kicked Kestrels into gear however as a 15-0 run would follow and give TSK a 17-9 lead behind Jackman, Ian Smith and Andre Arissol. In what would prove to be a game of runs it was TVC who struck right back with a 12-2 scoring run of their own as they edged back ahead. The period would come to a close in back and forth fashion as both teams traded scores but Travis Charles connected on a turnaround jump shot as time expired to give his side a 25-24 advantage.
The second quarter begun in the same way the first finished, with the teams exchanging blows through Ian Smith for the Kestrels and Taylor Johnson for Thames Valley. Lewis Champion would return to the game after a brief injury scare to break the exchange, as he pushed the deficit to 4 in favour of the Cavaliers. That would be short lived as Kestrels used a 7-2 run including successful trips to the foul line for Jackman and Johnathan Lashley, to edge their noses in front at the the break 46-45.
TSK flew out the gate in second half as a quick 6-2 run forced an early timeout for TVC and it would only get better for the league leaders as a further 10-2 run post timeout behind Arissol, Smith and this time Okoronkwo, pushed the arrears to 13 at 62-49. Freckleton and Johnson would not let that lead get any further out of hand and they knocked down back to back triples for the Cavaliers, trimming the gap to 7 at the mid point of the period. The scoring dried up for both teams to close the quarter and it was only when Lashley and Arissol scored 5 unanswered in the closing minute, that Kestrels would restore a double digit lead up 69-57 with ten minutes to play.
Kestrels turned up the defensively intensity to start the fourth and used a short 5-0 run to give themselves the biggest lead of the contest at 17. Thames Valley showed their quality though and they were certainly not done, using a 7-0 run to force Coach Guymon into his first timeout of the half, 74-64 with 6:26 on the clock. Ian Smith scored on a timely high arcing lay up before Arissol stroked a triple and Charles scored inside, as TSK replenished their lead and gave TVC it all to do with just under five minutes left. Cavs were able to rally however and they cut the gap to 10 with 1:44 on the game clock as Bernard Hehetro threw down a dunk, prompting a Kestrels timeout to settle things down. Charles and Johnson traded scores post timeout and even though Kai Williams trimmed the lead further to just 7 that would be as close as TVC would get. Kestrels securing the inaugural L Lynch Trophy title with an 87-78 victory.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of his sides performance on his return to the sideline; “It was great to be able to return to the sidelines this weekend to share this moment with this amazing group of players and staff. This is the game that the fans of the NBL have been waiting for all year and it didn’t disappoint. After a high scoring first half I thought we were able to do a great job increasing our defensive intensity and making life difficult for their key playmakers, which ultimately allowed us to go on a number of critical runs to help secure the win. This was another balanced performance from our team, where our depth and unselfishness continued to shine through. We look forward to getting back to work this week and preparing for the remainder of the league schedule.”
TSK’s Andre Arissol picked up the Finals MVP award as he poured in 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals whilst Travis Charles added 19 points and Orlan Jackman had a 15 point, 12 rebound double double. Thames Valley Cavaliers American guard Taylor Johnson had 21 points to lead them with Blayne Freckleton and Hakeem Sylla adding 16 and 15 respectively.
The sides will meet again this coming weekend as the attention shifts back to NBL D1 in a 1 vs. 2 show down at Uxbridge College on Saturday evening.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1861195/index.html
Watch The Game Back; youtu.be/gtmQn_IlIpw
KESTRELS TAKE THE DOUBLE OVER STORM IN NBL D1
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made it three wins from three against Hemel Storm this season, in all competitions, as they took their most convincing one yet, running out 90-65 winners on Saturday afternoon at the Solent Sports Complex. The victory moves Kestrels to 13-0 at the summit of NBL D1 with just 6 games left in the regular season.
Orlan Jackman opened proceedings as he meant to go on knocking down a triple followed by an Ian Smith and-1 and despite a lay up from former Kestrels Forward Tayo Oyefusi, Kestrels led early 8-4 after yet another Jackman score. An 11-0 run through the mid point of the opening quarter gave Kestrels early control early and it was that man Jackman again, followed by Andre Arissol, who piled the pressure on the visitors. A brief 6-0 scoring run in reply for Storm brought them back within 6 but Elliot Dadds came off the bench to knock down a corner triple for the hosts, restoring a 9 point advantage. Arissol knocked down two free throws in the final minute however 4 quick points from Hemel ensured they were still in touching distance after one, 26-19 TSK.
Kestrels used an 8-0 run behind Jackman once again to kick start the second quarter, prompting Hemel into their second timeout of the half with TSK now 34-19 to the good. The home sides lead would extend further to 18 as they held Hemel scoreless for five and a half minutes, until Mike Williams broke the drought with a three. Jackman and Chris Scarlett replied immediately and when Travis Charles scored inside the lead had increased to 21 for TSK. Jackman then rolled back the years with a thunderous dunk to send the Kestrels bench into a frenzy but it would be the visitors who ended the half the better of the two sides, cutting the gap to 14 by the break, 49-35 TSK.
Brendan Okoronkwo converted on a lay up to start the second half for the hosts and even though Hemel guard Bode Adeluola replied, Kestrels quickly set about restoring their 19 point lead. The sides would trade scores through the middle of the quarter leaving Kestrels still in the driving seat, up 18, however another 4 minute scoreless spell for the visitors after some stifling defence from TSK pushed the gap out to 25. Kestrels would lead 68-46 with ten minutes to play.
A 6-0 run to begin the fourth showed signs of life for Hemel as Levi Noel converted a pair of jumpers and after a Coach O’Keeffe timeout Hafeez Abdul trimmed it further to 14. A whole host of back and forth play would follow as both teams scored from the free throw line but that better suited the home side as they still held an 18 point lead with just under six minutes to play. An 11-0 run through Arissol and Jackman completely killed off the game for TSK, as they now found themselves up 28, eventually finishing up 90-65 winners.
Kestrels Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe commented on his sides performance; “We showed another tough defensive performance in spells today, holding Hemel to well below their scoring average is no light task. The guys were a little banged up during the week coming off of 4 back to back weekends, so it was really pleasing to get some solid performances across the board, we are looking forward to the challenge ahead this week and a chance to prepare to play for some silverware.”
TSK were led by a dominant Orlan Jackman who posted 31 points and 11 rebounds whilst Ian Smith added 17 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds and Andre Arissol chipped in 15 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Hemel’s American duo of Mike Williams and Greg Poleon had 16 and 15 points respectively with Hafeez Abdul adding 13 points off the bench.
Kestrels turn all their attention to next Saturday evenings L Lynch Trophy Final, where they will face off with Thames Valley Cavaliers for the first time this season. The final will be held at Leicester Rider’s Morningside Arena and will see the conclusion of the newly formed L Lynch Trophy competition.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774121/bs.html
Watch Game Back; https://www.facebook.com/224731497554461/videos/194664485359936
Orlan Jackman opened proceedings as he meant to go on knocking down a triple followed by an Ian Smith and-1 and despite a lay up from former Kestrels Forward Tayo Oyefusi, Kestrels led early 8-4 after yet another Jackman score. An 11-0 run through the mid point of the opening quarter gave Kestrels early control early and it was that man Jackman again, followed by Andre Arissol, who piled the pressure on the visitors. A brief 6-0 scoring run in reply for Storm brought them back within 6 but Elliot Dadds came off the bench to knock down a corner triple for the hosts, restoring a 9 point advantage. Arissol knocked down two free throws in the final minute however 4 quick points from Hemel ensured they were still in touching distance after one, 26-19 TSK.
Kestrels used an 8-0 run behind Jackman once again to kick start the second quarter, prompting Hemel into their second timeout of the half with TSK now 34-19 to the good. The home sides lead would extend further to 18 as they held Hemel scoreless for five and a half minutes, until Mike Williams broke the drought with a three. Jackman and Chris Scarlett replied immediately and when Travis Charles scored inside the lead had increased to 21 for TSK. Jackman then rolled back the years with a thunderous dunk to send the Kestrels bench into a frenzy but it would be the visitors who ended the half the better of the two sides, cutting the gap to 14 by the break, 49-35 TSK.
Brendan Okoronkwo converted on a lay up to start the second half for the hosts and even though Hemel guard Bode Adeluola replied, Kestrels quickly set about restoring their 19 point lead. The sides would trade scores through the middle of the quarter leaving Kestrels still in the driving seat, up 18, however another 4 minute scoreless spell for the visitors after some stifling defence from TSK pushed the gap out to 25. Kestrels would lead 68-46 with ten minutes to play.
A 6-0 run to begin the fourth showed signs of life for Hemel as Levi Noel converted a pair of jumpers and after a Coach O’Keeffe timeout Hafeez Abdul trimmed it further to 14. A whole host of back and forth play would follow as both teams scored from the free throw line but that better suited the home side as they still held an 18 point lead with just under six minutes to play. An 11-0 run through Arissol and Jackman completely killed off the game for TSK, as they now found themselves up 28, eventually finishing up 90-65 winners.
Kestrels Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe commented on his sides performance; “We showed another tough defensive performance in spells today, holding Hemel to well below their scoring average is no light task. The guys were a little banged up during the week coming off of 4 back to back weekends, so it was really pleasing to get some solid performances across the board, we are looking forward to the challenge ahead this week and a chance to prepare to play for some silverware.”
TSK were led by a dominant Orlan Jackman who posted 31 points and 11 rebounds whilst Ian Smith added 17 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds and Andre Arissol chipped in 15 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Hemel’s American duo of Mike Williams and Greg Poleon had 16 and 15 points respectively with Hafeez Abdul adding 13 points off the bench.
Kestrels turn all their attention to next Saturday evenings L Lynch Trophy Final, where they will face off with Thames Valley Cavaliers for the first time this season. The final will be held at Leicester Rider’s Morningside Arena and will see the conclusion of the newly formed L Lynch Trophy competition.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774121/bs.html
Watch Game Back; https://www.facebook.com/224731497554461/videos/194664485359936
TSK BOOK L LYNCH FINALS TICKET WITH DRAMATIC FINISH
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
TSK booked their L Lynch Trophy Finals ticket on Sunday afternoon as they came through a dramatic semi final against Worthing Thunder, snatching victory on the buzzer as Andre Arissol got his pull up to go. The 82-80 victory sees Kestrels match up with Thames Valley Cavaliers in the Final, after they narrowly edged to victory against Loughborough Riders in the other semi final.
An energised Worthing started the better of the sides as they raced out to a 0-7 lead with Max Richardson scoring on back to back possessions. Brendan Okoronkwo would stroke a corner three to get the hosts off the mark but it was Richardson who continued to pour in the offensive production for the visitors, to give them a 3-12 lead early on. Travis Charles and Andre Arissol would trim the gap to 6 but Worthings American duo of Howard Crawford and Zaire Taylor had other ideas, increasing the deficit to 10. A 9-0 to follow for TSK, behind an Ian Smith triple and Johnathan Lashley score off the bench, brought them to within just a point. The quarter closed with both sides going back and forth and Chris Scarlett knocked down three free throws to trim the visitors lead to 21-24 after one.
A 7-0 run to kick start the second quarter looked to have been the impetus that Kestrels needed, capped off with a trademark Scarlett three. However Ishmael Fontaine had other ideas as he knocked down a triple off the bench for Worthing and that put the lead back at just a point for TSK. Lashley and Richardson exchanged scores and then an uncharacteristic scoring drought for both sides saw neither side score for just under 3 minutes of the quarter. Jack Sunderland broke that for Thunder as he knocked down a jump shot to push his side out in front by 4, sparking a coach O’Keeffe timeout with three minutes to play in the half. Smith and Sunderland would hit three’s on consecutive possession post timeout and that would be it for the half in a low scoring ten minutes, Thunder ahead at the break 33-37.
The second half started in the same fashion as the second quarter with TSK going on a quick fire scoring run, this time to the tune of 8-0 behind some much improved defensive intensity, resulting in a pair of lay ups a piece for Okoronkwo and Orlan Jackman. Thunder used their first timeout of the half with the hosts now up 41-37 but again the lead would be short lived, as Sunderland and Richardson edged their side back in front. The lead would change hands several times throughout the third as neither team were able to seize control of the ball game, Ian Smith found his scoring rhythm for Kestrels whilst Zaire Taylor got his eye in from beyond the arc. A late Dom Ives three though would be the difference and restored Worthing’s four point advantage they held at the break, 57-61 with ten minutes to play.
An 8-2 run to start the final stanza edged the home side back in front 65-63 after Ian Smith hit his third triple of the contest, though it wasn’t enough to put TSK in the driving seat as Tom Ward eventually tied things back up at 69 when he hit a tough contested three. Kestrels threatened again as Lashley and Smith knocked down a pair of jumpers to restore a four point lead but it was Richardson again and this time Crawford who put the visitors back ahead 73-74, timeout TSK with 4:21 on the clock. Ward pushed the gap to three after the timeout for Thunder however a number of defensive stops from the hosts, followed by 6/7 at the foul line gave them a two point lead with just under two minutes to play. Richardson scored on back to back possessions for Worthing to give them a 78-80 lead with a little over a minute left in regulation but OJ would respond at the line for TSK tying the game up at 80 a piece. With 39 seconds left Okoronkwo forced Taylor into a costly turnover sparking a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for the Kestrels. Post timeout Charles would miss a turnaround jump shot, followed by an Arissol three falling short however some savvy work on the backboard from Jackman allowed TSK to have the last shot. Arissol took two dribbles to his right and pulled up from just inside the key to ice the game as time expired, Kestrels snatching the victory 82-80.
Team Solent Kestrels American point guard Ian Smith led the way with 26 points and 7 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 14 points and 7 rebounds with Orlan Jackman chipping in 11 points and 15 big rebounds. Worthing Thunder’s Max Richardson had 23 points to lead them with Howard Crawford and Tom Ward adding 16 and 11 respectively.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe gave his thoughts post game; “Unbelievable finish to a really tough ball game, I’m sure for the neutral it was a great spectacle and made for a tense semi final. Sometimes thats what knockout basketball can be though and full credit to Worthing’s players I thought they were excellent today and pushed us for 40 minutes. That said, our guys showed real poise and great resilience to come through today in tough circumstances, Dre will get the plaudits and rightly so, he made the go ahead shot to win it for us but we had great contributions across the board from the squad. It’s exciting for our guys to now be able to compete for some silverware in the final.”
The victory sees TSK book a spot in the L Lynch Trophy Final vs. Thames Valley Cavaliers, with details yet to be finalised on the date and venue, we will of course update the Kestrels Family in due course. Kestrels now shift their focus to yet another match up with Hemel Storm who they faced just two weeks ago, as they welcome the Hertfordshire outfit to the SSC on Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm in NBL D1.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1852883/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/vR-GDao_yg0
An energised Worthing started the better of the sides as they raced out to a 0-7 lead with Max Richardson scoring on back to back possessions. Brendan Okoronkwo would stroke a corner three to get the hosts off the mark but it was Richardson who continued to pour in the offensive production for the visitors, to give them a 3-12 lead early on. Travis Charles and Andre Arissol would trim the gap to 6 but Worthings American duo of Howard Crawford and Zaire Taylor had other ideas, increasing the deficit to 10. A 9-0 to follow for TSK, behind an Ian Smith triple and Johnathan Lashley score off the bench, brought them to within just a point. The quarter closed with both sides going back and forth and Chris Scarlett knocked down three free throws to trim the visitors lead to 21-24 after one.
A 7-0 run to kick start the second quarter looked to have been the impetus that Kestrels needed, capped off with a trademark Scarlett three. However Ishmael Fontaine had other ideas as he knocked down a triple off the bench for Worthing and that put the lead back at just a point for TSK. Lashley and Richardson exchanged scores and then an uncharacteristic scoring drought for both sides saw neither side score for just under 3 minutes of the quarter. Jack Sunderland broke that for Thunder as he knocked down a jump shot to push his side out in front by 4, sparking a coach O’Keeffe timeout with three minutes to play in the half. Smith and Sunderland would hit three’s on consecutive possession post timeout and that would be it for the half in a low scoring ten minutes, Thunder ahead at the break 33-37.
The second half started in the same fashion as the second quarter with TSK going on a quick fire scoring run, this time to the tune of 8-0 behind some much improved defensive intensity, resulting in a pair of lay ups a piece for Okoronkwo and Orlan Jackman. Thunder used their first timeout of the half with the hosts now up 41-37 but again the lead would be short lived, as Sunderland and Richardson edged their side back in front. The lead would change hands several times throughout the third as neither team were able to seize control of the ball game, Ian Smith found his scoring rhythm for Kestrels whilst Zaire Taylor got his eye in from beyond the arc. A late Dom Ives three though would be the difference and restored Worthing’s four point advantage they held at the break, 57-61 with ten minutes to play.
An 8-2 run to start the final stanza edged the home side back in front 65-63 after Ian Smith hit his third triple of the contest, though it wasn’t enough to put TSK in the driving seat as Tom Ward eventually tied things back up at 69 when he hit a tough contested three. Kestrels threatened again as Lashley and Smith knocked down a pair of jumpers to restore a four point lead but it was Richardson again and this time Crawford who put the visitors back ahead 73-74, timeout TSK with 4:21 on the clock. Ward pushed the gap to three after the timeout for Thunder however a number of defensive stops from the hosts, followed by 6/7 at the foul line gave them a two point lead with just under two minutes to play. Richardson scored on back to back possessions for Worthing to give them a 78-80 lead with a little over a minute left in regulation but OJ would respond at the line for TSK tying the game up at 80 a piece. With 39 seconds left Okoronkwo forced Taylor into a costly turnover sparking a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for the Kestrels. Post timeout Charles would miss a turnaround jump shot, followed by an Arissol three falling short however some savvy work on the backboard from Jackman allowed TSK to have the last shot. Arissol took two dribbles to his right and pulled up from just inside the key to ice the game as time expired, Kestrels snatching the victory 82-80.
Team Solent Kestrels American point guard Ian Smith led the way with 26 points and 7 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 14 points and 7 rebounds with Orlan Jackman chipping in 11 points and 15 big rebounds. Worthing Thunder’s Max Richardson had 23 points to lead them with Howard Crawford and Tom Ward adding 16 and 11 respectively.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe gave his thoughts post game; “Unbelievable finish to a really tough ball game, I’m sure for the neutral it was a great spectacle and made for a tense semi final. Sometimes thats what knockout basketball can be though and full credit to Worthing’s players I thought they were excellent today and pushed us for 40 minutes. That said, our guys showed real poise and great resilience to come through today in tough circumstances, Dre will get the plaudits and rightly so, he made the go ahead shot to win it for us but we had great contributions across the board from the squad. It’s exciting for our guys to now be able to compete for some silverware in the final.”
The victory sees TSK book a spot in the L Lynch Trophy Final vs. Thames Valley Cavaliers, with details yet to be finalised on the date and venue, we will of course update the Kestrels Family in due course. Kestrels now shift their focus to yet another match up with Hemel Storm who they faced just two weeks ago, as they welcome the Hertfordshire outfit to the SSC on Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm in NBL D1.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1852883/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/vR-GDao_yg0
KESTRELS SHUT OUT ROCKETS TO IMPROVE TO 12-0
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Kestrels improved to 12-0 in NBL D1 on Saturday evening as they controlled the game from start to finish in Berkshire, knocking off Reading Rockets 95-68. The win is TSK’s second in three weeks against the Rockets and keeps Kestrels undefeated streak intact.
TSK struck first through a pair of trademark Travis Charles scores in close whilst Reading’s Sam Grant and O’Showen Williams would get them off the mark to respond. However an 11-0 run inside the first 4 minutes would force a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts and pushed Kestrels into a 15-4 advantage. Grant responded in quick fashion post timeout with a three but Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo made jump shots of their own to extend the gap to 13. TSK would be in free scoring mood, as Orlan Jackman got in on the action and when Johnathan Lashley came off the bench to score his first lay up, the visitors were 29-7 to the good. Rockets scored 7 unanswered to trim the gap but Okoronkwo hit a corner three with less than 30 seconds remaining in the quarter, to ensure Kestrels went in up 35-16 after one.
A quick 4-0 run for Reading reduced the deficit to 15 early in second through Chuck Duru and Jacob Cirtautas but that would only start a period of back and forth scores between the sides, with Arissol and Charles replying with 4 points of their own. The lead stayed out at around 20 for most of the second quarter as Ian Smith and Charles once again continued to pour on the offensive production. An 11-3 run to close the half for TSK would give them a convincing 55-28 lead at the break, after holding Rockets to just 12 points in the period.
Rockets’ American guard Williams stroked a triple to start the second half but 6 unanswered points for the visitors pushed their lead to 30 after Arissol knocked down a pair of free throws. There was still life about the home side yet though as Grant took advantage of some defensive lapses from TSK to trim to lead to 24. The cavalry would arrive off the bench for the Kestrels though in the form of Chris Scarlett and Lashley who quickly reestablished a 30+ point advantage for their side. Elias Poorman would momentarily extend the arrears to 36 when he knocked down a three after Jackman found him wide open, but Ben Dixon’s prayer from the half court line on the buzzer left the score at 83-50 with ten minutes to play.
A pair of Scarlett three pointers either side of a Dixon floater early in fourth, gave Kestrels a 37 point cushion and there would be no sign of a Rockets come back. Readings bench came into the game to close things out and provided a spark to cut the gap to 29, mid way through the quarter but the game would remain firmly in the control of the visitors who ran out 95-68 winners.
TSK Interim play caller Jack O’Keeffe added: “I thought we were excellent defensively in the first half, the guys locked into Reading’s key personnel and did not allow them to establish any rhythm in the ball game. We also got a number of contributions across the board and particularly from the guys coming in off the bench, which was really pleasing, our energy all game from the bench is testament to the chemistry we have amongst the group.”
Team Solent Kestrels balanced scoring effort was led by Travis Charles’ 19 points, whilst Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo added 18 and 17 respectively. Sam Grant was the high point man for the Rockets with 15 whilst Ben Dixon and Chuck Duru contributed 11 and 10 off the bench for the hosts.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774062/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/8YJSGaRAw8I
TSK struck first through a pair of trademark Travis Charles scores in close whilst Reading’s Sam Grant and O’Showen Williams would get them off the mark to respond. However an 11-0 run inside the first 4 minutes would force a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts and pushed Kestrels into a 15-4 advantage. Grant responded in quick fashion post timeout with a three but Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo made jump shots of their own to extend the gap to 13. TSK would be in free scoring mood, as Orlan Jackman got in on the action and when Johnathan Lashley came off the bench to score his first lay up, the visitors were 29-7 to the good. Rockets scored 7 unanswered to trim the gap but Okoronkwo hit a corner three with less than 30 seconds remaining in the quarter, to ensure Kestrels went in up 35-16 after one.
A quick 4-0 run for Reading reduced the deficit to 15 early in second through Chuck Duru and Jacob Cirtautas but that would only start a period of back and forth scores between the sides, with Arissol and Charles replying with 4 points of their own. The lead stayed out at around 20 for most of the second quarter as Ian Smith and Charles once again continued to pour on the offensive production. An 11-3 run to close the half for TSK would give them a convincing 55-28 lead at the break, after holding Rockets to just 12 points in the period.
Rockets’ American guard Williams stroked a triple to start the second half but 6 unanswered points for the visitors pushed their lead to 30 after Arissol knocked down a pair of free throws. There was still life about the home side yet though as Grant took advantage of some defensive lapses from TSK to trim to lead to 24. The cavalry would arrive off the bench for the Kestrels though in the form of Chris Scarlett and Lashley who quickly reestablished a 30+ point advantage for their side. Elias Poorman would momentarily extend the arrears to 36 when he knocked down a three after Jackman found him wide open, but Ben Dixon’s prayer from the half court line on the buzzer left the score at 83-50 with ten minutes to play.
A pair of Scarlett three pointers either side of a Dixon floater early in fourth, gave Kestrels a 37 point cushion and there would be no sign of a Rockets come back. Readings bench came into the game to close things out and provided a spark to cut the gap to 29, mid way through the quarter but the game would remain firmly in the control of the visitors who ran out 95-68 winners.
TSK Interim play caller Jack O’Keeffe added: “I thought we were excellent defensively in the first half, the guys locked into Reading’s key personnel and did not allow them to establish any rhythm in the ball game. We also got a number of contributions across the board and particularly from the guys coming in off the bench, which was really pleasing, our energy all game from the bench is testament to the chemistry we have amongst the group.”
Team Solent Kestrels balanced scoring effort was led by Travis Charles’ 19 points, whilst Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo added 18 and 17 respectively. Sam Grant was the high point man for the Rockets with 15 whilst Ben Dixon and Chuck Duru contributed 11 and 10 off the bench for the hosts.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774062/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/8YJSGaRAw8I
TSK USE IMPRESSIVE DEFENSIVE EFFORT TO POWER THEM TO VICTORY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels completed their double header weekend with another victory, this time on the road at Hemel Storm as they improved to 11-0 in NBL D1. Kestrels did the hard work early on building a double digit lead and they would never look back clinching a 76-59 victory.
Kestrels raced out in front early in this one as Orlan Jackman and Andre Arissol found their way to the basket on the opening possessions and despite Levi Noel replying for Storm, Kestrels quickly built a 12-2 advantage. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter as Bode Adeluola and Johnathan Lashley scored for their teams respectively and when Lashley scored his second basket in as many attempts, Storm would use their first timeout of the game, 20-9 TSK. The visitors continued to build the lead post timeout and were up 24-11 after the first.
Arissol briefly extended the deficit to 15 before Greg Poleon replied with back to back scores for the hosts but a 7-0 run to follow for the Kestrels, behind some impressive Travis Charles finishing inside, meant they would now lead 33-15 with Coach Spinks using his second timeout. The advantage would stay at 18 for large spells of the second as Charles continued his good work, however Adeluola scored a pair of lay ups for Storm and trimmed the advantage to 14 sparking a Coach O’Keeffe timeout with just under 3 minutes left in the half. Kestrels would have seen that 14 point lead intact at the half if it wasn’t for former TSK Forward, Tayo Oyefusi, banking in a 3 to beat the buzzer, 44-33 Kestrels at the break.
Poleon hammered a dunk home for Hemel to start the second half and reduced the lead to single digits, although this would be very short lived as a 6-0 run, through Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo, restored order to put TSK out to their largest lead of the game to that point, 50-35. Mike Williams connected on a pair of tough pull up jump shots before Orlan Jackman and Okoronkwo replied and when Busumbru and again Okoronkwo stroked a pair of jumpers, the visitors would now hold a 61-41 lead. Storm replied before the quarter finished but TSK were in front 61-44 with ten minutes to play.
Jack Burnell hit a corner three for Storm early in the fourth but a 9-0 run for TSK, including an impressive one handed flush from Luke Busumbru, ensured there would be no comeback in sight for the hosts as they called for timeout, TSK 70-47 to the good. The sides traded scores post timeout with Charles continuing to dominate for Kestrels, however Storm did trim the gap to 15 with an 8-0 run. Coach O’Keeffe used a timeout to settle his side down and they would go on to take a 17 point win, 76-59.
TSK Forward Travis Charles was the dominant force for the visitors as he lead the way with 26 points and 7 rebounds on 75% from the field, whilst Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo added 12 and 11 respectively. Hemel were led by their American duo of Greg Poleon and Mike Williams who had 16 and 13 points with Bode Adeluola the only other player in double figures with 10.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe was pleased with his sides efforts: “Playing Hemel is always a tough match up let alone on the back end of a double header, so I’m really proud of our guys efforts today, particular the energy on the defensive end. I think this was one of our most clinical defensive performances of the season, holding a team who usually score well into the 90s to 59 shows just how good the guys were today.”
Kestrels will shift their focus towards yet another double header weekend, where they will travel to Reading Rockets on Saturday evening before returning home to take on Worthing Thunder for the fourth time this season in all competitions, in the L Lynch Trophy Semi Finals on Sunday, 3pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774043/bs.html
Watch the Game Back; youtu.be/I4xExmYsHe0
Kestrels raced out in front early in this one as Orlan Jackman and Andre Arissol found their way to the basket on the opening possessions and despite Levi Noel replying for Storm, Kestrels quickly built a 12-2 advantage. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter as Bode Adeluola and Johnathan Lashley scored for their teams respectively and when Lashley scored his second basket in as many attempts, Storm would use their first timeout of the game, 20-9 TSK. The visitors continued to build the lead post timeout and were up 24-11 after the first.
Arissol briefly extended the deficit to 15 before Greg Poleon replied with back to back scores for the hosts but a 7-0 run to follow for the Kestrels, behind some impressive Travis Charles finishing inside, meant they would now lead 33-15 with Coach Spinks using his second timeout. The advantage would stay at 18 for large spells of the second as Charles continued his good work, however Adeluola scored a pair of lay ups for Storm and trimmed the advantage to 14 sparking a Coach O’Keeffe timeout with just under 3 minutes left in the half. Kestrels would have seen that 14 point lead intact at the half if it wasn’t for former TSK Forward, Tayo Oyefusi, banking in a 3 to beat the buzzer, 44-33 Kestrels at the break.
Poleon hammered a dunk home for Hemel to start the second half and reduced the lead to single digits, although this would be very short lived as a 6-0 run, through Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo, restored order to put TSK out to their largest lead of the game to that point, 50-35. Mike Williams connected on a pair of tough pull up jump shots before Orlan Jackman and Okoronkwo replied and when Busumbru and again Okoronkwo stroked a pair of jumpers, the visitors would now hold a 61-41 lead. Storm replied before the quarter finished but TSK were in front 61-44 with ten minutes to play.
Jack Burnell hit a corner three for Storm early in the fourth but a 9-0 run for TSK, including an impressive one handed flush from Luke Busumbru, ensured there would be no comeback in sight for the hosts as they called for timeout, TSK 70-47 to the good. The sides traded scores post timeout with Charles continuing to dominate for Kestrels, however Storm did trim the gap to 15 with an 8-0 run. Coach O’Keeffe used a timeout to settle his side down and they would go on to take a 17 point win, 76-59.
TSK Forward Travis Charles was the dominant force for the visitors as he lead the way with 26 points and 7 rebounds on 75% from the field, whilst Andre Arissol and Brendan Okoronkwo added 12 and 11 respectively. Hemel were led by their American duo of Greg Poleon and Mike Williams who had 16 and 13 points with Bode Adeluola the only other player in double figures with 10.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe was pleased with his sides efforts: “Playing Hemel is always a tough match up let alone on the back end of a double header, so I’m really proud of our guys efforts today, particular the energy on the defensive end. I think this was one of our most clinical defensive performances of the season, holding a team who usually score well into the 90s to 59 shows just how good the guys were today.”
Kestrels will shift their focus towards yet another double header weekend, where they will travel to Reading Rockets on Saturday evening before returning home to take on Worthing Thunder for the fourth time this season in all competitions, in the L Lynch Trophy Semi Finals on Sunday, 3pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774043/bs.html
Watch the Game Back; youtu.be/I4xExmYsHe0
KESTRELS GO 10-0 WITH VICTORY OVER BRADFORD DRAGONS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels returned to the SSC this weekend with a convincing 92-53 victory over Bradford Dragons in NBL D1 action, TSK led from start to finish controlling the contest for long spells using a clinical defensive performance to improve to 10-0.
Andre Arissol stroked a three to open proceedings but Dragons Jermayne Laing would reply instantly with a lay up of his own to get the visitors off the mark. TSK however had other ideas and would hold Bradford scoreless for the next 6 minutes of action whilst pouring it on offensively with a balanced scoring effort. Arissol knocked down another three whilst back to back lay ups for Ian Smith pushed the lead to 18-2. Dragons forward Uche Umekwe stopped the drought for them with an and-1 but Kestrels would hold a 22-5 advantage after one.
The sides traded baskets over the first 4 minutes of the second quarter as both teams found free scoring rhythm, which better suited the hosts as they were now in front 32-16. Dragons cut the gap to 14 with around 4 minutes to play in the period which prompted a Coach O’Keeffe timeout to settle his side down. On the back of that a 13-7 scoring run to close the quarter, behind Orlan Jackman and Travis Charles, ensured TSK led by 20 at the break, 47-27.
It was much of the same to start the third quarter as both sides went back and forth, with Smith and Johnathan Lashley doing the scoring for the hosts whilst Great Osobor and Laing ticked the scoreboard over for Bradford. Rihards Sulcs would manage to trim the gap to just 13 with a little over 3 minutes to play in the third but a quick 5-0 response from Lashley sparked a Dragons timeout for Coach Mellor, 60-42 TSK. Osobor continued to impact the scoring for the West Yorkshire side as he cut it back to a 14 point game but after an exchange of free throws, a Chris Scarlett triple ensured Kestrels went into the final 10 minutes up 65-47.
A 10-0 run to start the fourth for TSK ensured any hopes of a Bradford comeback were dashed early on, as the defensive intensity went up a level for the hosts allowing them to find a number of transition scores through Lashley and Arissol. They would also hold the Dragons scoreless for just under the first 5 minutes of the period. Kestrels continued to pour on the offensive output as Charles and Lashley pushed the deficit well into the 30’s. A further 10-0 run to close the game, as TSK’s young bench of Elias Poorman, Kai Walker and Zak Missouri, would further extend the lead and see their side run out 92-53 winners.
TSK’s Johnathan Lashley led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds off the bench whilst Ian Smith and Travis Charles added 15 and 14 respectively. The Dragons youngster Great Osobor lead the scoring charge for the visitors with 18 points with Jermayne Laing the only other player to reach double figures with 10.
TSK’s interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe added; “I thought we showed some excellent defensive spells today both in the 1st and the 4th, limiting them to 11 points across the two quarters. We had some lapses in the 3rd and that slowed us down a little bit offensively but I was really pleased with how we found solutions to their changing defences and that allowed us to control the game down the stretch.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774017/bs.html
Andre Arissol stroked a three to open proceedings but Dragons Jermayne Laing would reply instantly with a lay up of his own to get the visitors off the mark. TSK however had other ideas and would hold Bradford scoreless for the next 6 minutes of action whilst pouring it on offensively with a balanced scoring effort. Arissol knocked down another three whilst back to back lay ups for Ian Smith pushed the lead to 18-2. Dragons forward Uche Umekwe stopped the drought for them with an and-1 but Kestrels would hold a 22-5 advantage after one.
The sides traded baskets over the first 4 minutes of the second quarter as both teams found free scoring rhythm, which better suited the hosts as they were now in front 32-16. Dragons cut the gap to 14 with around 4 minutes to play in the period which prompted a Coach O’Keeffe timeout to settle his side down. On the back of that a 13-7 scoring run to close the quarter, behind Orlan Jackman and Travis Charles, ensured TSK led by 20 at the break, 47-27.
It was much of the same to start the third quarter as both sides went back and forth, with Smith and Johnathan Lashley doing the scoring for the hosts whilst Great Osobor and Laing ticked the scoreboard over for Bradford. Rihards Sulcs would manage to trim the gap to just 13 with a little over 3 minutes to play in the third but a quick 5-0 response from Lashley sparked a Dragons timeout for Coach Mellor, 60-42 TSK. Osobor continued to impact the scoring for the West Yorkshire side as he cut it back to a 14 point game but after an exchange of free throws, a Chris Scarlett triple ensured Kestrels went into the final 10 minutes up 65-47.
A 10-0 run to start the fourth for TSK ensured any hopes of a Bradford comeback were dashed early on, as the defensive intensity went up a level for the hosts allowing them to find a number of transition scores through Lashley and Arissol. They would also hold the Dragons scoreless for just under the first 5 minutes of the period. Kestrels continued to pour on the offensive output as Charles and Lashley pushed the deficit well into the 30’s. A further 10-0 run to close the game, as TSK’s young bench of Elias Poorman, Kai Walker and Zak Missouri, would further extend the lead and see their side run out 92-53 winners.
TSK’s Johnathan Lashley led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds off the bench whilst Ian Smith and Travis Charles added 15 and 14 respectively. The Dragons youngster Great Osobor lead the scoring charge for the visitors with 18 points with Jermayne Laing the only other player to reach double figures with 10.
TSK’s interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe added; “I thought we showed some excellent defensive spells today both in the 1st and the 4th, limiting them to 11 points across the two quarters. We had some lapses in the 3rd and that slowed us down a little bit offensively but I was really pleased with how we found solutions to their changing defences and that allowed us to control the game down the stretch.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774017/bs.html
TSK BOUNCE BACK IN THE CAPITAL WITH HARD FOUGHT WIN AT BA
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels bounced back from their Friday night disappointment with a 80-64 victory over Barking Abbey London Lions on Saturday afternoon, in NBL D1 action. The win sees them improve to 9-0 at the top of the division and is the third win over BA in all competitions this season.
The opening spells were back and forth for both sides as neither team were able to stop one another creating good looks, Ian Smith and Travis Charles did the work for TSK whilst a balanced scoring effort for the hosts saw them keep things close at 11-10. Johnathan Lashley would come off the bench for the visitors to push the deficit to 6 at 18-12 but a pair of 3’s from Jase Harrison and Abiodun Adedo to close the quarter followed by a Veron Eze lay up edged BA in front 19-20.
A 10-3 run for the Kestrels to open the 2nd quarter saw them move back in front 29-23, behind a pair of Chris Scarlett triples, whilst Lashley was also continuing to have an impact inside. Barking showed a brief response through Harrison but when Elias Poorman came off the bench to knock down a long jump shot, he would increase the arrears to 10 forcing a Lions timeout with just under 2 minutes to play in the half. Both sides scored post timeout before the half was up but it would be the visitors who were in front 40-32 at the break.
It was a cagey affair to start the second half as both teams traded baskets but neither side able to find a free scoring rhythm. Smith did momentarily extend the Kestrels lead to 13 midway through the quarter however Edryck Okunola and Adedo ensured that the lead stayed in single digits as they connected on a three and an and-1 respectively. TSK up 56-47 with 10 minutes to play.
Barking showed plenty of fight to start the 4th as they set about cutting the deficit to 5 behind Veron Eze and Harrison but that seemed to kick the visiting Kestrels into life. An 8-0 run behind a pair of triples from both Scarlett and Okoronkwo handed TSK control with just under 5 minutes to play, now up 67-54 heading into a Lions timeout. The sides traded baskets once again post timeout, but it was Kestrels who pushed the gap to 15 after Arissol finished inside and when Charles converted on a quick seal inside, the visitors looked to have wrapped up the victory. TSK would convert on trips to the line to close the game out clinching an 80-64 victory.
TSK were led by Travis Charles who had 22 points and 8 rebounds on 88% from the field, whilst Ian Smith added 13 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds and John Lashley had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Barking Abbey’s American guard Jase Harrison had 15 points and he was backed up by Edryck Okunola who also had 15.
Kestrels Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe weighed in after his sides victory; “Today was always going to be tough with last nights game taking a lot out of our guys both physically and mentally, coupled with Barking being a talented young side who were well prepared for us. We struggled to find any real rhythm in the first half but the guys were able to string some stops together down the stretch and pulled away late. With 4 games in 8 days it’ll be important for our guys to recover well over the next few days as we prepare for a tough double header next weekend.”
After 4 games in 8 days Kestrels will now shift their attentions to yet another double header next weekend, where they will play host to Bradford Dragons on Saturday at the SSC (4:30pm) before travelling to Hertfordshire University Sports Village to take on Hemel Storm on Sunday (5pm).
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774145/bs.html
The opening spells were back and forth for both sides as neither team were able to stop one another creating good looks, Ian Smith and Travis Charles did the work for TSK whilst a balanced scoring effort for the hosts saw them keep things close at 11-10. Johnathan Lashley would come off the bench for the visitors to push the deficit to 6 at 18-12 but a pair of 3’s from Jase Harrison and Abiodun Adedo to close the quarter followed by a Veron Eze lay up edged BA in front 19-20.
A 10-3 run for the Kestrels to open the 2nd quarter saw them move back in front 29-23, behind a pair of Chris Scarlett triples, whilst Lashley was also continuing to have an impact inside. Barking showed a brief response through Harrison but when Elias Poorman came off the bench to knock down a long jump shot, he would increase the arrears to 10 forcing a Lions timeout with just under 2 minutes to play in the half. Both sides scored post timeout before the half was up but it would be the visitors who were in front 40-32 at the break.
It was a cagey affair to start the second half as both teams traded baskets but neither side able to find a free scoring rhythm. Smith did momentarily extend the Kestrels lead to 13 midway through the quarter however Edryck Okunola and Adedo ensured that the lead stayed in single digits as they connected on a three and an and-1 respectively. TSK up 56-47 with 10 minutes to play.
Barking showed plenty of fight to start the 4th as they set about cutting the deficit to 5 behind Veron Eze and Harrison but that seemed to kick the visiting Kestrels into life. An 8-0 run behind a pair of triples from both Scarlett and Okoronkwo handed TSK control with just under 5 minutes to play, now up 67-54 heading into a Lions timeout. The sides traded baskets once again post timeout, but it was Kestrels who pushed the gap to 15 after Arissol finished inside and when Charles converted on a quick seal inside, the visitors looked to have wrapped up the victory. TSK would convert on trips to the line to close the game out clinching an 80-64 victory.
TSK were led by Travis Charles who had 22 points and 8 rebounds on 88% from the field, whilst Ian Smith added 13 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds and John Lashley had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Barking Abbey’s American guard Jase Harrison had 15 points and he was backed up by Edryck Okunola who also had 15.
Kestrels Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe weighed in after his sides victory; “Today was always going to be tough with last nights game taking a lot out of our guys both physically and mentally, coupled with Barking being a talented young side who were well prepared for us. We struggled to find any real rhythm in the first half but the guys were able to string some stops together down the stretch and pulled away late. With 4 games in 8 days it’ll be important for our guys to recover well over the next few days as we prepare for a tough double header next weekend.”
After 4 games in 8 days Kestrels will now shift their attentions to yet another double header next weekend, where they will play host to Bradford Dragons on Saturday at the SSC (4:30pm) before travelling to Hertfordshire University Sports Village to take on Hemel Storm on Sunday (5pm).
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774145/bs.html
KESTRELS FALL AT THE QUARTER FINAL STAGES OF THE BBL TROPHY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels hopes of another BBL Trophy run this season were cut short on Friday evening, as they were handed an 82-73 loss to the Surrey Scorchers, in the Quarter Finals stage of the competition. Despite being the only NBL side left at this stage, Scorchers used their size to out match Kestrels in a back and forth affair and they will advance to play either Plymouth or Worcester in the semi finals.
Kestrels flew out of the gates to begin as they took a quick 10-4 lead behind Orlan Jackman and Travis Charles who both knocked down jump shots for the visitors. Surrey hit back quickly and tied the game at 10 after Cameron Hildreth got to the rim for a lay up, however 4 more Charles points followed by a Luke Busumbru score inside gave Kestrels a 16-12 advantage with just under 4 minutes to play in the first. The lead changed hands several time as the first quarter came to a close and it was the hosts who were in front 22-24 after one.
Martelle McLemore and TSK’s Andre Arissol traded 3’s to open the second quarter but it was Scorchers who opened up the first daylight between the sides, forcing a TSK timeout 27-35 Surrey. TSK cut the gap to 5 through Ian Smith and Johnathan Lashley but it was Surrey who restored their advantage, this time through Tayo Ogedengbe and Lacey James to increase the arrears to 10. Lashley would score inside for TSK as the half wound down but it was Scorchers captain Ogedengbe, who connected on the prayer from half court to give his side a 32-43 advantage at the break.
Jackman and Smith set about trying to trim the deficit early in the third as they kick started a 10-4 run for the visitors to bring them within 5 points at 42-47. However Richards and Hildreth kept the scoreboard ticking for the home side and they were back up 10 by the 4 minute mark of the third, 46-56. It was back and forth to close the quarter as Richards continued to cause problems inside for the Scorchers but Lashley would also answer at the other end for TSK. Yet another buzzer beater for Surrey meant they would go in 54-66 to the good with ten minutes to play.
Surrey pushed the lead to 14 to start the fourth but Jackman and Smith responded instantly to keep the gap at just 10, this would be short lived though as former Kestrel, Caylin Raftopoulos, connected on a late clock 3 to bring the arrears back to 13. Kestrels showed no signs of going away though and Smith got to his right hand to connect on a lay up. Just when Kestrels looked as though they may have one final run left, 5 timely points from Ogedengbe would give Scorchers a 67-82 lead with just over 3 minutes to play. Arrival hit a pair of 3’s and Kestrels held Surrey scoreless for those final 3 minutes but couldn’t trim the gap to anymore than 9, losing out 82-73.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe gave his thoughts on his sides performance; “We are obviously extremely disappointed to be knocked out of the competition but were under no illusions we needed to be at our very best this evening to over come a really talented Surrey side. I’m proud of the guys for showing the fight they did to keep us in the game until the very end, we got out matched on the back board and inside for short spells but with their BBL level size that was always going to be a huge factor.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Orlan Jackman who had 20 points and 9 rebounds whilst TSK’s American contingent, Ian Smith and Travis Charles, had 14 points a piece, along with Andre Arissol who also chipped in 14. Scorchers big man Ryan Richards lead the way for them with 15 points with Cameron Hildreth and Tayo Ogedengbe chipping in 14 and 11 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1850978/bs.html
Kestrels flew out of the gates to begin as they took a quick 10-4 lead behind Orlan Jackman and Travis Charles who both knocked down jump shots for the visitors. Surrey hit back quickly and tied the game at 10 after Cameron Hildreth got to the rim for a lay up, however 4 more Charles points followed by a Luke Busumbru score inside gave Kestrels a 16-12 advantage with just under 4 minutes to play in the first. The lead changed hands several time as the first quarter came to a close and it was the hosts who were in front 22-24 after one.
Martelle McLemore and TSK’s Andre Arissol traded 3’s to open the second quarter but it was Scorchers who opened up the first daylight between the sides, forcing a TSK timeout 27-35 Surrey. TSK cut the gap to 5 through Ian Smith and Johnathan Lashley but it was Surrey who restored their advantage, this time through Tayo Ogedengbe and Lacey James to increase the arrears to 10. Lashley would score inside for TSK as the half wound down but it was Scorchers captain Ogedengbe, who connected on the prayer from half court to give his side a 32-43 advantage at the break.
Jackman and Smith set about trying to trim the deficit early in the third as they kick started a 10-4 run for the visitors to bring them within 5 points at 42-47. However Richards and Hildreth kept the scoreboard ticking for the home side and they were back up 10 by the 4 minute mark of the third, 46-56. It was back and forth to close the quarter as Richards continued to cause problems inside for the Scorchers but Lashley would also answer at the other end for TSK. Yet another buzzer beater for Surrey meant they would go in 54-66 to the good with ten minutes to play.
Surrey pushed the lead to 14 to start the fourth but Jackman and Smith responded instantly to keep the gap at just 10, this would be short lived though as former Kestrel, Caylin Raftopoulos, connected on a late clock 3 to bring the arrears back to 13. Kestrels showed no signs of going away though and Smith got to his right hand to connect on a lay up. Just when Kestrels looked as though they may have one final run left, 5 timely points from Ogedengbe would give Scorchers a 67-82 lead with just over 3 minutes to play. Arrival hit a pair of 3’s and Kestrels held Surrey scoreless for those final 3 minutes but couldn’t trim the gap to anymore than 9, losing out 82-73.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe gave his thoughts on his sides performance; “We are obviously extremely disappointed to be knocked out of the competition but were under no illusions we needed to be at our very best this evening to over come a really talented Surrey side. I’m proud of the guys for showing the fight they did to keep us in the game until the very end, we got out matched on the back board and inside for short spells but with their BBL level size that was always going to be a huge factor.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Orlan Jackman who had 20 points and 9 rebounds whilst TSK’s American contingent, Ian Smith and Travis Charles, had 14 points a piece, along with Andre Arissol who also chipped in 14. Scorchers big man Ryan Richards lead the way for them with 15 points with Cameron Hildreth and Tayo Ogedengbe chipping in 14 and 11 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1850978/bs.html
TSK MAKE IT 50-0 IN ALL NBL COMPETITIONS WITH WIN AT OAKLANDS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels reached a huge milestone on Sunday afternoon as they won their 50th game in a row, in all NBL competitions, as they beat a young Oaklands Wolves side, 119-58 in Hertfordshire. Kestrels controlled proceedings through-out to move them to 8-0 on the season and puts them at the summit of NBL D1.
Oaklands took a quick 1-5 lead as AJ Roberts and Kane Daley scored early on, however 7 unanswered for TSK saw them respond in quick fashion to take an 8-5 lead. Travis Charles would score 6 straight to give Kestrels a 14-7 advantage and sparked a Coach Baker timeout early in the first. A 12-3 run post timeout, behind Andre Arissol and Luke Busumbru off the bench, put Kestrels firmly in control with just over a minute left in the period, 26-10. Wolves did respond in kind though to close the quarter as Ray Akpofure knocked down a pair of free throws before Kane Daley beat the buzzer from half court, TSK up 25-16 after one.
The sides would go back and forth trading a number of scores to start the second quarter and Wolves would even trim the gap to 8 when Roberts got to the basket for the hosts. That seemed to light a spark under TSK though and they strung together a 10-0 run capped off with a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, timeout Oaklands, 39-21. Kestrels would hold the home team scoreless for a 5 minute spell by which point they were now 46-21 to the good, as Kestrels balanced scoring attack fuelled them at the other end. Arissol and Busumbru continued to find easy scores in the paint as the half came to a close and Elias Poorman knocked down two free throws to ensure the Kestrels lead was 28 at the break, 56-28.
TSK jumped out the gate in the 3rd quarter on a quick 10-3 run to push the advantage to 35 behind Travis Charles and captain Elliot Dadds. Oaklands would use their first time out of the half but it would the scoreline ballooned further as Kestrels turned up the pressure on the defensive end, whilst stringing together another 13-0 run through a balanced scoring effort. The hosts used another timeout in an attempt to settle things down but TSK continued to pour on the offensive production as Arissol and Johnathan Lashley finished well from beyond the arc and above the rim respectively. The visitors lead stood at 55 with 10 minutes to play, 93-39.
Lashley and Luke Gosney scored early on for TSK to keep the scoreboard ticking over and despite Oaklands showing plenty of spirit the game was well out of sight for the Kestrels. The highlight of the final period a high flying alley-oop from Luke Busumbru, served up on a platter from Arissol, TSK running out 119-58 winners for their 50th victory in a row in all NBL competitions.
Team Solent Kestrels had 5 guys in double figures and were led by Travis Charles who 23 points and 6 rebounds on 81% from the field, with Elliot Dadds adding 19 points on 4-6 from deep and Ian Smith with 18 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Oaklands youngster Kane Daley led them with 19 whilst AJ Roberts added 8 points.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe was pleased with his sides “professional performance”, “I was really pleased with todays professional performance, I thought the guys were locked in from the opening tip and we had a number of really positive contributions across the squad. It’s important for us to continue to build on the foundations we have laid in the early part of the season and be that little bit better with each performance, the group are working tirelessly to improve each week and we now look forward to testing ourselves against Surrey on Friday.”
Kestrels now shift the attention back to the BBL Trophy where they will make the short trip to the Surrey Sports Park on Friday evening to face Surrey Scorchers in the Quarter Finals of the competition (Game will be live-streamed on the BBL Player). All before heading back on the road on Saturday to face Barking Abbey London Lions for the third time this season, in the capital.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774088/bs.html
Oaklands took a quick 1-5 lead as AJ Roberts and Kane Daley scored early on, however 7 unanswered for TSK saw them respond in quick fashion to take an 8-5 lead. Travis Charles would score 6 straight to give Kestrels a 14-7 advantage and sparked a Coach Baker timeout early in the first. A 12-3 run post timeout, behind Andre Arissol and Luke Busumbru off the bench, put Kestrels firmly in control with just over a minute left in the period, 26-10. Wolves did respond in kind though to close the quarter as Ray Akpofure knocked down a pair of free throws before Kane Daley beat the buzzer from half court, TSK up 25-16 after one.
The sides would go back and forth trading a number of scores to start the second quarter and Wolves would even trim the gap to 8 when Roberts got to the basket for the hosts. That seemed to light a spark under TSK though and they strung together a 10-0 run capped off with a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, timeout Oaklands, 39-21. Kestrels would hold the home team scoreless for a 5 minute spell by which point they were now 46-21 to the good, as Kestrels balanced scoring attack fuelled them at the other end. Arissol and Busumbru continued to find easy scores in the paint as the half came to a close and Elias Poorman knocked down two free throws to ensure the Kestrels lead was 28 at the break, 56-28.
TSK jumped out the gate in the 3rd quarter on a quick 10-3 run to push the advantage to 35 behind Travis Charles and captain Elliot Dadds. Oaklands would use their first time out of the half but it would the scoreline ballooned further as Kestrels turned up the pressure on the defensive end, whilst stringing together another 13-0 run through a balanced scoring effort. The hosts used another timeout in an attempt to settle things down but TSK continued to pour on the offensive production as Arissol and Johnathan Lashley finished well from beyond the arc and above the rim respectively. The visitors lead stood at 55 with 10 minutes to play, 93-39.
Lashley and Luke Gosney scored early on for TSK to keep the scoreboard ticking over and despite Oaklands showing plenty of spirit the game was well out of sight for the Kestrels. The highlight of the final period a high flying alley-oop from Luke Busumbru, served up on a platter from Arissol, TSK running out 119-58 winners for their 50th victory in a row in all NBL competitions.
Team Solent Kestrels had 5 guys in double figures and were led by Travis Charles who 23 points and 6 rebounds on 81% from the field, with Elliot Dadds adding 19 points on 4-6 from deep and Ian Smith with 18 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Oaklands youngster Kane Daley led them with 19 whilst AJ Roberts added 8 points.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe was pleased with his sides “professional performance”, “I was really pleased with todays professional performance, I thought the guys were locked in from the opening tip and we had a number of really positive contributions across the squad. It’s important for us to continue to build on the foundations we have laid in the early part of the season and be that little bit better with each performance, the group are working tirelessly to improve each week and we now look forward to testing ourselves against Surrey on Friday.”
Kestrels now shift the attention back to the BBL Trophy where they will make the short trip to the Surrey Sports Park on Friday evening to face Surrey Scorchers in the Quarter Finals of the competition (Game will be live-streamed on the BBL Player). All before heading back on the road on Saturday to face Barking Abbey London Lions for the third time this season, in the capital.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774088/bs.html
BIG SECOND HALF PUSHES KESTRELS TO VICTORY OVER ROCKETS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday afternoon saw Team Solent Kestrels continue their undefeated start to their NBL D1 campaign, using a strong second half performance to hand Reading Rockets a 101-73 defeat. The win moved TSK to 7-0 and within touching distance of a 50th straight win in all NBL competitions, a streak that dates back to February 2019.
The first quarter was a scrappy affair by both teams standards, Orlan Jackman gave the hosts the lead early on and that would be followed up by a trademark Travis Charles mid range jump shot. Despite Sam Grant and Reis Pinnock finding scores for the visitors, 5 unanswered points from Brendan Okoronkwo forced Coach Alan Keane into his first timeout, TSK up 10-4 inside 3 minutes. Jackman briefly extended the lead to 9 but the Rockets would come steaming back to take the lead with just 2 minutes left in the period, 14-15, after a Pinnock offensive rebound and put back. However TSK closed the first on a 7-3 run to hold a 21-18 advantage after 10 minutes.
Luke Busumbru came off the bench to lift the tempo for TSK and he would earn an early trip to the foul line in the second, backed up by an Ian Smith triple and yet another Jackman score in close, to push the deficit to 10. It was the Rockets who fought back once again though, this time behind Leome Francis who kick started a 7-0 run, triggering a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for the hosts. Reading tied things up post timeout but Kestrels used a 16-0 run through the back end of the half to put daylight between themselves and the visitors now up 44-28. Yet again Rockets refused to go away and they would force a pair of turnovers to close the half, allowing them to trim the gap to 9, 44-35.
It was back and forth to start the second half as Travis Charles got in on the scoring act alongside a dominant Jackman but Williams and Francis provided quick responses for the Berkshire outfit. Williams pulled Reading within 5 at the 7 minute mark of the third but this would be as close as they would get the rest of the way. Kestrels would use a 16-2 run to close out the period behind a balanced scoring effort, as they found a number of transition scores to put them 72-50 in front with 10 minutes to play.
A quick 11-0 burst to begin the fourth for TSK killed off any lasting hopes of a Rockets come back as the hosts moved into a 33 point lead with just 90 seconds played in the period. An Andre Arissol triple momentarily extended the gap to 34 before Williams and Grant set about trimming the arrears for Reading. The sides traded baskets for long spells to close out the game and that would better suit TSK as they secured a 101-73 victory.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe commented on his sides performance; “Today was a game of two halves for us, we made a some uncharacteristic errors in the first half which led to defensive mistakes and turnovers on our part. Full credit to Reading who came in and showed they are a difficult team to beat and have a number of tough match ups. However our guys made some adjustments midway through the third quarter and that allowed us to control the game, with a number of consecutive stops on the defensive end.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Orlan Jackman who was in dominant mood from the start with 28 points and 12 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith added 19 points and 9 assists and Brendan Okoronkwo chipped in 12 points and 5 assists. The visiting Rockets American point guard, O’Showen Williams, had 19 points to lead their scoring charge with Sam Grant and Reis Pinnock adding 16 and 14 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774169/bs.html
Watch Full Game; https://fb.watch/3Gci8qEQac/
The first quarter was a scrappy affair by both teams standards, Orlan Jackman gave the hosts the lead early on and that would be followed up by a trademark Travis Charles mid range jump shot. Despite Sam Grant and Reis Pinnock finding scores for the visitors, 5 unanswered points from Brendan Okoronkwo forced Coach Alan Keane into his first timeout, TSK up 10-4 inside 3 minutes. Jackman briefly extended the lead to 9 but the Rockets would come steaming back to take the lead with just 2 minutes left in the period, 14-15, after a Pinnock offensive rebound and put back. However TSK closed the first on a 7-3 run to hold a 21-18 advantage after 10 minutes.
Luke Busumbru came off the bench to lift the tempo for TSK and he would earn an early trip to the foul line in the second, backed up by an Ian Smith triple and yet another Jackman score in close, to push the deficit to 10. It was the Rockets who fought back once again though, this time behind Leome Francis who kick started a 7-0 run, triggering a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for the hosts. Reading tied things up post timeout but Kestrels used a 16-0 run through the back end of the half to put daylight between themselves and the visitors now up 44-28. Yet again Rockets refused to go away and they would force a pair of turnovers to close the half, allowing them to trim the gap to 9, 44-35.
It was back and forth to start the second half as Travis Charles got in on the scoring act alongside a dominant Jackman but Williams and Francis provided quick responses for the Berkshire outfit. Williams pulled Reading within 5 at the 7 minute mark of the third but this would be as close as they would get the rest of the way. Kestrels would use a 16-2 run to close out the period behind a balanced scoring effort, as they found a number of transition scores to put them 72-50 in front with 10 minutes to play.
A quick 11-0 burst to begin the fourth for TSK killed off any lasting hopes of a Rockets come back as the hosts moved into a 33 point lead with just 90 seconds played in the period. An Andre Arissol triple momentarily extended the gap to 34 before Williams and Grant set about trimming the arrears for Reading. The sides traded baskets for long spells to close out the game and that would better suit TSK as they secured a 101-73 victory.
TSK Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe commented on his sides performance; “Today was a game of two halves for us, we made a some uncharacteristic errors in the first half which led to defensive mistakes and turnovers on our part. Full credit to Reading who came in and showed they are a difficult team to beat and have a number of tough match ups. However our guys made some adjustments midway through the third quarter and that allowed us to control the game, with a number of consecutive stops on the defensive end.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Orlan Jackman who was in dominant mood from the start with 28 points and 12 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith added 19 points and 9 assists and Brendan Okoronkwo chipped in 12 points and 5 assists. The visiting Rockets American point guard, O’Showen Williams, had 19 points to lead their scoring charge with Sam Grant and Reis Pinnock adding 16 and 14 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774169/bs.html
Watch Full Game; https://fb.watch/3Gci8qEQac/
TSK KNOCK OUT DERBY TO ADVANCE TO BBL TROPHY QUARTER FINALS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels got their BBL Trophy campaign off to a flying start on Sunday afternoon as they handed Derby Trailblazers a 101-73 defeat in the East Midlands, to set up a quarter final tie with BBL side Surrey Scorchers.
Derby started the quicker of the two sides and jumped out to a 4 point lead with American Forward Malcolm Smith connecting on a pair of difficult jump shots. Kestrels responded in quick fashion with an 11-2 run, kick started by 5 Brendan Okoronkwo points to put his side up 5. The sides would then trade baskets through the mid point of the quarter, as Smith continued to score inside for the hosts whilst Ian Smith and Travis Charles responded for TSK. The visitors then set about building their first meaningful lead of the game with an 11-3 run to close the first period, now up 26-15.
Orlan Jackman and Johnathan Lashley pushed the lead to 15 to start the second quarter but Derby had other ideas as they trimmed the deficit to 9 through Smith and young stand out Blake Bowman. Charles continued to dominant for Kestrels in and around the key with an array of finishes against Derby’s zone and he restored a 14 point advantage, when he put back his own miss with 4 minutes left in the half. Kestrels bench would close out the half in style and Elias Poorman gave TSK their biggest lead of the half at 16 when he finished in transition, Kestrels in front 51-37 at the break.
The second half started as a back and forth affair with both sides finding scoring rhythm early on, however that suited Kestrels better than it did the Trailblazers as the lead stayed out at 16. Elliot Dadds knocked down a triple to push the lead into the 20’s and when Orlan Jackman capped off the scoring run, prompting a Derby timeout, TSK were firmly in control up 73-49. Kestrels would then hold the hosts to just 5 points over the final 4 minutes of the quarter, with Andre Arissol and Johnathan Lashley continuing to pile on the pressure with a number of scores in transition, Kestrels led 84-55 with 10 minutes to play.
Derby strung together a quick 6-0 run to start the fourth, showing they still had some life about them, which forced a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for TSK and that seemed to steady the ship as Arissol and Charles scored 5 straight. Chris Scarlett stroked a trademark 3 to push the deficit to 31 and the lead stayed there or there about for the remainder of the quarter, Kestrels running out 101-73 winners.
Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe added; “The guys put in a really focussed and professional performance today, Derby are a physical and well coached team and we were able to lock into some key match ups, limiting their impact on the game. We had contributions from across the board with 31 assists which is testament to the way the guys share the ball and find great looks for each other. We look forward to the next round against BBL opposition but for now we turn our attentions to a tough NBL D1 double header next weekend.”
TSK were led by Travis Charles huge double double as he poured in 30 points on 75% from the field and 10 rebounds, whilst Orlan Jackman added 14 points and Ian Smith flirted with a triple double with 10 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds. Derby’s Malcolm Smith had 21 points to lead his sides scoring charge with Blake Bowman and Oliver Stanley adding 12 and 10 respectively.
Kestrels will now travel to Surrey Scorchers in the quarter finals with the fixture to be confirmed but due for the weekend of 19th/20th/21st of February. Meanwhile all focus shifts back to NBL D1 this coming weekend as TSK play host to Reading Rockets on Saturday before travelling to Oaklands Wolves on Sunday.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1847055/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/rIQ6UX7KHl8
Derby started the quicker of the two sides and jumped out to a 4 point lead with American Forward Malcolm Smith connecting on a pair of difficult jump shots. Kestrels responded in quick fashion with an 11-2 run, kick started by 5 Brendan Okoronkwo points to put his side up 5. The sides would then trade baskets through the mid point of the quarter, as Smith continued to score inside for the hosts whilst Ian Smith and Travis Charles responded for TSK. The visitors then set about building their first meaningful lead of the game with an 11-3 run to close the first period, now up 26-15.
Orlan Jackman and Johnathan Lashley pushed the lead to 15 to start the second quarter but Derby had other ideas as they trimmed the deficit to 9 through Smith and young stand out Blake Bowman. Charles continued to dominant for Kestrels in and around the key with an array of finishes against Derby’s zone and he restored a 14 point advantage, when he put back his own miss with 4 minutes left in the half. Kestrels bench would close out the half in style and Elias Poorman gave TSK their biggest lead of the half at 16 when he finished in transition, Kestrels in front 51-37 at the break.
The second half started as a back and forth affair with both sides finding scoring rhythm early on, however that suited Kestrels better than it did the Trailblazers as the lead stayed out at 16. Elliot Dadds knocked down a triple to push the lead into the 20’s and when Orlan Jackman capped off the scoring run, prompting a Derby timeout, TSK were firmly in control up 73-49. Kestrels would then hold the hosts to just 5 points over the final 4 minutes of the quarter, with Andre Arissol and Johnathan Lashley continuing to pile on the pressure with a number of scores in transition, Kestrels led 84-55 with 10 minutes to play.
Derby strung together a quick 6-0 run to start the fourth, showing they still had some life about them, which forced a Coach O’Keeffe timeout for TSK and that seemed to steady the ship as Arissol and Charles scored 5 straight. Chris Scarlett stroked a trademark 3 to push the deficit to 31 and the lead stayed there or there about for the remainder of the quarter, Kestrels running out 101-73 winners.
Interim Head Coach Jack O’Keeffe added; “The guys put in a really focussed and professional performance today, Derby are a physical and well coached team and we were able to lock into some key match ups, limiting their impact on the game. We had contributions from across the board with 31 assists which is testament to the way the guys share the ball and find great looks for each other. We look forward to the next round against BBL opposition but for now we turn our attentions to a tough NBL D1 double header next weekend.”
TSK were led by Travis Charles huge double double as he poured in 30 points on 75% from the field and 10 rebounds, whilst Orlan Jackman added 14 points and Ian Smith flirted with a triple double with 10 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds. Derby’s Malcolm Smith had 21 points to lead his sides scoring charge with Blake Bowman and Oliver Stanley adding 12 and 10 respectively.
Kestrels will now travel to Surrey Scorchers in the quarter finals with the fixture to be confirmed but due for the weekend of 19th/20th/21st of February. Meanwhile all focus shifts back to NBL D1 this coming weekend as TSK play host to Reading Rockets on Saturday before travelling to Oaklands Wolves on Sunday.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1847055/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/rIQ6UX7KHl8
KESTRELS IMPROVE TO 6-0 WITH DOMINANT DISPLAY OVER WORTHING
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made the short trip along the south coast on Saturday evening to face Worthing Thunder for the 3rd time in all competitions this season and it would be their most convincing performance thus far, thrashing the hosts 107-57 to move to 6-0 in NBL D1. The victory makes it 7 wins in a row over Thunder, a streak that dates back to the Division 1 playoff finals in April 2019.
Worthing took a brief 6 point lead as they opened proceedings with a pair of three’s from Dominic Ives and Cameron Hildreth respectively, however a Travis Charles and-1 followed by a Brendan Okoronkwo jumper shot cut the gap quickly to 1. The lead swung back and forth through-out the 1st quarter as both teams found their scoring rhythm, Charles and Jackman providing the impetus for TSK with a number of Thunder players getting in on the act. A 9-2 run to close the first quarter would be the difference for the visitors, capped off by an Andre Arissol triple, as Kestrels 32-23 after one.
Thunder big man Howard Crawford opened the second with a finish inside to trim the arrears to 7 but an 8-0 run to follow from TSK, capped off by an Andre Arissol steal and two handed dunk, forced a Worthing timeout, 40-25. Kestrels set about pushing the lead into the 20’s through Orlan Jackman and Brendan Okoronkwo and despite Tom Ward scoring well for the hosts, it would be TSK who held a 21 point advantage at the break, 57-36.
The second half was all Team Solent Kestrels as they held Worthing to just 21 points in 20 minutes of basketball, in arguably their best defensive display of the season so far. Elliot Dadds and Jackman opened the scoring with back to back three pointers but the hosts would reply through Ward. The sides traded baskets before Kestrels turned up the defensive intensity and held Thunder scoreless over the final 5:05 of the quarter, whilst extending the lead to 29 to close out the period.
Johnathan Lashley and Arissol continued to pour in the offensive production for TSK, while Worthing were unable to find scoring opportunities until Crawford broke the, almost 8 minute, scoring drought from the free throw line for his side. That did not slow down the visitors though as another 9-0 run from Arissol and Lashley extended the deficit to 44. Kestrels stayed relentless through-out the final phases of the fourth and when Luke Gosney soared for the put back dunk, that would put the exclamation mark on an impressive 50 point victory, 107-57.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was impressed with his sides efforts, “This was a clinical performance from our players at both ends of the floor. We came into this game knowing how dangerous Worthing can be and wanted to make sure we set the tone early by making life difficult for their playmakers. I thought we got contributions across the board and was very pleased with how we shared the basketball.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 23 points and 10 rebounds, whilst Orlan Jackman added 22 points and 10 rebounds also and Andre Arissol had 21 points off the bench. Worthing Thunder guard Tom Ward had 12 points to lead their scoring attack with American forward Howard Crawford the only other player in double figures with 11.
Kestrels now have a break in the schedule this coming weekend, albeit are actively trying to source a fixture where possible, before the BBL Trophy 1st round match up with Derby Trailblazers, currently to be played across the weekend of the 5th, 6th and 7th February.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774079/bs.html
Watch Full Game; www.facebook.com/107578717435/videos/861512768033849
Worthing took a brief 6 point lead as they opened proceedings with a pair of three’s from Dominic Ives and Cameron Hildreth respectively, however a Travis Charles and-1 followed by a Brendan Okoronkwo jumper shot cut the gap quickly to 1. The lead swung back and forth through-out the 1st quarter as both teams found their scoring rhythm, Charles and Jackman providing the impetus for TSK with a number of Thunder players getting in on the act. A 9-2 run to close the first quarter would be the difference for the visitors, capped off by an Andre Arissol triple, as Kestrels 32-23 after one.
Thunder big man Howard Crawford opened the second with a finish inside to trim the arrears to 7 but an 8-0 run to follow from TSK, capped off by an Andre Arissol steal and two handed dunk, forced a Worthing timeout, 40-25. Kestrels set about pushing the lead into the 20’s through Orlan Jackman and Brendan Okoronkwo and despite Tom Ward scoring well for the hosts, it would be TSK who held a 21 point advantage at the break, 57-36.
The second half was all Team Solent Kestrels as they held Worthing to just 21 points in 20 minutes of basketball, in arguably their best defensive display of the season so far. Elliot Dadds and Jackman opened the scoring with back to back three pointers but the hosts would reply through Ward. The sides traded baskets before Kestrels turned up the defensive intensity and held Thunder scoreless over the final 5:05 of the quarter, whilst extending the lead to 29 to close out the period.
Johnathan Lashley and Arissol continued to pour in the offensive production for TSK, while Worthing were unable to find scoring opportunities until Crawford broke the, almost 8 minute, scoring drought from the free throw line for his side. That did not slow down the visitors though as another 9-0 run from Arissol and Lashley extended the deficit to 44. Kestrels stayed relentless through-out the final phases of the fourth and when Luke Gosney soared for the put back dunk, that would put the exclamation mark on an impressive 50 point victory, 107-57.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was impressed with his sides efforts, “This was a clinical performance from our players at both ends of the floor. We came into this game knowing how dangerous Worthing can be and wanted to make sure we set the tone early by making life difficult for their playmakers. I thought we got contributions across the board and was very pleased with how we shared the basketball.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 23 points and 10 rebounds, whilst Orlan Jackman added 22 points and 10 rebounds also and Andre Arissol had 21 points off the bench. Worthing Thunder guard Tom Ward had 12 points to lead their scoring attack with American forward Howard Crawford the only other player in double figures with 11.
Kestrels now have a break in the schedule this coming weekend, albeit are actively trying to source a fixture where possible, before the BBL Trophy 1st round match up with Derby Trailblazers, currently to be played across the weekend of the 5th, 6th and 7th February.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774079/bs.html
Watch Full Game; www.facebook.com/107578717435/videos/861512768033849
KESTRELS ADVANCE TO THE SEMI FINAL OF L LYNCH TROPHY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday afternoon saw Team Solent Kestrels welcome Hemel Storm to the SSC for game number two of the weekend, in the L Lynch Trophy Quarter Finals. Despite a back and forth game for long spells Kestrels used a 16-0 run during a spell at the end of the 3rd and into the 4th quarter to blow the game wide open and secure their semi finals ticket, 88-68.
The visiting Hertfordshire outfit certainly enjoyed the better start to the game as they set about building a 0-7 lead through some positive guard play and although Kestrels would find a number of good looks, they were unable to capitalise early on. However a 10-2 run in reply from Coach Guymon’s side behind Ian Smith and Travis Charles would force Hemel into an early timeout, Kestrels in front 10-9. Hemel would respond post timeout and when Greg Poleon converted on a put back he edged his side ahead 12-14. Both sides traded scores to close the first quarter and it would finish with TSK 19-18 to the good.
A slow start to the 2nd quarter saw both teams struggle to find their rhythm offensively, however TSK would strike first through Arissol and the ever efficient Johnathan Lashley. Storm kept within touching distance though and eventually tied things up at 26 when Levi Noel knocked down a corner three. It was the hosts who strung together the first meaningful run of the game, to the tune of 13-4, to close the half behind some improved 3 point shooting. Kestrels led 41-32 at the break.
Kestrels threatened to take the game over early on in the second half when Brendan Okoronkwo’s lay up gave the hosts a 13 point lead. Hemel would respond in quick succession though and they trimmed the lead to 5 through Tayo Oyefusi and Bode Adeluola. Lashley and Elliot Dadds would restore order for TSK as they pushed the deficit back to 9 in a hurry but once again Greg Poleon singled handedly cut the gap to 6 heading into the final quarter.
The opening to the final quarter was the defining point in the ball game as Kestrels held Hemel scoreless for 5 minutes and 30 seconds whilst pouring in 16 points of their own powered by Lashley and Luke Busumbru in transition. After a Coach Spinks timeout for the visitors Kestrels continued to build the advantage and it reached as many as 24 before Storm cut the gap to 20 but it would be too little too late and TSK ran out 88-68 victors.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “After 5 weeks with no games, I was apprehensive going into a double header. Fortunately we were able to get a great balance of minutes against Barking Abbey, so that all guys were as fresh as possible heading into this game. I was pleased with how we defended throughout the game and felt we put pressure on Hemel’s key playmakers for 40 minutes. It wasn’t a great shooting performance for us, as we failed to convert a number of open opportunities, but in the end our depth was able to blow the game open at the start of the 4th.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by another very balanced scoring effort as Johnathan Lashley and Andre Arissol had 15 points a piece, Travis Charles added 13 whilst Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith both flirted with triple doubles. Hemel’s American duo led the way for them with Mike Williams the high point man on 18 and Greg Poleon adding 15.
TSK turn their attentions to next Saturday evening where they will face Worthing Thunder for already the third time this season at their temporary home of Durrington High School in Worthing.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1801390/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/AE_L5xBY0OQ
The visiting Hertfordshire outfit certainly enjoyed the better start to the game as they set about building a 0-7 lead through some positive guard play and although Kestrels would find a number of good looks, they were unable to capitalise early on. However a 10-2 run in reply from Coach Guymon’s side behind Ian Smith and Travis Charles would force Hemel into an early timeout, Kestrels in front 10-9. Hemel would respond post timeout and when Greg Poleon converted on a put back he edged his side ahead 12-14. Both sides traded scores to close the first quarter and it would finish with TSK 19-18 to the good.
A slow start to the 2nd quarter saw both teams struggle to find their rhythm offensively, however TSK would strike first through Arissol and the ever efficient Johnathan Lashley. Storm kept within touching distance though and eventually tied things up at 26 when Levi Noel knocked down a corner three. It was the hosts who strung together the first meaningful run of the game, to the tune of 13-4, to close the half behind some improved 3 point shooting. Kestrels led 41-32 at the break.
Kestrels threatened to take the game over early on in the second half when Brendan Okoronkwo’s lay up gave the hosts a 13 point lead. Hemel would respond in quick succession though and they trimmed the lead to 5 through Tayo Oyefusi and Bode Adeluola. Lashley and Elliot Dadds would restore order for TSK as they pushed the deficit back to 9 in a hurry but once again Greg Poleon singled handedly cut the gap to 6 heading into the final quarter.
The opening to the final quarter was the defining point in the ball game as Kestrels held Hemel scoreless for 5 minutes and 30 seconds whilst pouring in 16 points of their own powered by Lashley and Luke Busumbru in transition. After a Coach Spinks timeout for the visitors Kestrels continued to build the advantage and it reached as many as 24 before Storm cut the gap to 20 but it would be too little too late and TSK ran out 88-68 victors.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “After 5 weeks with no games, I was apprehensive going into a double header. Fortunately we were able to get a great balance of minutes against Barking Abbey, so that all guys were as fresh as possible heading into this game. I was pleased with how we defended throughout the game and felt we put pressure on Hemel’s key playmakers for 40 minutes. It wasn’t a great shooting performance for us, as we failed to convert a number of open opportunities, but in the end our depth was able to blow the game open at the start of the 4th.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by another very balanced scoring effort as Johnathan Lashley and Andre Arissol had 15 points a piece, Travis Charles added 13 whilst Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith both flirted with triple doubles. Hemel’s American duo led the way for them with Mike Williams the high point man on 18 and Greg Poleon adding 15.
TSK turn their attentions to next Saturday evening where they will face Worthing Thunder for already the third time this season at their temporary home of Durrington High School in Worthing.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1801390/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/AE_L5xBY0OQ
TSK OPEN UP 2021 WITH VICTORY OVER BA LONDON LIONS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels rolled back into NBL D1 action on Saturday afternoon at the SSC, with a convincing 109-75 victory over a young talented Barking Abbey London Lions side. The hosts used a dominant first half display to blow the game open early on and never surrendered the lead the rest of the way.
BA’s Veron Eze opened the scoring with a lay up on the first possession of the ball game but would be matched right away as Orlan Jackman went to work inside, drawing the foul and converting the lay up for an and-1 opportunity. Back to back triples from Jackman and Ian Smith pushed the hosts to a 6 point lead early on and when Kestrels scored another 5 unanswered, Lions coach James Vear would call for his first timeout of the game, 15-4 TSK. An 8-2 run post timeout for the home side however, would push the lead out to 17 with just over 5 minutes played after a number of successful trips to the foul line. Andre Arissol and Johnathan Lashley came off the bench to keep the scoring ticking over for TSK and that ensured they were firmly in control after the first, 36-20.
Kestrels continued to ramp up the defensive pressure as they held the visitors to just 7 points in the second quarter, with one man fast break Luke Busumbru converting at the other end for a number of transition scores. Another 8-2 run for the home side pushed the advantage out to 22 and forced Barking into their second timeout of the first half. However both Travis Charles and Busumbru again ensured the lead would extend further with quick scores post timeout. A 15-0 run to close the half for TSK, holding the visitors scoreless for the final 5 minutes 36 seconds of the half, left them in the driving seat at the break, 63-27.
The sides traded baskets to open the second half as Eze went coast to coast from a steal and flushed it with two hands for the Lions but Arissol would stroke a triple in reply for the Kestrels. Brendan Okoronkwo extended the deficit to 44 when he cashed in from beyond the arc, but the visitors showed plenty of fight as they continued to score the ball freely. Luke Gosney came off the bench to provide a timely offensive spark for the hosts, scoring 6 straight points to close the quarter with TSK now up 90-49.
A 9-0 run to start the final period pushed the gap out to 50 points after Gosney made a pair of free throws and a lay up in quick succession. However a 9-0 run behind some Jase Harrison sharp shooting for Lions prompted a Coach Guymon timeout to remind his players not to allow complacency to set in. Another 12-0 run again allowed Barking to cut the arrears to a far more respectable scoreline as they showed plenty of fight to close the game. A barrage of Chris Scarlett 3’s, as he returned to the line up after being in isolation, was the icing on the cake to finish the game for the hosts though and they cashed in another victory to move to 5-0 in NBL D1 play.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides performance; “It was great to be back on the floor after a long lay off, the guys have been really locked in during our practices over the break and that showed in spells today. We were able to string a number of consecutive stops together at different points of the game which fuelled us in transition offensively, hopefully this will be something we can continue to grow as the guys find their rhythm in the coming weeks.”
Team Solent Kestrels were lead by Orlan Jackman’s 23 points whilst Travis Charles added 15 and 3 other Kestrels (Brendan Okoronkwo, Luke Busumbru & Luke Gosney) finished on 13 points. Ian Smith also fell 1 assists shy of yet another triple double. Barking’s American guard Jase Harrison put up 24 points for them, whilst GB junior international Veron Eze was the only other player to reach double figures with 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774058/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/0ezEmkgKhKQ
BA’s Veron Eze opened the scoring with a lay up on the first possession of the ball game but would be matched right away as Orlan Jackman went to work inside, drawing the foul and converting the lay up for an and-1 opportunity. Back to back triples from Jackman and Ian Smith pushed the hosts to a 6 point lead early on and when Kestrels scored another 5 unanswered, Lions coach James Vear would call for his first timeout of the game, 15-4 TSK. An 8-2 run post timeout for the home side however, would push the lead out to 17 with just over 5 minutes played after a number of successful trips to the foul line. Andre Arissol and Johnathan Lashley came off the bench to keep the scoring ticking over for TSK and that ensured they were firmly in control after the first, 36-20.
Kestrels continued to ramp up the defensive pressure as they held the visitors to just 7 points in the second quarter, with one man fast break Luke Busumbru converting at the other end for a number of transition scores. Another 8-2 run for the home side pushed the advantage out to 22 and forced Barking into their second timeout of the first half. However both Travis Charles and Busumbru again ensured the lead would extend further with quick scores post timeout. A 15-0 run to close the half for TSK, holding the visitors scoreless for the final 5 minutes 36 seconds of the half, left them in the driving seat at the break, 63-27.
The sides traded baskets to open the second half as Eze went coast to coast from a steal and flushed it with two hands for the Lions but Arissol would stroke a triple in reply for the Kestrels. Brendan Okoronkwo extended the deficit to 44 when he cashed in from beyond the arc, but the visitors showed plenty of fight as they continued to score the ball freely. Luke Gosney came off the bench to provide a timely offensive spark for the hosts, scoring 6 straight points to close the quarter with TSK now up 90-49.
A 9-0 run to start the final period pushed the gap out to 50 points after Gosney made a pair of free throws and a lay up in quick succession. However a 9-0 run behind some Jase Harrison sharp shooting for Lions prompted a Coach Guymon timeout to remind his players not to allow complacency to set in. Another 12-0 run again allowed Barking to cut the arrears to a far more respectable scoreline as they showed plenty of fight to close the game. A barrage of Chris Scarlett 3’s, as he returned to the line up after being in isolation, was the icing on the cake to finish the game for the hosts though and they cashed in another victory to move to 5-0 in NBL D1 play.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides performance; “It was great to be back on the floor after a long lay off, the guys have been really locked in during our practices over the break and that showed in spells today. We were able to string a number of consecutive stops together at different points of the game which fuelled us in transition offensively, hopefully this will be something we can continue to grow as the guys find their rhythm in the coming weeks.”
Team Solent Kestrels were lead by Orlan Jackman’s 23 points whilst Travis Charles added 15 and 3 other Kestrels (Brendan Okoronkwo, Luke Busumbru & Luke Gosney) finished on 13 points. Ian Smith also fell 1 assists shy of yet another triple double. Barking’s American guard Jase Harrison put up 24 points for them, whilst GB junior international Veron Eze was the only other player to reach double figures with 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774058/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/0ezEmkgKhKQ
KESTRELS IMPROVE TO 4-0 IN NBL D1 WITH WIN OVER WORTHING
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels improved to 4-0 with their 6th consecutive victory in all competitions over fellow south coasters, Worthing Thunder, as they made their return to action after a three week break. The hosts used an impressive second half display to power their way to a 108-75 victory after just 10 points separated the sides at the break.
Kestrels would take an early lead inside the first 3 minutes with a balanced scoring attack as each of the starting five got on the board to put them up 11-4. The hosts would force Thunder into an early timeout when Andre Arissol came off the bench to stroke back to back triples, giving his a 17-7 advantage at the mid point of the quarter. Worthing briefly responded out of the timeout as Tom Ward knocked down a jumper but when Brendan Okoronkwo surged to the basket he would put Kestrels up 21-9. The sides traded scores to close the first and Zaire Taylor ensured it would only be a single digit deficit when he knocked down a very tough three pointer late.
Ian Smith opened the second quarter scoring as he found his way to the paint for an easy finish and when Elliot Dadds followed him up with his second three pointer of the game, TSK held a 30-16 lead. Ishmael Fontaine and Howard Crawford scored 5 unanswered points for the visitors to trim the gap back down to 9, but almost instantly the lead seesawed back in favour of the Kestrels. Orlan Jackman and Ian Smith ensuring the advantage was restored to 14 prompting Worthings second timeout of the half. The game would take a back and forth turn to close out the second quarter with neither team taking control or able to prevent the other from finding scores, which left the lead at 44-34 in favour of the hosts at the break.
Dadds knocked down another triple to open the second half which kick started a 9-2 run which saw Kestrels turn up the defensive intensity and a number of easy scoring opportunities converted at the other end. Out of a Thunder timeout Kestrels continued to pour it on pushing the lead to 21, after Okoronkwo found his way to the hoop once again. A 7-0 run however for the West Sussex outfit showed they still had life about them and that prompted Coach Guymon into a timeout of his own, TSK 57-43 to the good. Whatever was said in the timeout was most definitely put into effect as an 8-0 run behind 5 Smith points restored Kestrels 20 plus point advantage at 65-43. Both teams then went on a scoring frenzy to finish the quarter as Crawford had success in the post for Worthing and Travis Charles (now out of first half foul trouble) would provide the response for TSK. The hosts would lead by 19 at 76-57 with 10 minutes to play.
Crawford momentarily reduced the arrears to 17, but that would be as close as his side would get to the Kestrels. An 11-2 run followed which effectively killed off any hopes of a Worthing fight back and it would be all TSK from here on in. Smith pushed the gap to 25 with just 5 minutes to play and TSK showed no signs of letting up, as Smith and his American counter part Charles ballooned the deficit into the 30’s. Johnathan Lashley and Elias Poorman came off the bench late to ensure the scoreline would be emphatic in favour of their side, TSK running out 108-75 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s 29 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 17 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds and 4 other Kestrels also contributed double figures. Worthing’s American big man Howard Crawford provided their scoring punch with 17 points, whilst Tom Ward and Dominic Ives added 16 and 10 respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides performance; “It was great to see the guys back on the floor competing again after a three week gap in the schedule and inevitably it took us some time to find our rhythm. That said, in the second half we were able to control the game for long spells with key contributions right across the squad. We will look to carry this momentum into this weeks preparations as we look ahead to our final game of the year against a tough Hemel Storm side.”
TSK turn their attentions to one final match up for 2020, as they travel to Hemel Storm this Saturday ahead of the Christmas break, 7pm at Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773990/bs.html
Watch the Game Here; youtu.be/onYfobUx0ak
Kestrels would take an early lead inside the first 3 minutes with a balanced scoring attack as each of the starting five got on the board to put them up 11-4. The hosts would force Thunder into an early timeout when Andre Arissol came off the bench to stroke back to back triples, giving his a 17-7 advantage at the mid point of the quarter. Worthing briefly responded out of the timeout as Tom Ward knocked down a jumper but when Brendan Okoronkwo surged to the basket he would put Kestrels up 21-9. The sides traded scores to close the first and Zaire Taylor ensured it would only be a single digit deficit when he knocked down a very tough three pointer late.
Ian Smith opened the second quarter scoring as he found his way to the paint for an easy finish and when Elliot Dadds followed him up with his second three pointer of the game, TSK held a 30-16 lead. Ishmael Fontaine and Howard Crawford scored 5 unanswered points for the visitors to trim the gap back down to 9, but almost instantly the lead seesawed back in favour of the Kestrels. Orlan Jackman and Ian Smith ensuring the advantage was restored to 14 prompting Worthings second timeout of the half. The game would take a back and forth turn to close out the second quarter with neither team taking control or able to prevent the other from finding scores, which left the lead at 44-34 in favour of the hosts at the break.
Dadds knocked down another triple to open the second half which kick started a 9-2 run which saw Kestrels turn up the defensive intensity and a number of easy scoring opportunities converted at the other end. Out of a Thunder timeout Kestrels continued to pour it on pushing the lead to 21, after Okoronkwo found his way to the hoop once again. A 7-0 run however for the West Sussex outfit showed they still had life about them and that prompted Coach Guymon into a timeout of his own, TSK 57-43 to the good. Whatever was said in the timeout was most definitely put into effect as an 8-0 run behind 5 Smith points restored Kestrels 20 plus point advantage at 65-43. Both teams then went on a scoring frenzy to finish the quarter as Crawford had success in the post for Worthing and Travis Charles (now out of first half foul trouble) would provide the response for TSK. The hosts would lead by 19 at 76-57 with 10 minutes to play.
Crawford momentarily reduced the arrears to 17, but that would be as close as his side would get to the Kestrels. An 11-2 run followed which effectively killed off any hopes of a Worthing fight back and it would be all TSK from here on in. Smith pushed the gap to 25 with just 5 minutes to play and TSK showed no signs of letting up, as Smith and his American counter part Charles ballooned the deficit into the 30’s. Johnathan Lashley and Elias Poorman came off the bench late to ensure the scoreline would be emphatic in favour of their side, TSK running out 108-75 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s 29 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds, whilst Andre Arissol added 17 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds and 4 other Kestrels also contributed double figures. Worthing’s American big man Howard Crawford provided their scoring punch with 17 points, whilst Tom Ward and Dominic Ives added 16 and 10 respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides performance; “It was great to see the guys back on the floor competing again after a three week gap in the schedule and inevitably it took us some time to find our rhythm. That said, in the second half we were able to control the game for long spells with key contributions right across the squad. We will look to carry this momentum into this weeks preparations as we look ahead to our final game of the year against a tough Hemel Storm side.”
TSK turn their attentions to one final match up for 2020, as they travel to Hemel Storm this Saturday ahead of the Christmas break, 7pm at Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773990/bs.html
Watch the Game Here; youtu.be/onYfobUx0ak
TSK USE DOMINANT SECOND HALF PERFORMANCE TO BEAT NEWCASTLE
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels improved to 3-0 in NBL Division 1 with another comprehensive victory at the Solent Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon, over Team Newcastle University, 95-64. Kestrels controlled the game against the newly promoted side from the North East and extended their undefeated streak in all NBL competitions to 44 games.
Brendan Okoronkwo opened the scoring up with a triple for TSK before Newcastle’s American Guard David Moya connected on a floater on the ensuing possession. The hosts would quickly set about building their advantage pushing the lead to 10-2 inside 4 minutes, capped off by an Okoronkwo and-1. Moya would again respond for the visitors, this time with a three of his own, however an Andre Arissol steal and coast to coast lay up restored an 8 point lead for Solent. Through the mid point of the period the sides would trade baskets, as Johnathan Lashley and Ronald Blain came off the bench and lead the charge for their teams. Kestrels in front 23-17 after one.
Newcastle momentarily trimmed the deficit to 4 points to open the second quarter though big man Jacob Cauthorn but that would be short lived as Orlan Jackman and Arissol answered for TSK, prompting the visitors into an early timeout, 27-19 TSK. Luke Busumbru injected some much needed spark into the game post timeout as he found his way to the hoop, whilst Elliot Dadds knocked down a triple to give the home side their largest lead of the first half at 13. The north east side were hanging around though and they would again trim the lead to just 7 points after Cauthorn continued to find scoring opportunities inside. Kestrels would however close the half with a barrage of threes from Arissol and Dadds to ensure they held a 12 point advantage at the break.
It was back and forth to start the second half with both teams scoring at will, Jackman finding a number of easy scores for the hosts, whilst Emanuel Kabengele and Nikola Url replied for Newcastle. A 10-0 run mid way through the quarter saw TSK take their first substantial lead of the ball game at 20, capped off by a trademark Travis Charles midrange jumper. Jackman continued his scoring onslaught also as he knocked down a pair of free throws after a Newcastle timeout and when Ian Smith knocked down a pull up jump shot to end the third, his side were now firmly in the driving seat up 71-46.
4 An 8-2 run to open the final period killed any hopes of a Team Newcastle fight back as Lashley continued to dominant inside for the hosts. Ronald Blain kept the scoreboard ticking for his side but the lead would continue to balloon after Travis Charles finished inside to put his side up 85-51. The sides exchanged a number of scores in the closing stages as the tempo of the game dropped drastically which suited TSK, as they ran out 95-64 winners.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon gave us his thoughts on his side victory; “Credit to Newcastle, who caused us problems in the first half as we struggled to connect from the perimeter. I was pleased with how we responded in the 3rd quarter, where we were able to put the game out of reach with a number of contributions across the board."
TSK were led by Johnathan Lashley who came off the bench to score 19 points, whilst Travis Charles and Orlan Jackman added 16 and 15 respectively in a very balanced scoring display from the hosts. Team Newcastle’s American wing Ronald Blain led them with 20 points, with David Moya the only other player to reach double figures adding 14.
Kestrels now have another weekend off competitive action before welcoming Reading Rockets to the SSC on Saturday 5th December 2020.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774019/bs.html
Watch the Full Game back; youtu.be/kmOo78SDw_c
Brendan Okoronkwo opened the scoring up with a triple for TSK before Newcastle’s American Guard David Moya connected on a floater on the ensuing possession. The hosts would quickly set about building their advantage pushing the lead to 10-2 inside 4 minutes, capped off by an Okoronkwo and-1. Moya would again respond for the visitors, this time with a three of his own, however an Andre Arissol steal and coast to coast lay up restored an 8 point lead for Solent. Through the mid point of the period the sides would trade baskets, as Johnathan Lashley and Ronald Blain came off the bench and lead the charge for their teams. Kestrels in front 23-17 after one.
Newcastle momentarily trimmed the deficit to 4 points to open the second quarter though big man Jacob Cauthorn but that would be short lived as Orlan Jackman and Arissol answered for TSK, prompting the visitors into an early timeout, 27-19 TSK. Luke Busumbru injected some much needed spark into the game post timeout as he found his way to the hoop, whilst Elliot Dadds knocked down a triple to give the home side their largest lead of the first half at 13. The north east side were hanging around though and they would again trim the lead to just 7 points after Cauthorn continued to find scoring opportunities inside. Kestrels would however close the half with a barrage of threes from Arissol and Dadds to ensure they held a 12 point advantage at the break.
It was back and forth to start the second half with both teams scoring at will, Jackman finding a number of easy scores for the hosts, whilst Emanuel Kabengele and Nikola Url replied for Newcastle. A 10-0 run mid way through the quarter saw TSK take their first substantial lead of the ball game at 20, capped off by a trademark Travis Charles midrange jumper. Jackman continued his scoring onslaught also as he knocked down a pair of free throws after a Newcastle timeout and when Ian Smith knocked down a pull up jump shot to end the third, his side were now firmly in the driving seat up 71-46.
4 An 8-2 run to open the final period killed any hopes of a Team Newcastle fight back as Lashley continued to dominant inside for the hosts. Ronald Blain kept the scoreboard ticking for his side but the lead would continue to balloon after Travis Charles finished inside to put his side up 85-51. The sides exchanged a number of scores in the closing stages as the tempo of the game dropped drastically which suited TSK, as they ran out 95-64 winners.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon gave us his thoughts on his side victory; “Credit to Newcastle, who caused us problems in the first half as we struggled to connect from the perimeter. I was pleased with how we responded in the 3rd quarter, where we were able to put the game out of reach with a number of contributions across the board."
TSK were led by Johnathan Lashley who came off the bench to score 19 points, whilst Travis Charles and Orlan Jackman added 16 and 15 respectively in a very balanced scoring display from the hosts. Team Newcastle’s American wing Ronald Blain led them with 20 points, with David Moya the only other player to reach double figures adding 14.
Kestrels now have another weekend off competitive action before welcoming Reading Rockets to the SSC on Saturday 5th December 2020.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1774019/bs.html
Watch the Full Game back; youtu.be/kmOo78SDw_c
IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE ON THE ROAD MOVES TSK TO 2-0
Image Courtesy | Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott
Team Solent Kestrels moved to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon with their first road victory of the season, knocking off Loughborough Riders 109-67 in a one sided NBL D1 affair. Kestrels led from the opening tip to the final buzzer in the East Midlands as they poured in yet another impressive offensive display.
Travis Charles ensured Kestrels would start the better of the two sides as he scored 4 of the first 6 points of the game and when Ian Smith and Brendan Okoronkwo knocked down a pair of triples early on, TSK would lead 12-3. Jonas Dieterich provided some respite for the hosts as he knocked down a three of his own, however a further 10-2 run from the Kestrels pushed their lead out to 14 at 22-8. The lead jumped out to 16 before Harrison Gamble hit a jumper for the Riders to leave the score at 31-18 TSK after one.
A 14-2 run to open the second quarter blew the ball game wide open for Kestrels as their guard play proved too much for the Riders and when Luke Gosney got up high for the rejection and Luke Busumbru converted at the other end, Loughborough would call for timeout at 47-22. Riders briefly responded out of the time out but Kestrels pushed the lead over the 30 point mark when Gosney stroked a three ball and by the time the half was done, TSK were 63-35 to the good.
The second half started in back and forth fashion as Dieterich kept the scoreboard ticking for the hosts whilst Charles and Orlan Jackman ensured any hopes of a run from the hosts was kept at bay. A 9-0 run pushed the lead back into the 30’s for TSK, capped off by an Okoronkwo three but Riders showed signs off life still as they replied with a dunk from Conroy Hayden. A Charles and-1 increased the gap to 38 momentarily, before a short flurry of scores to close the third brought Riders back within 30 at 88-58.
Ex-Loughborough, Andre Arissol scored TSK’s first 5 points of the 4th and the Kestrels bench provided even more fire power, through Busumbru and Gosney through the early stages of period. The lead ballooned further into the 40’s as Busumbru and Scarlett piled on the scoring for the visitors and TSK were able to limit the hosts to just 9 fourth quarter points, securing a 109-67 victory.
Travis Charles was once again in dominant mood as he dropped 27 points for the visitors, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 19 and Orlan Jackman 17. Loughborough were led by Jonas Dieterich who had 19 points whilst Harrison Gamble was the only other Riders player to join him in double figures with 11.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides effort on Saturday afternoon; “I’m incredibly pleased with how we played today. Even though Loughborough have a number of new players, they return some excellent offensive playmakers and we knew we had to be locked in to limit them."
This was again an unselfish offensive performance where we got contributions from the whole squad.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773999/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/tjDsLHKkaTo
With the new NBL D1 scheduling coming into effect, Kestrels will now take a break this coming weekend before turning their attentions to recently promoted Team Newcastle University, who will make the long trip south on Saturday 21st November 2020 to the SSC.
Travis Charles ensured Kestrels would start the better of the two sides as he scored 4 of the first 6 points of the game and when Ian Smith and Brendan Okoronkwo knocked down a pair of triples early on, TSK would lead 12-3. Jonas Dieterich provided some respite for the hosts as he knocked down a three of his own, however a further 10-2 run from the Kestrels pushed their lead out to 14 at 22-8. The lead jumped out to 16 before Harrison Gamble hit a jumper for the Riders to leave the score at 31-18 TSK after one.
A 14-2 run to open the second quarter blew the ball game wide open for Kestrels as their guard play proved too much for the Riders and when Luke Gosney got up high for the rejection and Luke Busumbru converted at the other end, Loughborough would call for timeout at 47-22. Riders briefly responded out of the time out but Kestrels pushed the lead over the 30 point mark when Gosney stroked a three ball and by the time the half was done, TSK were 63-35 to the good.
The second half started in back and forth fashion as Dieterich kept the scoreboard ticking for the hosts whilst Charles and Orlan Jackman ensured any hopes of a run from the hosts was kept at bay. A 9-0 run pushed the lead back into the 30’s for TSK, capped off by an Okoronkwo three but Riders showed signs off life still as they replied with a dunk from Conroy Hayden. A Charles and-1 increased the gap to 38 momentarily, before a short flurry of scores to close the third brought Riders back within 30 at 88-58.
Ex-Loughborough, Andre Arissol scored TSK’s first 5 points of the 4th and the Kestrels bench provided even more fire power, through Busumbru and Gosney through the early stages of period. The lead ballooned further into the 40’s as Busumbru and Scarlett piled on the scoring for the visitors and TSK were able to limit the hosts to just 9 fourth quarter points, securing a 109-67 victory.
Travis Charles was once again in dominant mood as he dropped 27 points for the visitors, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 19 and Orlan Jackman 17. Loughborough were led by Jonas Dieterich who had 19 points whilst Harrison Gamble was the only other Riders player to join him in double figures with 11.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides effort on Saturday afternoon; “I’m incredibly pleased with how we played today. Even though Loughborough have a number of new players, they return some excellent offensive playmakers and we knew we had to be locked in to limit them."
This was again an unselfish offensive performance where we got contributions from the whole squad.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773999/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/tjDsLHKkaTo
With the new NBL D1 scheduling coming into effect, Kestrels will now take a break this coming weekend before turning their attentions to recently promoted Team Newcastle University, who will make the long trip south on Saturday 21st November 2020 to the SSC.
KESTRELS OPEN THEIR TITLE DEFENCE WITH BIG WIN OVER ESSEX
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels opened their NBL Division 1 title defence with a convincing 98-64 win over newly promoted Essex Rebels, at the Solent Sports Complex on Saturday evening. It was the second time in 3 weeks that the sides had met, with TSK taking a big margin of victory in the L Lynch Trophy group stages.
It was a back and forth start as Travis Charles opened the scoring for Kestrels whilst Rebels standout guard Sam Newman stroked a three for the visitors. The hosts would make the first meaningful run of the ball game, to the tune of 14-4, capped of by an Ian Smith triple to force Essex into their first timeout. With Kestrels now up 18-9 they would set about increasing the lead before the quarter was done, 5 straight Brendan Okoronkwo points followed by some Elliot Dadds sharp shooting left them 27-16 to the good.
Kestrels pushed the deficit to 15 early on in the second, behind more three point shooting from captain Dadds and when Charles converted the and-1 shortly after TSK would be firmly in the driving seat, 40-22. Rebels would string together an 8-0 run in reply however to trim the arrears to 10 and spark a Coach Guymon timeout. Post TO the home side restored their 18 point lead and would push the gap to 21 through Ian Smith and Orlan Jackman, but back to back scores from the Rebels left the score at 57-40 at the break.
The second half started exactly the same as the opening few minutes of the game with the sides trading a number of scores, Kestrels’ Okoronkwo found his rhythm whilst Essex earned a number of successful trips to the foul line. Ian Smith connected on a triple to extend the lead to 22 and prompt Coach Norfolk into his first timeout of the half for Essex, however TSK pushed the lead to 25 before the quarter was up.
An 11-3 run to open the final period would kill off any hopes of a Rebels fight back, as the Kestrels guard line up found a number of easy scores. Charles would continue to add to his tally as he went an efficient 11-16 from the field, before Luke Gosney came off the bench to add further misery to the scoreline for the visitors. Kestrels running out 98-64 winners.
Travis Charles led the way for TSK as he poured in 24 points and 9 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 20 points and 7 boards and Ian Smith 16 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Essex only featured two players in double figures with Andre Lavinier posting 13 points and Sam Newman adding 10.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach gave his thoughts on his sides opening NBL performance: ‘It was a great feeling to restart league play after our run of L Lynch Trophy games. We knew we had to have another big defensive performance to limit Rebels key players and I felt for the majority of the game we were able to do that. It was also good to see another balanced scoring effort with high assists and low turnover, which is a testament to the players buying in to how we want to play.’
TSK will now wait for further guidance from Basketball England as they are awaiting consultation from the Government on new guidelines and how that will affect the sport. All being well, Kestrels will make the trip to the East Midlands on Saturday afternoon to face Loughborough Riders.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773994/bs.html
It was a back and forth start as Travis Charles opened the scoring for Kestrels whilst Rebels standout guard Sam Newman stroked a three for the visitors. The hosts would make the first meaningful run of the ball game, to the tune of 14-4, capped of by an Ian Smith triple to force Essex into their first timeout. With Kestrels now up 18-9 they would set about increasing the lead before the quarter was done, 5 straight Brendan Okoronkwo points followed by some Elliot Dadds sharp shooting left them 27-16 to the good.
Kestrels pushed the deficit to 15 early on in the second, behind more three point shooting from captain Dadds and when Charles converted the and-1 shortly after TSK would be firmly in the driving seat, 40-22. Rebels would string together an 8-0 run in reply however to trim the arrears to 10 and spark a Coach Guymon timeout. Post TO the home side restored their 18 point lead and would push the gap to 21 through Ian Smith and Orlan Jackman, but back to back scores from the Rebels left the score at 57-40 at the break.
The second half started exactly the same as the opening few minutes of the game with the sides trading a number of scores, Kestrels’ Okoronkwo found his rhythm whilst Essex earned a number of successful trips to the foul line. Ian Smith connected on a triple to extend the lead to 22 and prompt Coach Norfolk into his first timeout of the half for Essex, however TSK pushed the lead to 25 before the quarter was up.
An 11-3 run to open the final period would kill off any hopes of a Rebels fight back, as the Kestrels guard line up found a number of easy scores. Charles would continue to add to his tally as he went an efficient 11-16 from the field, before Luke Gosney came off the bench to add further misery to the scoreline for the visitors. Kestrels running out 98-64 winners.
Travis Charles led the way for TSK as he poured in 24 points and 9 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 20 points and 7 boards and Ian Smith 16 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Essex only featured two players in double figures with Andre Lavinier posting 13 points and Sam Newman adding 10.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach gave his thoughts on his sides opening NBL performance: ‘It was a great feeling to restart league play after our run of L Lynch Trophy games. We knew we had to have another big defensive performance to limit Rebels key players and I felt for the majority of the game we were able to do that. It was also good to see another balanced scoring effort with high assists and low turnover, which is a testament to the players buying in to how we want to play.’
TSK will now wait for further guidance from Basketball England as they are awaiting consultation from the Government on new guidelines and how that will affect the sport. All being well, Kestrels will make the trip to the East Midlands on Saturday afternoon to face Loughborough Riders.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1773994/bs.html
TSK TAKE TOP SPOT IN L LYNCH TROPHY GROUP WITH THUNDER WIN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
A shorthanded Team Solent Kestrels booked their spot in the knockout stages of the L Lynch Trophy on Sunday afternoon, knocking off Worthing Thunder 96-69, moving them to 3-0 clinching top spot in Group 1. Sundays victory makes it 5 wins in a row now for TSK in all competitions against their south coast counterparts.
Andre Arissol continued his fine run of form as he got the scoring underway from the free throw line for TSK and although Cameron Hildreth converted at the other end for Thunder, it was the home town Kestrels who took the lead early on, 8-2. After an early Worthing timeout, forward Max Richardson provided some respite for his side but another Arissol lay up pushed TSK further out in front, 12-4. Hildreth set about reducing the gap to 3, with a pair of foul shots and a triple and whilst the visiting side looked to have steadied the ship, it was Kestrels who led 21-16 after one.
Travis Charles pushed the lead to 7 to start the second quarter, however Zaire Taylor would start to find his rhythm as he scored 4 straight for Thunder. Charles would kick start a 7-0 run in reply though capped off with a Luke Gosney put back to prompt the visitors second timeout of the first half, 30-20 TSK. Hildreth and Richardson provided the scoring firepower for Worthing post timeout to trim the deficit to 7 but timely scores from Gosney and Kestrels captain Elliot Dadds kept them at bay. Arissol would turn the burners on for the big two handed dunk before Johnathan Lashley gave TSK their biggest lead of the game at 13. Hildreth would get fouled on the half time buzzer and made 2 out of 3 from the line, to leave the scoreline at 48-38 in favour of TSK at the break.
Thunder started the second half through their biggest scoring threat, Hildreth who connected on the difficult floater bringing them to within 8 points, however that would as close as they would get the rest of the way. A 9-0 run in response capped off by an Ian Smith lay up saw TSK take a ballooned 17 points advantage into the first timeout of the 2nd half. Thunder’s American big man Howard Crawford and TSK new man, Orlan Jackman, traded scores out of the timeout but when Charles stroked a trademark mid range jumper, the home side were now up 20, 65-45. Richardson again provided respite for Worthing but an 11-2 run to close the quarter meant Kestrels were now firmly in the driving seat, up 78-51 with 10 minutes remaining.
The fourth saw a drastic change in pace of the game with neither team establishing a free scoring rhythm to close the game out, however that better suited Kestrels who held a 26 point lead. Crawford provided the scoring punch for Thunder but TSK would match them blow for blow, reflected in the 18 a piece fourth quarter score for both sides. Kestrels clinching a 96-69 victory to keep them unbeaten to start their L Lynch trophy campaign.
TSK were led by Andre Arissol who posted 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals, whilst Ian Smith added 22 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds and Travis Charles chipped in 15 points on 100% shooting. Worthing’s young star Cameron Hildreth had 22 points to lead them with Max Richardson and Zaire Taylor adding 13 and 12 respectively.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say after his side won their third L Lynch Trophy game in a row, “I’m pleased with the resilience & togetherness the players showed today after a challenging week of injuries and availability issues. Worthing were able to cause us some problems in the first half, which I felt were a result of some lapses and lack of discipline defensively. I was incredibly proud of how we came out in the 3rd on both ends of the floor, which ultimately decided the contest. These pool games have been great for us, now we look forward to getting guys back healthy and moving into league play.”
With top spot in Group 1 of the L Lynch Trophy wrapped up Kestrels will now turn their attentions to their NBL D1 season opener this coming Saturday, when they welcome Essex Rebels back to the SSC at 6:30pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769749/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/uhL5g-etBiA
Andre Arissol continued his fine run of form as he got the scoring underway from the free throw line for TSK and although Cameron Hildreth converted at the other end for Thunder, it was the home town Kestrels who took the lead early on, 8-2. After an early Worthing timeout, forward Max Richardson provided some respite for his side but another Arissol lay up pushed TSK further out in front, 12-4. Hildreth set about reducing the gap to 3, with a pair of foul shots and a triple and whilst the visiting side looked to have steadied the ship, it was Kestrels who led 21-16 after one.
Travis Charles pushed the lead to 7 to start the second quarter, however Zaire Taylor would start to find his rhythm as he scored 4 straight for Thunder. Charles would kick start a 7-0 run in reply though capped off with a Luke Gosney put back to prompt the visitors second timeout of the first half, 30-20 TSK. Hildreth and Richardson provided the scoring firepower for Worthing post timeout to trim the deficit to 7 but timely scores from Gosney and Kestrels captain Elliot Dadds kept them at bay. Arissol would turn the burners on for the big two handed dunk before Johnathan Lashley gave TSK their biggest lead of the game at 13. Hildreth would get fouled on the half time buzzer and made 2 out of 3 from the line, to leave the scoreline at 48-38 in favour of TSK at the break.
Thunder started the second half through their biggest scoring threat, Hildreth who connected on the difficult floater bringing them to within 8 points, however that would as close as they would get the rest of the way. A 9-0 run in response capped off by an Ian Smith lay up saw TSK take a ballooned 17 points advantage into the first timeout of the 2nd half. Thunder’s American big man Howard Crawford and TSK new man, Orlan Jackman, traded scores out of the timeout but when Charles stroked a trademark mid range jumper, the home side were now up 20, 65-45. Richardson again provided respite for Worthing but an 11-2 run to close the quarter meant Kestrels were now firmly in the driving seat, up 78-51 with 10 minutes remaining.
The fourth saw a drastic change in pace of the game with neither team establishing a free scoring rhythm to close the game out, however that better suited Kestrels who held a 26 point lead. Crawford provided the scoring punch for Thunder but TSK would match them blow for blow, reflected in the 18 a piece fourth quarter score for both sides. Kestrels clinching a 96-69 victory to keep them unbeaten to start their L Lynch trophy campaign.
TSK were led by Andre Arissol who posted 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals, whilst Ian Smith added 22 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds and Travis Charles chipped in 15 points on 100% shooting. Worthing’s young star Cameron Hildreth had 22 points to lead them with Max Richardson and Zaire Taylor adding 13 and 12 respectively.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say after his side won their third L Lynch Trophy game in a row, “I’m pleased with the resilience & togetherness the players showed today after a challenging week of injuries and availability issues. Worthing were able to cause us some problems in the first half, which I felt were a result of some lapses and lack of discipline defensively. I was incredibly proud of how we came out in the 3rd on both ends of the floor, which ultimately decided the contest. These pool games have been great for us, now we look forward to getting guys back healthy and moving into league play.”
With top spot in Group 1 of the L Lynch Trophy wrapped up Kestrels will now turn their attentions to their NBL D1 season opener this coming Saturday, when they welcome Essex Rebels back to the SSC at 6:30pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769749/bs.html
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/uhL5g-etBiA
DOMINANT DISPLAY SEES TSK IMPROVE TO 2-0 IN TROPHY PLAY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Game week number two of the L Lynch Trophy group stages this Sunday afternoon saw Team Solent Kestrels back in their stride, as they handed NBL Division 1 newcomers Essex Rebels a heavy defeat 117-61. The win sees Coach Matt Guymon’s side improve to 2-0 in the Trophy format and sets up a chance to top the group with a victory over Worthing Thunder next Sunday.
Ian Smith opened the scoring for TSK as he knocked down a three pointer on his sides first possession of the game however Rebels point guard Jordan Gray replied right away with a drive of his own. Across the first 4 minutes of the game the sides would trade scores with neither team able to contain one another on dribble penetration from the perimeter. Kestrels would take a brief 6 point lead at 14-8 after a pair of Smith free throws, however Essex would be reply instantly through Rory Winter and Cain Van Heyningen to cut the lead to 1. Gray would tie things up momentarily from the foul line but an 11-0 run to close the first quarter behind Luke Busumbru off the bench, powered TSK to a 27-16 lead after one.
With the wind firmly in their sails Kestrels set about building the deficit to begin the second quarter, with Chris Scarlett getting in on the act with a triple off the bench. When Smith capped off a 10-0 run, the home side would hold a 37-16 advantage with less than 4 minutes gone in the period. The 21-0 run (across the end of the 1st/beginning of the 2nd) serving as a timely reminder of how quickly Coach Guymon’s side can turn a game on its head. The gap stayed at 20 for long spells of the second but a flurry of three’s from the Rebels including a Sam Newman buzzer beater to close the half, brought them back to within 14, 49-35 at the break.
The third quarter was all TSK, after a back and forth start the lead quickly jumped back to 20 after yet another turnover and Ian Smith lay up, then when Brendan Okoronkwo pushed it to 22 on the next possession, Rebels would call for an early second half timeout. Gray stopped the run from the free throw line for Essex, but 11 unanswered points, including back to back threes from Andre Arissol quickly saw the lead balloon to 31. A 17-4 run to close the quarter, behind some dominant Johnathan Lashley play inside and sharpshooting from Scarlett, pushed the deficit into the 40’s and gave Kestrels a 92-51 lead with ten minutes to play.
Kestrels continued to build their lead early on behind a 7-2 run, capped off with yet another Smith lay up, prompting a Coach Norfolk timeout with the hosts lead now out at 46. A Ben Winter and-1 out of the timeout provided brief respite for the Rebels, but Kestrels would continue to pour it on late with no signs of letting up. Elias Poorman and Luke Gosney came in off the bench to increase the deficit and TSK would run out 117-61 winners.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides efforts; “I thought this weeks performance was a much more focussed display from our guys, we were locked into the defensive end and showed spells of what are capable of, on that end of the floor. This fuelled our transition game and whilst Ian was able to put in a great offensive performance I thought we had a number of key contributions across the board.”
Ian Smith was back in MVP form as he poured in 30 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, with no turnovers and 12-16 from the floor, with Johnathan Lashley and Andre Arissol adding 17 and 16 respectively in a very balanced scoring effort from TSK. The visiting Rebels were led by guard Rory Winter who had 15 points, whilst Jordan Gray and Cain Van Heyningen were the only others in double figures who had 10 points each.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to Worthing Thunder next Sunday, where a victory will see them top the group at 3-0 and advance to the knock out stages.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769747/bs.html#ASFSK
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/qaLdlCFpwj4
Ian Smith opened the scoring for TSK as he knocked down a three pointer on his sides first possession of the game however Rebels point guard Jordan Gray replied right away with a drive of his own. Across the first 4 minutes of the game the sides would trade scores with neither team able to contain one another on dribble penetration from the perimeter. Kestrels would take a brief 6 point lead at 14-8 after a pair of Smith free throws, however Essex would be reply instantly through Rory Winter and Cain Van Heyningen to cut the lead to 1. Gray would tie things up momentarily from the foul line but an 11-0 run to close the first quarter behind Luke Busumbru off the bench, powered TSK to a 27-16 lead after one.
With the wind firmly in their sails Kestrels set about building the deficit to begin the second quarter, with Chris Scarlett getting in on the act with a triple off the bench. When Smith capped off a 10-0 run, the home side would hold a 37-16 advantage with less than 4 minutes gone in the period. The 21-0 run (across the end of the 1st/beginning of the 2nd) serving as a timely reminder of how quickly Coach Guymon’s side can turn a game on its head. The gap stayed at 20 for long spells of the second but a flurry of three’s from the Rebels including a Sam Newman buzzer beater to close the half, brought them back to within 14, 49-35 at the break.
The third quarter was all TSK, after a back and forth start the lead quickly jumped back to 20 after yet another turnover and Ian Smith lay up, then when Brendan Okoronkwo pushed it to 22 on the next possession, Rebels would call for an early second half timeout. Gray stopped the run from the free throw line for Essex, but 11 unanswered points, including back to back threes from Andre Arissol quickly saw the lead balloon to 31. A 17-4 run to close the quarter, behind some dominant Johnathan Lashley play inside and sharpshooting from Scarlett, pushed the deficit into the 40’s and gave Kestrels a 92-51 lead with ten minutes to play.
Kestrels continued to build their lead early on behind a 7-2 run, capped off with yet another Smith lay up, prompting a Coach Norfolk timeout with the hosts lead now out at 46. A Ben Winter and-1 out of the timeout provided brief respite for the Rebels, but Kestrels would continue to pour it on late with no signs of letting up. Elias Poorman and Luke Gosney came in off the bench to increase the deficit and TSK would run out 117-61 winners.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides efforts; “I thought this weeks performance was a much more focussed display from our guys, we were locked into the defensive end and showed spells of what are capable of, on that end of the floor. This fuelled our transition game and whilst Ian was able to put in a great offensive performance I thought we had a number of key contributions across the board.”
Ian Smith was back in MVP form as he poured in 30 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, with no turnovers and 12-16 from the floor, with Johnathan Lashley and Andre Arissol adding 17 and 16 respectively in a very balanced scoring effort from TSK. The visiting Rebels were led by guard Rory Winter who had 15 points, whilst Jordan Gray and Cain Van Heyningen were the only others in double figures who had 10 points each.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to Worthing Thunder next Sunday, where a victory will see them top the group at 3-0 and advance to the knock out stages.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769747/bs.html#ASFSK
Watch Full Game; youtu.be/qaLdlCFpwj4
KESTRELS GET OFF THE MARK AS BASKETBALL RETURNS TO THE SSC
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
NBL Basketball returned to the south coast this past weekend as the Solent Sports Complex played host to the L Lynch Trophy, in the opening games from Group 1. The current league and cup champions welcomed a young but very talented Barking Abbey London Lions in the Sunday lunch time tip off at the SSC. It would be the first time both outfits took the floor for competitive action in 7 months.
The lay off certainly showed in the opening exchanges as both sides failed to convert on good looks early on, however Mr consistent for TSK, Travis Charles, opened the scoring with a trademark mid range jumper. BA newcomer Abiodun Adedo stroked a triple to open his sides account but it was Kestrels who made the first meaningful run to take a 13-5 lead mid way through the quarter. Andre Arissol and Chris Scarlett came off the bench to knock down a pair of three’s as the teams traded baskets to finish the quarter, 20-13 TSK in front after one.
It was much of the same to start the second period, as Charles and this time Elliot Dadds found easy scoring opportunities for the hosts, whilst Adedo and Veron Eze kept the scoreboard ticking for Barking. An 8-0 run would put some daylight between the two teams and when Dadds capped off the run with a kick out three, Coach James Vear would use his first time out of the half to stop the run. A 7-2 run post timeout for BA pulled them back to within 7 at 34-27, but it was yet another back and forth spell to close the half as TSK took a 40-33 advantage into the break.
Barking trimmed it to 5 to start the second half through Cem Umer but an 8-2 run courtesy of Forward duo Charles and Orlan Jackman would restore an 11 point advantage for TSK. In what was the story of the game, the sides traded blows again through long spells of the third, before Eze stroked a triple to cut the gap to 5 at 55-50. Despite a pair of Johnathan Lashley free throws, it was the young and spirited BA side that continued in the ascendancy pulling to within just 2 points, with just 2 minutes left in the period. However Kestrels showed their maturity and responded with an 8-1 run, capped off by a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo foul shots to leave his side up 66-57 with 10 minutes to play.
TSK flew out of the gate to start the final quarter and a 15-2 run, with a series of live ball turnovers and scores the other way left the hosts firmly in control 81-59 with just under 7 minutes to play. Charles extended the gap to 24 after a BA timeout but a 9-0 run from the Londoners showed they were still ready to compete. Eedryck Okunola trimmed the deficit to 12 with a triple for the visitors and Boardman momentarily brought it to 9, before 5 straight points closed the game out for TSK who held on for a 92-78 victory.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It felt great to get back on the floor after 7 months away. This wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic combined effort of all the NBL D1 clubs working together. This was our first opportunity to see our squad and I’m pleased with how the new guys are already integrating in with the group. We look forward to continuing to build over the next few weeks of the L Lynch Trophy. Credit to Barking who played beyond their years today, most notably Veron Eze and Flynn Boardman, who I thought caused us some problems. They are such a young group that I think will be highly competitive this season.”
Travis Charles led the way for the home side with 21 points and 11 rebounds, whilst new faces Orlan Jackman and Andre Arissol had 17 and 15 respectively. Reigning MVP Ian Smith also had 11 assists. Barking’s attack was led by star man Veron Eze who posted 21 points whilst Flynn Boardman and Abiodun Adedo added 18 and 17 a piece.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to game two of the L Lynch Trophy in the Solent bubble, next Sunday where they’ll face Essex Rebels whilst BA London Lions will match up with Worthing Thunder.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769744/bs.html
Full Game; youtu.be/QRLnhslChmA
The lay off certainly showed in the opening exchanges as both sides failed to convert on good looks early on, however Mr consistent for TSK, Travis Charles, opened the scoring with a trademark mid range jumper. BA newcomer Abiodun Adedo stroked a triple to open his sides account but it was Kestrels who made the first meaningful run to take a 13-5 lead mid way through the quarter. Andre Arissol and Chris Scarlett came off the bench to knock down a pair of three’s as the teams traded baskets to finish the quarter, 20-13 TSK in front after one.
It was much of the same to start the second period, as Charles and this time Elliot Dadds found easy scoring opportunities for the hosts, whilst Adedo and Veron Eze kept the scoreboard ticking for Barking. An 8-0 run would put some daylight between the two teams and when Dadds capped off the run with a kick out three, Coach James Vear would use his first time out of the half to stop the run. A 7-2 run post timeout for BA pulled them back to within 7 at 34-27, but it was yet another back and forth spell to close the half as TSK took a 40-33 advantage into the break.
Barking trimmed it to 5 to start the second half through Cem Umer but an 8-2 run courtesy of Forward duo Charles and Orlan Jackman would restore an 11 point advantage for TSK. In what was the story of the game, the sides traded blows again through long spells of the third, before Eze stroked a triple to cut the gap to 5 at 55-50. Despite a pair of Johnathan Lashley free throws, it was the young and spirited BA side that continued in the ascendancy pulling to within just 2 points, with just 2 minutes left in the period. However Kestrels showed their maturity and responded with an 8-1 run, capped off by a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo foul shots to leave his side up 66-57 with 10 minutes to play.
TSK flew out of the gate to start the final quarter and a 15-2 run, with a series of live ball turnovers and scores the other way left the hosts firmly in control 81-59 with just under 7 minutes to play. Charles extended the gap to 24 after a BA timeout but a 9-0 run from the Londoners showed they were still ready to compete. Eedryck Okunola trimmed the deficit to 12 with a triple for the visitors and Boardman momentarily brought it to 9, before 5 straight points closed the game out for TSK who held on for a 92-78 victory.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It felt great to get back on the floor after 7 months away. This wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic combined effort of all the NBL D1 clubs working together. This was our first opportunity to see our squad and I’m pleased with how the new guys are already integrating in with the group. We look forward to continuing to build over the next few weeks of the L Lynch Trophy. Credit to Barking who played beyond their years today, most notably Veron Eze and Flynn Boardman, who I thought caused us some problems. They are such a young group that I think will be highly competitive this season.”
Travis Charles led the way for the home side with 21 points and 11 rebounds, whilst new faces Orlan Jackman and Andre Arissol had 17 and 15 respectively. Reigning MVP Ian Smith also had 11 assists. Barking’s attack was led by star man Veron Eze who posted 21 points whilst Flynn Boardman and Abiodun Adedo added 18 and 17 a piece.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to game two of the L Lynch Trophy in the Solent bubble, next Sunday where they’ll face Essex Rebels whilst BA London Lions will match up with Worthing Thunder.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1769744/bs.html
Full Game; youtu.be/QRLnhslChmA
KESTRELS FALL SHORT IN OVERTIME AS EAGLES CLAIM BBL TROPHY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday afternoon in Glasgow, saw what could be the final game of the season for Team Solent Kestrels, with the rapidly developing COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent sporting suspensions in place. With Kestrels having navigated their way to the BBL Trophy Final, knocking off London Lions (BBL), Worthing Thunder (NBL D1) and Bristol Flyers (BBL) it was powerhouse BBL franchise standing in their way of making history. TSK had already made their own history by becoming the first D1 side from the National Basketball League to make the Final but had their sights firmly set on the prize come Sunday.
The opening period was a tense affair for both sides with little separating the two sides, Rahmon Fletcher got the scoreboard ticking with a triple whilst Elliot Dadds replied on the following possession for the South coasters. Neither side would move out to more than a one possession lead through-out the first 10 minutes, as Fletcher continued to show his quality for the Eagles before Elliott Sentance displayed his scoring repertoire with 7 points in the quarter for TSK. 22 a piece after one.
Eagles guard Drew Lasker came off the bench to stroke a three for his side to move them out in front however TrayVonn Wright and Sentance were on hand for Kestrels to restore a 1 point advantage for their side. A 7-2 run for the Eagles to follow, through a pair of successful trips to the line, saw them take a 4 point lead but that was short lived as Sentance was in attack mode again for the hoop and the harm to reduce the gap to 1. Eagles would respond once again through Fletcher and this time he would extend the gap to 6, forcing a Coach Guymon timeout with a little over 5 minutes to play in the half. The lead got out to as many as 9 post timeout, but Travis Charles and Sentance once again trimmed the deficit to 5 forcing Newcastle into a timeout of their own. Kestrels closed the half on a 6-2 scoring run which would see them trail by just a point at the interval, 45-46.
It was two heavyweights trading blows to start the second half as both teams found their scoring rhythm, Darrius Defoe and Fletcher going to work for Newcastle with Charles and Sentance doing the damage for TSK. Ian Smith stroked a triple with 4 minutes played in the half to edge Kestrels in front, however that was short lived as the lead would change hands 5 times over the next minute and a half. A 13-4 run to follow over the next 4 minutes would give Eagles their first substantial lead at 72-62, forcing Coach Guymon into his first time out of the half. Brendan Okoronkwo converted on an and-1 after the timeout, but it was Fletcher and Rodney Glasgow Jr. who ensured the North East side took a 12 point advantage into the 4th, 65-77.
Defoe pushed the lead out to 14 on the opening possession of the 4th, leaving Kestrels with a mountain to climb… That they did, with a sharp 7-0 scoring run capped off by a trademark transition 3 for Ian Smith, to force an Eagles timeout, 72-79. Elliot Dadds reduced the arrears further post timeout with a triple of his own but Glasgow Jr. would respond on the ensuing possession. An 8-0 run would follow for Kestrels as they held the Eagles scoreless for 3 minutes, with Ian Smith converting the lay up to round out the scoring run and edge TSK in front 83-82 with 3:27 to play. Defoe responded out of a Newcastle timeout and although Okoronkwo edged Kestrels back in front, Fletcher converted on a drive with 1:44 left in the game to give Eagles an 86-85 lead. Both sides would miss the opportunity to either retake the lead or extend it, until Gettys split a pair of free throws with 12 seconds to play, 85-87 Eagles. Charles would take the rebound from the second free throw off the rim, outlet to Ian Smith who went coast to coast for the dime to TrayVonn Wright who was on hand to throw down a dunk to tie the game at 87, 4 seconds left. Getty’s missed on a heave from beyond the arc and that sent the game to overtime.
Wright opened up the extra period with a triple for Kestrels but 4 unanswered Gettys point gave the advantage back to Eagles, 90-91. Wright converted on a tough score inside to put TSK back in front but Gettys was huge again on the glass, as he got the put back to go, 92-93 Newcastle. Ian Smith pushed TSK’s noses back in front with a lay up but Drew Lasker cleaned up the on the offensive glass to reply and leave Eagles up 1 with less than a minute to play. Both teams came up empty on the following possessions, including a TrayVonn Wright jumper with 4 seconds to play. Defoe went 1-2 at the free throw line with 0.3 on the clock and Newcastle came away with the 94-96 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was full of pride after his sides efforts; “This was a heart breaking loss for our guys, they have been unbelievable all season long and I know just how much this final meant to them. Even though I didn’t feel like we played our best basketball, we stuck together and showed incredible resilience to find a way back into the ball game and give ourselves an opportunity to win it. Full credit to the Eagles guys who have a number of seasoned BBL winners and ultimately they were able to get the job done. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Kestrels Family who made the journey to Glasgow, they were awesome all game long and also the wider basketball community across the globe who have shown great support for the club.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance who had himself 26 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Travis Charles and Ian Smith added 18 points a piece. Newcastle Eagles’ talisman Rahmon Fletcher led the way for them with 29 points with Darius Defoe chipping in 23 point and 11 rebounds, but it was 7 footer CJ Gettys who took home the MVP honours with 21 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1583617/bs.html
Watch the Full game; https://youtu.be/adcU2T3MkYU
TSK would like to take this time thank the whole basketball community for your support during the BBL Trophy run and on Sunday in the final, but most importantly the Kestrels Family. Right now, Basketball England have suspended Basketball activities until the 28th March 2020, where a further announcement will likely be made on the remainder of the season.
The opening period was a tense affair for both sides with little separating the two sides, Rahmon Fletcher got the scoreboard ticking with a triple whilst Elliot Dadds replied on the following possession for the South coasters. Neither side would move out to more than a one possession lead through-out the first 10 minutes, as Fletcher continued to show his quality for the Eagles before Elliott Sentance displayed his scoring repertoire with 7 points in the quarter for TSK. 22 a piece after one.
Eagles guard Drew Lasker came off the bench to stroke a three for his side to move them out in front however TrayVonn Wright and Sentance were on hand for Kestrels to restore a 1 point advantage for their side. A 7-2 run for the Eagles to follow, through a pair of successful trips to the line, saw them take a 4 point lead but that was short lived as Sentance was in attack mode again for the hoop and the harm to reduce the gap to 1. Eagles would respond once again through Fletcher and this time he would extend the gap to 6, forcing a Coach Guymon timeout with a little over 5 minutes to play in the half. The lead got out to as many as 9 post timeout, but Travis Charles and Sentance once again trimmed the deficit to 5 forcing Newcastle into a timeout of their own. Kestrels closed the half on a 6-2 scoring run which would see them trail by just a point at the interval, 45-46.
It was two heavyweights trading blows to start the second half as both teams found their scoring rhythm, Darrius Defoe and Fletcher going to work for Newcastle with Charles and Sentance doing the damage for TSK. Ian Smith stroked a triple with 4 minutes played in the half to edge Kestrels in front, however that was short lived as the lead would change hands 5 times over the next minute and a half. A 13-4 run to follow over the next 4 minutes would give Eagles their first substantial lead at 72-62, forcing Coach Guymon into his first time out of the half. Brendan Okoronkwo converted on an and-1 after the timeout, but it was Fletcher and Rodney Glasgow Jr. who ensured the North East side took a 12 point advantage into the 4th, 65-77.
Defoe pushed the lead out to 14 on the opening possession of the 4th, leaving Kestrels with a mountain to climb… That they did, with a sharp 7-0 scoring run capped off by a trademark transition 3 for Ian Smith, to force an Eagles timeout, 72-79. Elliot Dadds reduced the arrears further post timeout with a triple of his own but Glasgow Jr. would respond on the ensuing possession. An 8-0 run would follow for Kestrels as they held the Eagles scoreless for 3 minutes, with Ian Smith converting the lay up to round out the scoring run and edge TSK in front 83-82 with 3:27 to play. Defoe responded out of a Newcastle timeout and although Okoronkwo edged Kestrels back in front, Fletcher converted on a drive with 1:44 left in the game to give Eagles an 86-85 lead. Both sides would miss the opportunity to either retake the lead or extend it, until Gettys split a pair of free throws with 12 seconds to play, 85-87 Eagles. Charles would take the rebound from the second free throw off the rim, outlet to Ian Smith who went coast to coast for the dime to TrayVonn Wright who was on hand to throw down a dunk to tie the game at 87, 4 seconds left. Getty’s missed on a heave from beyond the arc and that sent the game to overtime.
Wright opened up the extra period with a triple for Kestrels but 4 unanswered Gettys point gave the advantage back to Eagles, 90-91. Wright converted on a tough score inside to put TSK back in front but Gettys was huge again on the glass, as he got the put back to go, 92-93 Newcastle. Ian Smith pushed TSK’s noses back in front with a lay up but Drew Lasker cleaned up the on the offensive glass to reply and leave Eagles up 1 with less than a minute to play. Both teams came up empty on the following possessions, including a TrayVonn Wright jumper with 4 seconds to play. Defoe went 1-2 at the free throw line with 0.3 on the clock and Newcastle came away with the 94-96 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was full of pride after his sides efforts; “This was a heart breaking loss for our guys, they have been unbelievable all season long and I know just how much this final meant to them. Even though I didn’t feel like we played our best basketball, we stuck together and showed incredible resilience to find a way back into the ball game and give ourselves an opportunity to win it. Full credit to the Eagles guys who have a number of seasoned BBL winners and ultimately they were able to get the job done. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Kestrels Family who made the journey to Glasgow, they were awesome all game long and also the wider basketball community across the globe who have shown great support for the club.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance who had himself 26 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Travis Charles and Ian Smith added 18 points a piece. Newcastle Eagles’ talisman Rahmon Fletcher led the way for them with 29 points with Darius Defoe chipping in 23 point and 11 rebounds, but it was 7 footer CJ Gettys who took home the MVP honours with 21 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1583617/bs.html
Watch the Full game; https://youtu.be/adcU2T3MkYU
TSK would like to take this time thank the whole basketball community for your support during the BBL Trophy run and on Sunday in the final, but most importantly the Kestrels Family. Right now, Basketball England have suspended Basketball activities until the 28th March 2020, where a further announcement will likely be made on the remainder of the season.
TSK MAKE IT BACK TO BACK LEAGUE TITLES WITH WIN OVER HEMEL
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
After picking up win number 21 in NBL D1 on Saturday evening against a tough Loughborough Riders side, TSK knew one more victory would seal back to back league titles, standing in their way on Sunday afternoon was Hemel Storm. With the sides having met twice already this season, Storm have provided Kestrels one of their toughest tests, with Kestrels only winning by 5 at the SSC and by 10 in the National Cup.
Kestrels started the faster of the two sides as they raced out to a 6-2 lead behind Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles, but the hosts replied through Greg Poleon and Walid Mumuni to keep themselves within a possession. An 8-0 run mid way through the quarter, capped off by a Jonathan Lashley put back, saw Kestrels take their first double digit lead at 19-8 and force Coach Dru Spinks into his first timeout of the game. TSK were able to weather the reply from Hemel and kept their double digit lead intact heading into the quarter break, up 25-13.
Storm opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run with American guard Mike Williams Jr. being more aggressive for his side, that briefly pulled them to within 7 but Kestrels responded through Brendan Okoronkwo to push the deficit back out to double digits. The hosts wouldn’t go away and did not allow Kestrels to pull away early on in the period and although TSK built a 16 point lead on two occasions, the deficit would only sit at 14 come half time, 54-40.
It was a back and forth start to the second half as both teams found their scoring rhythm early on, however a 9-4 Kestrels run around the 6 minute mark had them way out in front at 70-48 and one hand firmly on the league title. Storm had other plans though as they strung 6 unanswered points together to trim the arrears to 16 but in true timely TSK fashion they answered with a 12-5 run to close the quarter. The charge led by Ian Smith and capped off by a pair of Lashley free throws gave Kestrels a 82-59 lead.
Smith opened the fourth with another triple to extend the gap to 26 and although Hemel responded through Sam Newman and Williams Jr. Kestrels edged ahead further at 96-68 with a little under 6 minutes remaining, forcing Storm into their final timeout. A 10-0 run to follow from the hosts most definitely kept things interesting as the game drew to a close, but Storm never got closer than 14 points in the final minutes and Kestrels secured their 22nd league victory of the season, 106-89, clinching them their second league title in as many seasons.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides professional performance; “After a tough battle with Loughborough last night, I was interested to see how much our guys had left in the tank. With that being said, the guys needed little motivating with the league title at stake and I’m so proud of the guys as they were able to dig deep and provide us with a much more well rounded defensive performance. This ultimately allowed us to control the game for large spells. It’s a great feeling to win back to back league titles, this means so much to our organisation, the players and most importantly the fans.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s huge 33 point haul on 6/6 from beyond the arc, whilst Travis Charles backed him up with 25 points and Elliott Sentance added an 18 point, 10 rebound double double. Hemel’s American big man Greg Poleon led the charge for them with 23 points, with Mike Williams Jr. adding 17 and Bode Adeluola/Sam Newman chipping in 11 a piece.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376226/bs.html
Kestrels now turn all focus to their history making BBL Trophy campaign, where they will head to Glasgow on Sunday to take on Newcastle Eagles live on the BBC Red Button from 3:30pm.
Kestrels started the faster of the two sides as they raced out to a 6-2 lead behind Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles, but the hosts replied through Greg Poleon and Walid Mumuni to keep themselves within a possession. An 8-0 run mid way through the quarter, capped off by a Jonathan Lashley put back, saw Kestrels take their first double digit lead at 19-8 and force Coach Dru Spinks into his first timeout of the game. TSK were able to weather the reply from Hemel and kept their double digit lead intact heading into the quarter break, up 25-13.
Storm opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run with American guard Mike Williams Jr. being more aggressive for his side, that briefly pulled them to within 7 but Kestrels responded through Brendan Okoronkwo to push the deficit back out to double digits. The hosts wouldn’t go away and did not allow Kestrels to pull away early on in the period and although TSK built a 16 point lead on two occasions, the deficit would only sit at 14 come half time, 54-40.
It was a back and forth start to the second half as both teams found their scoring rhythm early on, however a 9-4 Kestrels run around the 6 minute mark had them way out in front at 70-48 and one hand firmly on the league title. Storm had other plans though as they strung 6 unanswered points together to trim the arrears to 16 but in true timely TSK fashion they answered with a 12-5 run to close the quarter. The charge led by Ian Smith and capped off by a pair of Lashley free throws gave Kestrels a 82-59 lead.
Smith opened the fourth with another triple to extend the gap to 26 and although Hemel responded through Sam Newman and Williams Jr. Kestrels edged ahead further at 96-68 with a little under 6 minutes remaining, forcing Storm into their final timeout. A 10-0 run to follow from the hosts most definitely kept things interesting as the game drew to a close, but Storm never got closer than 14 points in the final minutes and Kestrels secured their 22nd league victory of the season, 106-89, clinching them their second league title in as many seasons.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides professional performance; “After a tough battle with Loughborough last night, I was interested to see how much our guys had left in the tank. With that being said, the guys needed little motivating with the league title at stake and I’m so proud of the guys as they were able to dig deep and provide us with a much more well rounded defensive performance. This ultimately allowed us to control the game for large spells. It’s a great feeling to win back to back league titles, this means so much to our organisation, the players and most importantly the fans.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s huge 33 point haul on 6/6 from beyond the arc, whilst Travis Charles backed him up with 25 points and Elliott Sentance added an 18 point, 10 rebound double double. Hemel’s American big man Greg Poleon led the charge for them with 23 points, with Mike Williams Jr. adding 17 and Bode Adeluola/Sam Newman chipping in 11 a piece.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376226/bs.html
Kestrels now turn all focus to their history making BBL Trophy campaign, where they will head to Glasgow on Sunday to take on Newcastle Eagles live on the BBC Red Button from 3:30pm.
KESTRELS COME THROUGH TOUGHEST TEST YET TO DEFEAT RIDERS
Team Solent Kestrels came through their toughest test to date on Saturday evening at the SSC as they edged past a well prepared Loughborough Riders, 93-86. It was the third meeting between the two sides this season, with TSK prevailing by double digits on both occasions in the East Midlands.
It was a slow start offensively for both outfits however Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles were able to give the hosts an 8-4 lead inside 4 minutes. Loughborough used a pair of triples to reply but Sentance would push the lead to 15-10 with a little over 3 minutes to play in the first. A 6-2 scoring run for the Riders to close the period, meant Kestrels would head into the second quarter down 19-20.
Riders’ guard Jordan Santiago gave them a 3 point lead to open the second quarter but a 9-0 run in response from TSK, pushed them out to a 6 point lead at 30-24 and prompted a Coach Jarram timeout. A 14-5 run post timeout for Kestrels, behind back to back three’s from Scarlett and Smith, looked to have restored order and gave the hosts a double digit lead, 44-29. The lead would have stayed out at 15 heading into the half time interval, all until Harrison Gamble got his long range effort off before the buzzer and it bobbled in, TSK up 48-36 at the half.
Kestrels were able to push the lead out to 16 early on in the second half behind Travis Charles as he found easy scores inside, but Riders were hanging around and kept themselves within striking distance, as Reiss Pinnock scored 5 straight points, 57-46. Pinnock stroked another 3 to reduce the arrears to just 8 points, but Elliot Dadds would stroke a pair of triples either side of an Alex Roberts three, to keep Kestrels ahead 11. Loughborough trimmed the gap further and when Gamble finished inside, the lead was now just 6, timeout TSK. The visitors cut the lead to just 1 point post timeout, however Chris Scarlett was on hand to stroke a triple to stop the TSK drought. Riders scored before the period was up and that meant Kestrels would head into the final quarter with a slender 1 point lead, 66-65.
The fourth quarter started in tense fashion as both teams traded blows through Pinnock for the visitors and a trademark Scarlett long bomb for TSK. Mid way through the quarter Kestrels would push the lead to 8 after Charles knocked down a jumper, followed by a pair of Sentance free throws, 81-73. Riders wouldn’t go away though Gamble and Pinnock would set about trimming the deficit to just 4 points, and even though Ian Smith knocked down two free throws for TSK, when Jonas Dietrich stroked a triple with just over three minutes left, it was a 3 point game. Charles and Sentance were on hand again to restore the Kestrels advantage once again and put their side up 87-80 with 1:49 remaining. Despite a quick score for Gamble out of a timeout for Loughborough, Kestrels eventually extended the gap to 9 from the foul line and would wind up winning 93-86 to move to within a game of the league title.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides resilience; "Credit to Loughborough who pushed us all the way to the final buzzer. They were able to take us out of rhythm at time’s and punish our defensive mistakes. We showed excellent resilience in the final stages of the game to ensure we came out with the win. Moving forward we must have a more focused & clinical approach to the defensive end, which has been a staple of our success throughout the season."
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s stat stuffing display with 27 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals, whilst Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles added 23 and 20 respectively. Loughborough’s Reiss Pinnock had 24 points to lead the way for this visitors with Harrison Gamble backing him up on 22 points and Alex Roberts with 15.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376228/bs.html
It was a slow start offensively for both outfits however Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles were able to give the hosts an 8-4 lead inside 4 minutes. Loughborough used a pair of triples to reply but Sentance would push the lead to 15-10 with a little over 3 minutes to play in the first. A 6-2 scoring run for the Riders to close the period, meant Kestrels would head into the second quarter down 19-20.
Riders’ guard Jordan Santiago gave them a 3 point lead to open the second quarter but a 9-0 run in response from TSK, pushed them out to a 6 point lead at 30-24 and prompted a Coach Jarram timeout. A 14-5 run post timeout for Kestrels, behind back to back three’s from Scarlett and Smith, looked to have restored order and gave the hosts a double digit lead, 44-29. The lead would have stayed out at 15 heading into the half time interval, all until Harrison Gamble got his long range effort off before the buzzer and it bobbled in, TSK up 48-36 at the half.
Kestrels were able to push the lead out to 16 early on in the second half behind Travis Charles as he found easy scores inside, but Riders were hanging around and kept themselves within striking distance, as Reiss Pinnock scored 5 straight points, 57-46. Pinnock stroked another 3 to reduce the arrears to just 8 points, but Elliot Dadds would stroke a pair of triples either side of an Alex Roberts three, to keep Kestrels ahead 11. Loughborough trimmed the gap further and when Gamble finished inside, the lead was now just 6, timeout TSK. The visitors cut the lead to just 1 point post timeout, however Chris Scarlett was on hand to stroke a triple to stop the TSK drought. Riders scored before the period was up and that meant Kestrels would head into the final quarter with a slender 1 point lead, 66-65.
The fourth quarter started in tense fashion as both teams traded blows through Pinnock for the visitors and a trademark Scarlett long bomb for TSK. Mid way through the quarter Kestrels would push the lead to 8 after Charles knocked down a jumper, followed by a pair of Sentance free throws, 81-73. Riders wouldn’t go away though Gamble and Pinnock would set about trimming the deficit to just 4 points, and even though Ian Smith knocked down two free throws for TSK, when Jonas Dietrich stroked a triple with just over three minutes left, it was a 3 point game. Charles and Sentance were on hand again to restore the Kestrels advantage once again and put their side up 87-80 with 1:49 remaining. Despite a quick score for Gamble out of a timeout for Loughborough, Kestrels eventually extended the gap to 9 from the foul line and would wind up winning 93-86 to move to within a game of the league title.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides resilience; "Credit to Loughborough who pushed us all the way to the final buzzer. They were able to take us out of rhythm at time’s and punish our defensive mistakes. We showed excellent resilience in the final stages of the game to ensure we came out with the win. Moving forward we must have a more focused & clinical approach to the defensive end, which has been a staple of our success throughout the season."
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s stat stuffing display with 27 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals, whilst Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles added 23 and 20 respectively. Loughborough’s Reiss Pinnock had 24 points to lead the way for this visitors with Harrison Gamble backing him up on 22 points and Alex Roberts with 15.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376228/bs.html
TSK THRASH BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE LIVERPOOL
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels were back in dominant mood on Saturday evening as they made the long trip to the north west to take on Liverpool Basketball, in a game which saw them thrash the bottom side in NBL D1, 138-72. With the Liverpool unable to field a team earlier on in the season this was would be the first meeting between the sides since the NBL D2 Playoff Final, where Liverpool edged to victory.
Liverpool got up 5-0 early on as they made their shots and when Chiz Onuora knocked down his sides second triple inside the first two minutes of the ball game, they would lead 10-3. All would be short lived however, as Kestrels came to life in the shape of an 11-0 scouring run to give themselves a 14-10 advantage and force a home timeout. The sides traded baskets out of the break in play, as Elliott Sentance scored 5 straight for the visitors but Onuora kept Liverpool hanging around. A 10-3 run to close the quarter behind a pair of Chris Scarlett trifectas gave TSK a 31-20 lead after one.
An 8-0 run behind a balanced scoring effort to start the second blew this one wide open, with Kestrels now leading 39-20. Liverpool would claw the deficit back to just 11 points when Reiss Haggith sunk a pair of free throws, but a 9-0 response capped off by an Ian Smith triple restored a 20 point lead for TSK. Kestrels continued to pour in the offensive production, as Brendan Okoronkwo and Sentance led the charge to close the half, TSK up 64-37.
Kestrels wasted no time in the third, pushing the lead out into the 30’s almost right away, as Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles picked up where they left off. TSK’s big man duo of Charles and Lashley also continued to show why they are one of the toughest pairing in the league as they scored 8 straight between them, Kestrels up 47-85. Sentance pushed the lead to 40 and Ian Smith and that man Charles would follow up with scores of their own. Liverpool would reply before the period was done, but Chris Scarlett closed the quarter with a pair of long bombs from beyond the arc, much like the first quarter and Kestrels took a 99-55 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The 4th showed just why Kestrels are where they are this season, a completely relentless display on both ends of the floor stringing together their best passages of the ball game out scoring Liverpool, 39-17. Charles kicked started it with an and-1 followed by another Scarlett triple, and although Haggith replied with a 3 for the hosts, Andrew Chaikalis stroked his first 3 of the game to give Kestrels a 114-60 advantage. TSK continued in free scoring mood and when Jon Lashley stroked a jumper he gave his side a 70 point lead at 138-68. Liverpool were able to score twice on the closing possessions and that left the scoreline at 138-72, Kestrels running out convincing winners.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It was a poor start from us on the defensive end as we didn’t come out with the correct intensity or focus. We quickly grew into the game however and showed some excellent spells of basketball at both ends of the floor. We shared the ball & shot an impressive % which is good to see at this point in the season.”
Team Solent Kestrels were powered by no less than 7 players in double figures, all whilst shooting 64% from the field. Travis Charles led the way with 31 points on 88% from the field, whilst Elliott Sentance and Jonathan Lashley added 24 and 20 respectively. Ian Smith was also in fine form once again, as he notched another triple double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Liverpool’s Reiss Haggith was the high point man for them with 24 points, whilst James Lench and Chiz Onuora added 14 and 13 a piece.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376239/bs.html#ASFSK
Watch the game back here; youtu.be/wJL2ti8_iuw
Liverpool got up 5-0 early on as they made their shots and when Chiz Onuora knocked down his sides second triple inside the first two minutes of the ball game, they would lead 10-3. All would be short lived however, as Kestrels came to life in the shape of an 11-0 scouring run to give themselves a 14-10 advantage and force a home timeout. The sides traded baskets out of the break in play, as Elliott Sentance scored 5 straight for the visitors but Onuora kept Liverpool hanging around. A 10-3 run to close the quarter behind a pair of Chris Scarlett trifectas gave TSK a 31-20 lead after one.
An 8-0 run behind a balanced scoring effort to start the second blew this one wide open, with Kestrels now leading 39-20. Liverpool would claw the deficit back to just 11 points when Reiss Haggith sunk a pair of free throws, but a 9-0 response capped off by an Ian Smith triple restored a 20 point lead for TSK. Kestrels continued to pour in the offensive production, as Brendan Okoronkwo and Sentance led the charge to close the half, TSK up 64-37.
Kestrels wasted no time in the third, pushing the lead out into the 30’s almost right away, as Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles picked up where they left off. TSK’s big man duo of Charles and Lashley also continued to show why they are one of the toughest pairing in the league as they scored 8 straight between them, Kestrels up 47-85. Sentance pushed the lead to 40 and Ian Smith and that man Charles would follow up with scores of their own. Liverpool would reply before the period was done, but Chris Scarlett closed the quarter with a pair of long bombs from beyond the arc, much like the first quarter and Kestrels took a 99-55 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The 4th showed just why Kestrels are where they are this season, a completely relentless display on both ends of the floor stringing together their best passages of the ball game out scoring Liverpool, 39-17. Charles kicked started it with an and-1 followed by another Scarlett triple, and although Haggith replied with a 3 for the hosts, Andrew Chaikalis stroked his first 3 of the game to give Kestrels a 114-60 advantage. TSK continued in free scoring mood and when Jon Lashley stroked a jumper he gave his side a 70 point lead at 138-68. Liverpool were able to score twice on the closing possessions and that left the scoreline at 138-72, Kestrels running out convincing winners.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It was a poor start from us on the defensive end as we didn’t come out with the correct intensity or focus. We quickly grew into the game however and showed some excellent spells of basketball at both ends of the floor. We shared the ball & shot an impressive % which is good to see at this point in the season.”
Team Solent Kestrels were powered by no less than 7 players in double figures, all whilst shooting 64% from the field. Travis Charles led the way with 31 points on 88% from the field, whilst Elliott Sentance and Jonathan Lashley added 24 and 20 respectively. Ian Smith was also in fine form once again, as he notched another triple double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Liverpool’s Reiss Haggith was the high point man for them with 24 points, whilst James Lench and Chiz Onuora added 14 and 13 a piece.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376239/bs.html#ASFSK
Watch the game back here; youtu.be/wJL2ti8_iuw
KESTRELS MAKE IT 2 WINS FROM 2 ON THEIR ROAD DOUBLE HEADER
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Kestrels made it two wins from two this weekend on Sunday afternoon, as they used a clinical display to defeat Reading Rockets for a third time this season, 110-78. Despite returning to Southampton at 2am on Sunday morning after a long road trip to Bradford (120-78), Kestrels would control the ball game for large spells and would even lead by as many as 41 points. The win moves TSK to 18-0 on the regular season with the double header weekends coming thick and fast for the rest of the season.
Travis Charles was doing Travis Charles things early on in this one as he got his mid range jumper going whilst Elliott Sentance diced his way to the hoop to give Kestrels a 6-2 lead. The hosts however were in high spirits and fresh legged early on too and would respond through Liam Davis and Nick Richards who briefly gave them the lead at 13-12. A 10-0 run for TSK would give them their first substantial lead at 22-13 and prompt a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts. Although Richards knocked down a pair of triples post timeout, Kestrels would reply through Brendan Okoronkwo and Sentance to ensure they lead 29-21 after one.
A 7-2 run to open the second quarter gave Kestrels a 13 point advantage and the lead would stay there over the next 3 minutes, with the sides freely trading scores. However a series of Rockets turnovers and clinical offensive production from TSK, enabled them to build an 18 point deficit with just under 5 minutes to play in the period, now up 49-31. Out of a Reading timeout Kestrels would push the lead to 24 through an Okoronkwo triple and to as many as 28 before the half was up. Richards did beat the half time buzzer for the hosts and that would leave the scoreline at 61-36 in favour of the visitors.
Travis Charles scored 8 straight for the Kestrels to start the second half and although Leome Francis responded for Reading, Elliot Dadds pushed the gap to 32 as he knocked down his first three. Ian Smith began to find easy avenues to the basket for a number of lay ups for TSK and when Chris Scarlett got in on the act from down town, Kestrels had built themselves a 35 point lead with 10 minutes to play, 87-52.
Elliott Sentance scored 5 straight to open the fourth quarter and Jonathan Lashley got the Kestrels fans off their seat as he stole the ball and took it coast to coast for the one handed slam. With the TSK lead now out at 40, Rockets did show some life as they scored 6 straight but Andrew Chaikalis and Ian Smith were on hand to push the lead back into the 40’s. The sides traded baskets for long spells of the final stanza after the opening flurry from Kestrels and the Rockets starters would trim the gap late to leave the scoreline at 110-78.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performances over the weekend; “After a long night of traveling back from Bradford, it was vital that we got off to a good start against a talented Reading team. I thought our defence was excellent for large spells and this fuelled what we did offensively, again playing unselfishly and getting great shooting options. It’s fantastic to come away with 2 wins this weekend and we must keep building momentum during this difficult stretch of away matches.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 points, however it was Ian Smith that did a little bit of everything as he recorded a triple double, posting 23 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds (0 turnovers). Elliott Sentance also continued his hot streak with 24 points on 76% from the field. Reading Rockets American guard Nick Richards was their high point man with 27 points whilst Liam Davis and Leome Francis chipped in 15 and 11 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376227/bs.html
Full Game; youtu.be/T3vn481J0kM
Kestrels now face another double header weekend on the road, this time a trip to Liverpool on Saturday awaits, followed by a stop off in Leicester on the way back down the country on Sunday.
Travis Charles was doing Travis Charles things early on in this one as he got his mid range jumper going whilst Elliott Sentance diced his way to the hoop to give Kestrels a 6-2 lead. The hosts however were in high spirits and fresh legged early on too and would respond through Liam Davis and Nick Richards who briefly gave them the lead at 13-12. A 10-0 run for TSK would give them their first substantial lead at 22-13 and prompt a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts. Although Richards knocked down a pair of triples post timeout, Kestrels would reply through Brendan Okoronkwo and Sentance to ensure they lead 29-21 after one.
A 7-2 run to open the second quarter gave Kestrels a 13 point advantage and the lead would stay there over the next 3 minutes, with the sides freely trading scores. However a series of Rockets turnovers and clinical offensive production from TSK, enabled them to build an 18 point deficit with just under 5 minutes to play in the period, now up 49-31. Out of a Reading timeout Kestrels would push the lead to 24 through an Okoronkwo triple and to as many as 28 before the half was up. Richards did beat the half time buzzer for the hosts and that would leave the scoreline at 61-36 in favour of the visitors.
Travis Charles scored 8 straight for the Kestrels to start the second half and although Leome Francis responded for Reading, Elliot Dadds pushed the gap to 32 as he knocked down his first three. Ian Smith began to find easy avenues to the basket for a number of lay ups for TSK and when Chris Scarlett got in on the act from down town, Kestrels had built themselves a 35 point lead with 10 minutes to play, 87-52.
Elliott Sentance scored 5 straight to open the fourth quarter and Jonathan Lashley got the Kestrels fans off their seat as he stole the ball and took it coast to coast for the one handed slam. With the TSK lead now out at 40, Rockets did show some life as they scored 6 straight but Andrew Chaikalis and Ian Smith were on hand to push the lead back into the 40’s. The sides traded baskets for long spells of the final stanza after the opening flurry from Kestrels and the Rockets starters would trim the gap late to leave the scoreline at 110-78.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performances over the weekend; “After a long night of traveling back from Bradford, it was vital that we got off to a good start against a talented Reading team. I thought our defence was excellent for large spells and this fuelled what we did offensively, again playing unselfishly and getting great shooting options. It’s fantastic to come away with 2 wins this weekend and we must keep building momentum during this difficult stretch of away matches.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 points, however it was Ian Smith that did a little bit of everything as he recorded a triple double, posting 23 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds (0 turnovers). Elliott Sentance also continued his hot streak with 24 points on 76% from the field. Reading Rockets American guard Nick Richards was their high point man with 27 points whilst Liam Davis and Leome Francis chipped in 15 and 11 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376227/bs.html
Full Game; youtu.be/T3vn481J0kM
Kestrels now face another double header weekend on the road, this time a trip to Liverpool on Saturday awaits, followed by a stop off in Leicester on the way back down the country on Sunday.
TSK GET RIGHT BACK TO BUSINESS IN NBL D1 WITH WIN OVER DRAGONS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made their second trip to Bradford on Saturday evening for the third match up between the two sides this season, with Kestrels having knocked off the Dragons on both occasions in the league and cup respectively. Kestrels led from start to finish in this one to make it a third successive victory over the Yorkshire side and showed little, to no, signs of slowing down in their race to retain the NBL D1 league title.
The sides traded scores in the opening possessions but it was Kestrels who almost immediately raced out to a 9 point lead as Elliot Dadds and Sentance set up shop from beyond the arc, TSK up 18-9. Sentance would then go on a tear of his own, scoring 12 points straight for the Kestrels and subsequently gave his side a 12 point advantage at 29-17. A 9-2 run to close the quarter for the visitors behind some pin point free throw shooting from Jonathan Lashley and Brendan Okoronkwo, moved the Kestrels lead out to 19, 38-19.
Travis Charles scored 6 straight to begin the second quarter and although Ricky Fetske and Rihard Sulcs replied for the hosts, the Kestrels lead was out at 22 when Okoronkwo navigated his way to the hoop for the lay up, 47-25. Jermaine Laing scored 4 unanswered for the Dragons which would prompt a Coach Guymon timeout to refocus his players and refocus them it did. A 15-2 scoring run out of the break in play saw TSK push their lead out to 31 as Charles did his work inside and Dadds continued to light it up from distance. There would be no let up to close the half as Dadds stroked another triple to make it 5-6 at the break from beyond the arc and give Kestrels a 69-35 lead at the interval.
The third quarter saw Kestrels tighten up the defensive even further as they limited Bradford to just 10 points in the quarter whilst pouring in 23 of their own. Charles scored 4 of the first 7 for TSK as he continued to exert his dominance inside and whilst Laing replied for Bradford, it was Elliot Dadds who was waiting to stroke his 6th triple of the game. Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench to kick start a 13-4 run to close the period and he would cap off the run going 1-2 at the foul line, with the Kestrels lead out at 47 (92-45) with 10 minutes to play.
Jonathan Lashley extended the deficit further for TSK, into the 50 point margin as he converted the and-1 opportunity, however a 15-3 run for the hosts would show some fight from them albeit much too late to make a difference. Chaikalis would continue his fine form beyond the arc as he totalled a season high 16 points off the bench and Alex Grant would cap off a fine Kestrels performance as he got on the scoreboard to close out the victory, 120-78.
TSK’s Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides display; “This was an incredible offensive performance from our guys, especially in the first half. We shot 76% from 2pt & 3pt only missing 8 shots. Credit to our players who were so unselfish, ensuring we got these great shooting opportunities. It was also good to see Elliott Sentance playing with the confidence he had before his injury. I’m very pleased with our mentality going into the 2nd half, even with a convincing lead, we kept our focus & energy at both ends of the court.”
Team Solent Kestrels had no less than 6 players in double figures while shooting 69% from the field, Elliott Sentance was the high point man with 23 points, whilst Travis Charles added 22 and Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith had 18 a piece. Dragons were led by David Walsh who posted 22 points whilst Jermaine Laing added 18 and Andreas Lycoudis chipped in 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376233/bs.html#ASFSK
The sides traded scores in the opening possessions but it was Kestrels who almost immediately raced out to a 9 point lead as Elliot Dadds and Sentance set up shop from beyond the arc, TSK up 18-9. Sentance would then go on a tear of his own, scoring 12 points straight for the Kestrels and subsequently gave his side a 12 point advantage at 29-17. A 9-2 run to close the quarter for the visitors behind some pin point free throw shooting from Jonathan Lashley and Brendan Okoronkwo, moved the Kestrels lead out to 19, 38-19.
Travis Charles scored 6 straight to begin the second quarter and although Ricky Fetske and Rihard Sulcs replied for the hosts, the Kestrels lead was out at 22 when Okoronkwo navigated his way to the hoop for the lay up, 47-25. Jermaine Laing scored 4 unanswered for the Dragons which would prompt a Coach Guymon timeout to refocus his players and refocus them it did. A 15-2 scoring run out of the break in play saw TSK push their lead out to 31 as Charles did his work inside and Dadds continued to light it up from distance. There would be no let up to close the half as Dadds stroked another triple to make it 5-6 at the break from beyond the arc and give Kestrels a 69-35 lead at the interval.
The third quarter saw Kestrels tighten up the defensive even further as they limited Bradford to just 10 points in the quarter whilst pouring in 23 of their own. Charles scored 4 of the first 7 for TSK as he continued to exert his dominance inside and whilst Laing replied for Bradford, it was Elliot Dadds who was waiting to stroke his 6th triple of the game. Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench to kick start a 13-4 run to close the period and he would cap off the run going 1-2 at the foul line, with the Kestrels lead out at 47 (92-45) with 10 minutes to play.
Jonathan Lashley extended the deficit further for TSK, into the 50 point margin as he converted the and-1 opportunity, however a 15-3 run for the hosts would show some fight from them albeit much too late to make a difference. Chaikalis would continue his fine form beyond the arc as he totalled a season high 16 points off the bench and Alex Grant would cap off a fine Kestrels performance as he got on the scoreboard to close out the victory, 120-78.
TSK’s Head Coach Matt Guymon commented on his sides display; “This was an incredible offensive performance from our guys, especially in the first half. We shot 76% from 2pt & 3pt only missing 8 shots. Credit to our players who were so unselfish, ensuring we got these great shooting opportunities. It was also good to see Elliott Sentance playing with the confidence he had before his injury. I’m very pleased with our mentality going into the 2nd half, even with a convincing lead, we kept our focus & energy at both ends of the court.”
Team Solent Kestrels had no less than 6 players in double figures while shooting 69% from the field, Elliott Sentance was the high point man with 23 points, whilst Travis Charles added 22 and Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith had 18 a piece. Dragons were led by David Walsh who posted 22 points whilst Jermaine Laing added 18 and Andreas Lycoudis chipped in 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376233/bs.html#ASFSK
KESTRELS KNOCK OFF FLYERS IN SEMI FINAL TO ADVANCE TO GLASGOW
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made yet more history on Sunday evening as they became the first ever NBL side to reach the BBL Trophy Final. After handing Bristol Flyers a 103-67 loss in the first leg of the semi final, it was simply a case of avoiding defeat by more than 36 for TSK and they were in the final. Although Sunday’s game did not go in favour of the visiting Kestrels (who lost their first game in just under a calendar year) losing 92-73, it mattered not, as Coach Guymon’s men won 176-159 on aggregate and will head to Glasgow for this years final Sunday 15th March.
Kestrels raced out to an early 9-2 lead with Elliott Sentance back in the starting line up finding his scoring rhythm and although the hosts responded through Gentry Thomas, Sentance made it 7 points personal inside the first 5 minutes to give his side an 14-8 advantage. Chris Taylor and Josh Rogers came off the bench for the Flyers to help them close the gap before the quarter finished, but Sentance, who finished with 12 points in the opening period, ensured the TSK lead was 4 with a pair of foul shots, 24-20.
It was back and forth to start the second quarter, until Gentry Thomas scored a pair of tough pull ups to edge Bristol in front for the first time at 28-27. Kestrels responded in timely fashion though as Ian Smith and TrayVonn Wright hit back to back 3’s to give them a 33-28 lead and force a Coach Kapoulas timeout. A 12-4 run from the Flyers to close the half ensured they took a slender lead 3 point lead into the break, after a strange ending to the half with a questionable technical foul called on TrayVonn Wright from the officials.
As to be expected the 2nd half started at a frenetic pace with one team needing to shift the balance and one keen to use every second of every possession. The sides matched each other blow for blow however as Levi Bradley scored 6 straight for Bristol whilst Sentance and Brendan Okoronkwo replied. A 7-0 run to follow however would give the home side their first substantial lead of the semi final tie, now up 53-42. After a timeout from TSK Okoronkwo calmed the travelling supporters nerves as he stroked a triple but the pressure continued to mount when Daniel Edozie extended the lead to 15. A late Kestrels run to close the quarter would be a huge confidence booster for them, as Jonathan Lashley earned several trips to the foul line knocking down his free throws, which meant the Flyers lead was now only at 8 with 10 minutes to play, 70-62.
Thomas hit another triple to start the 4th but Lashley replied at the foul line once again, and when neither team scored for the next 3 minutes that would better suit TSK with the large aggregate deficit on their side. The lead did jump out to 14 for the home side but when Ian Smith knocked down a much needed triple for his side, the Flyers would call timeout, 67-78. Kestrels trimmed the lead to 9 points with 3 minutes left, however Gentry Thomas and Raphell Thomas-Edwards converted at the foul line to push the deficit to 14 on the night, followed by another bout of officiating decisions resulting in a technical foul and an unsportsmanlike. Flyers capitalised and pushed the lead out to 19 with the final score on the night 92-73 but that mattered not as Team Solent Kestrels advance to the BBL Trophy Final.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance who had 17 points and 7 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith and TrayVonn Wright backed him up with 16 and 13 respectively. Bristol Flyers Canadian guard Gentry Thomas had 27 points to lead them with Levi Bradley adding 20 and Daniel Edozie 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It’s obviously disappointing to lose any game of basketball, there were some positive spells for us however we did have a number of uncharacteristic lapses which ultimately cost us the chance to win the ball game on Sunday. That said it’s bitter sweet because we now make history in progressing to another showcase final for the club and full credit to our guys who were able ensure over two legs we did enough to move on.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1534291/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/ZpX7UFQ2ivo
Kestrels now turn attention to NBL D1 action with a difficult road double header awaiting them this weekend. They will travel to Bradford Dragons on Saturday before returning back to the south on Sunday where they will face Reading Rockets in a rematch of last months National Cup Final.
Kestrels raced out to an early 9-2 lead with Elliott Sentance back in the starting line up finding his scoring rhythm and although the hosts responded through Gentry Thomas, Sentance made it 7 points personal inside the first 5 minutes to give his side an 14-8 advantage. Chris Taylor and Josh Rogers came off the bench for the Flyers to help them close the gap before the quarter finished, but Sentance, who finished with 12 points in the opening period, ensured the TSK lead was 4 with a pair of foul shots, 24-20.
It was back and forth to start the second quarter, until Gentry Thomas scored a pair of tough pull ups to edge Bristol in front for the first time at 28-27. Kestrels responded in timely fashion though as Ian Smith and TrayVonn Wright hit back to back 3’s to give them a 33-28 lead and force a Coach Kapoulas timeout. A 12-4 run from the Flyers to close the half ensured they took a slender lead 3 point lead into the break, after a strange ending to the half with a questionable technical foul called on TrayVonn Wright from the officials.
As to be expected the 2nd half started at a frenetic pace with one team needing to shift the balance and one keen to use every second of every possession. The sides matched each other blow for blow however as Levi Bradley scored 6 straight for Bristol whilst Sentance and Brendan Okoronkwo replied. A 7-0 run to follow however would give the home side their first substantial lead of the semi final tie, now up 53-42. After a timeout from TSK Okoronkwo calmed the travelling supporters nerves as he stroked a triple but the pressure continued to mount when Daniel Edozie extended the lead to 15. A late Kestrels run to close the quarter would be a huge confidence booster for them, as Jonathan Lashley earned several trips to the foul line knocking down his free throws, which meant the Flyers lead was now only at 8 with 10 minutes to play, 70-62.
Thomas hit another triple to start the 4th but Lashley replied at the foul line once again, and when neither team scored for the next 3 minutes that would better suit TSK with the large aggregate deficit on their side. The lead did jump out to 14 for the home side but when Ian Smith knocked down a much needed triple for his side, the Flyers would call timeout, 67-78. Kestrels trimmed the lead to 9 points with 3 minutes left, however Gentry Thomas and Raphell Thomas-Edwards converted at the foul line to push the deficit to 14 on the night, followed by another bout of officiating decisions resulting in a technical foul and an unsportsmanlike. Flyers capitalised and pushed the lead out to 19 with the final score on the night 92-73 but that mattered not as Team Solent Kestrels advance to the BBL Trophy Final.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance who had 17 points and 7 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith and TrayVonn Wright backed him up with 16 and 13 respectively. Bristol Flyers Canadian guard Gentry Thomas had 27 points to lead them with Levi Bradley adding 20 and Daniel Edozie 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It’s obviously disappointing to lose any game of basketball, there were some positive spells for us however we did have a number of uncharacteristic lapses which ultimately cost us the chance to win the ball game on Sunday. That said it’s bitter sweet because we now make history in progressing to another showcase final for the club and full credit to our guys who were able ensure over two legs we did enough to move on.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1534291/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/ZpX7UFQ2ivo
Kestrels now turn attention to NBL D1 action with a difficult road double header awaiting them this weekend. They will travel to Bradford Dragons on Saturday before returning back to the south on Sunday where they will face Reading Rockets in a rematch of last months National Cup Final.
TSK TAKE HUGE ADVANTAGE INTO 2NG LEG OF BBL TROPHY SEMI FINAL
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Wednesday evening at the Solent Sports Complex was the back drop for arguably the most historic night in the clubs existence, as they dominated BBL side Bristol Flyers in the first leg of the BBL Trophy Semi Final. Kestrels used a remarkable second half display to build themselves a 36 point advantage ahead of the second leg on Sunday evening, winning 103-67. With the competition format following an aggregate scoring system over the two legs, Flyers will have to climb their way out of the heavy deficit to prevent TSK from booking their Finals spot next month in Glasgow.
Kestrels started fast as they flew out of the blocks and built an early 6 nothing lead, with Travis Charles establishing his rhythm early, followed by an Ian Smith pull up. Raphell Thomas-Edwards barrelled his way to the hoop to get the visitors on the board, but a pair of triples from Smith and then Elliot Dadds, saw Coach Andreas Kapoulas call for timeout with just 3 minutes played, TSK 12-2. The sides traded scores out of the timeout with the Kestrels offence showing no signs of slowing down, and when Dadds made his second three of the game to cap off a 7-2 run, the hosts were 21-8 to the good with just under 4 minutes to play in the period. TSK’s hot shooting continued behind Ian Smith who was in fine form and when TrayVonn Wright came off the bench to make his Kestrels debut, he got on in the act from beyond the arc also (30-15). A 7-0 run to close the quarter did however bring the Flyers back to within 8 at 30-22.
A 7-0 start to the second quarter pushed the Kestrels advantage back out to 15 as that man Smith could not miss from three. Thomas-Edwards and Levi Bradley would begin to chip away at the the hosts lead however converting on a number of second chance opportunities and they would eventually cut the gap to just 9 points with a little over 3 minutes left in the half. Okoronkwo restored a 13 point advantage out of a Coach Guymon timeout, but it was Flyers who strung a 7-2 run together to close out the half and reduce the arrears to 8, 51-43.
The second half opened in tense fashion as both teams were unable to find any easy scores, however Elliott Sentance broke the drought as he sliced to the rim for the difficult finish to put Kestrels back up double digits. That would kick start a back and forth spell that ended with Bristol’s Gentry Thomas trimming the gap to 7 as he stroked a three. With a number of trips to the foul line for both sides the 3rd quarter lacked the rhythm the game had in the first half, but that suited the hosts just fine who still had their double digit advantage in tact. A 9-0 run to close the period however, including 4 Jonathan Lashley points (2 of which were a buzzer beating euro step) meant Kestrels were now firmly in the driving seat heading into the 4th, 71-53.
The 4th quarter really only needs two words, Chris Scarlett… The sharpshooter would catch fire making 4 straight triples to start the final stanza, (plus one more from the back end of the 3rd) including a tough and-1 to completely blow the game wide open, 86-53. Charles would pile on the pressure further as he found himself wide open under the basket and Flyers would call for their final timeout of the game with over 7 minutes to play. A 7-0 run for the visitors in response, prompted a Coach Guymon timeout as he was keen to preserve his sides lead and refocus his side. A 17-5 to close out the game post timeout, ensured that TSK take a huge 36 point advantage into the second leg this Sunday, 103-67.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of a special night for the programme; “What an unbelievable night for the club. To see the team play as well as they did, in front of a packed house was truly incredible, the Kestrels Family were out in full force and made for a fantastic atmosphere. This is our first time in a 2 leg competition so it’s important we stay focused and keep the momentum moving into Sunday.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American point guard, Ian Smith, who had 29 points on 10-12 from the field to go along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, whilst Chris Scarlett added 18 and TrayVonn Wright chipped in 14 off the bench. Bristol’s Raphell Thomas-Edwards had himself 18 points to lead the charge for the visitors with Levi Bradley the only other player in double figures with 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1525116/bs.html
Watch the game back; https://youtu.be/IgK-HDiklvE
Kestrels were due to head out on the road to face the Derby Trailblazers tomorrow in NBL D1 action (7:15pm) before making the trip west to Bristol on Sunday (5:15pm) as they look to wrap up a spot in the BBL Trophy Final. However due to Storm Dennis and the adverse weather conditions tomorrow the club have postponed all Away fixtures that require teams to travel, that fixture will be rearranged in due course.
Kestrels started fast as they flew out of the blocks and built an early 6 nothing lead, with Travis Charles establishing his rhythm early, followed by an Ian Smith pull up. Raphell Thomas-Edwards barrelled his way to the hoop to get the visitors on the board, but a pair of triples from Smith and then Elliot Dadds, saw Coach Andreas Kapoulas call for timeout with just 3 minutes played, TSK 12-2. The sides traded scores out of the timeout with the Kestrels offence showing no signs of slowing down, and when Dadds made his second three of the game to cap off a 7-2 run, the hosts were 21-8 to the good with just under 4 minutes to play in the period. TSK’s hot shooting continued behind Ian Smith who was in fine form and when TrayVonn Wright came off the bench to make his Kestrels debut, he got on in the act from beyond the arc also (30-15). A 7-0 run to close the quarter did however bring the Flyers back to within 8 at 30-22.
A 7-0 start to the second quarter pushed the Kestrels advantage back out to 15 as that man Smith could not miss from three. Thomas-Edwards and Levi Bradley would begin to chip away at the the hosts lead however converting on a number of second chance opportunities and they would eventually cut the gap to just 9 points with a little over 3 minutes left in the half. Okoronkwo restored a 13 point advantage out of a Coach Guymon timeout, but it was Flyers who strung a 7-2 run together to close out the half and reduce the arrears to 8, 51-43.
The second half opened in tense fashion as both teams were unable to find any easy scores, however Elliott Sentance broke the drought as he sliced to the rim for the difficult finish to put Kestrels back up double digits. That would kick start a back and forth spell that ended with Bristol’s Gentry Thomas trimming the gap to 7 as he stroked a three. With a number of trips to the foul line for both sides the 3rd quarter lacked the rhythm the game had in the first half, but that suited the hosts just fine who still had their double digit advantage in tact. A 9-0 run to close the period however, including 4 Jonathan Lashley points (2 of which were a buzzer beating euro step) meant Kestrels were now firmly in the driving seat heading into the 4th, 71-53.
The 4th quarter really only needs two words, Chris Scarlett… The sharpshooter would catch fire making 4 straight triples to start the final stanza, (plus one more from the back end of the 3rd) including a tough and-1 to completely blow the game wide open, 86-53. Charles would pile on the pressure further as he found himself wide open under the basket and Flyers would call for their final timeout of the game with over 7 minutes to play. A 7-0 run for the visitors in response, prompted a Coach Guymon timeout as he was keen to preserve his sides lead and refocus his side. A 17-5 to close out the game post timeout, ensured that TSK take a huge 36 point advantage into the second leg this Sunday, 103-67.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of a special night for the programme; “What an unbelievable night for the club. To see the team play as well as they did, in front of a packed house was truly incredible, the Kestrels Family were out in full force and made for a fantastic atmosphere. This is our first time in a 2 leg competition so it’s important we stay focused and keep the momentum moving into Sunday.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American point guard, Ian Smith, who had 29 points on 10-12 from the field to go along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, whilst Chris Scarlett added 18 and TrayVonn Wright chipped in 14 off the bench. Bristol’s Raphell Thomas-Edwards had himself 18 points to lead the charge for the visitors with Levi Bradley the only other player in double figures with 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1525116/bs.html
Watch the game back; https://youtu.be/IgK-HDiklvE
Kestrels were due to head out on the road to face the Derby Trailblazers tomorrow in NBL D1 action (7:15pm) before making the trip west to Bristol on Sunday (5:15pm) as they look to wrap up a spot in the BBL Trophy Final. However due to Storm Dennis and the adverse weather conditions tomorrow the club have postponed all Away fixtures that require teams to travel, that fixture will be rearranged in due course.
KESTRELS MOVE TO 16-0 WITH ROUTINE WIN OVER WARRIORS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday evening saw the newly crowned National Cup Champions return to the Solent Sports Complex, as TSK turned their attentions back to NBL D1 action. It was very much a case of business as usual for Kestrels, as they handed Westminster Warriors a 97-69 loss and improved to 16-0 at the summit of the division.
It was the visitors who struck first from the opening tip, as Michael Omari knocked down the tough turn around jump shot, for the Warriors. However Kestrels didn’t take long at all to shift through the gears and they would string together an 18-0 run over the opening five minutes. Scores from the high flying Luke Busumbru as well as a pair of triples from Brendan Okoronkwo amongst others, meant TSK were firmly in control early on. Warriors responded briefly through Jon Johnson and big man Lawerence Brown but Kestrels’ Elliott Sentance came off the bench to ensure his sides lead stayed out at 16, 28-12 after one.
Both sides traded scores early on in the second until Travis Charles scored 5 straight points to push the Kestrels advantage to 21. Westminster’s bench helped them to a 7-2 run to keep themselves within 16 but timely scores from Sentance and Okoronkwo restored the TSK lead and ensured they would head into the interval 52-31 to the good.
Kestrels would further extend the gap to 26 early in the second half, behind Ian Smith and Travis Charles, who both found their way to the hoop for easy scores. Warriors found their scoring touch through point guard Afra Khalil and Guy Rundle but with TSK replying almost every trip down the floor, the lead would remain out at 20 plus for the visitors. Jonathan Lashley scored 4 straight to close the quarter for the Kestrels, leaving them up 75-51 with 10 minutes to play.
A 9-2 run to open the final period showed Warriors were not done yet and that they were going to make TSK work for the full 40 minutes, for their 16th league win on the bounce. Charles would stop the drought for the hosts, sparking a 12-3 run in reply as he scored 8 of the 12 and restored the advantage to 26 for his side. The closing possessions saw both teams in free scoring mood, however it was Kestrels who would run out 97-69 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had himself 30 points and 12 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo and Elliott Sentance added 18 and 17 respectively. Westminster’s player coach Jon Johnson led them with 15 points with Max Hufschlag chipping in 11 and Afra Khalil 10.
TSK Play caller, Matt Guymon commented; “This was an important game for us off the back of a National Cup Final last weekend, Westminster have been an unknown quantity on the road this season therefore it was vital for our guys to come with the right approach and focus. I felt like we were able to do this in spurts of the game, however it was not our most consistent 40 minute performance but ultimately the guys did enough to secure another victory.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376198/bs.html#ASFSK
TSK will now switch their focus to their all important BBL Trophy Semi Final first leg encounter with Bristol Flyers, this coming Wednesday, 7:30pm @ the SSC. Tickets are available on the door on game night.
It was the visitors who struck first from the opening tip, as Michael Omari knocked down the tough turn around jump shot, for the Warriors. However Kestrels didn’t take long at all to shift through the gears and they would string together an 18-0 run over the opening five minutes. Scores from the high flying Luke Busumbru as well as a pair of triples from Brendan Okoronkwo amongst others, meant TSK were firmly in control early on. Warriors responded briefly through Jon Johnson and big man Lawerence Brown but Kestrels’ Elliott Sentance came off the bench to ensure his sides lead stayed out at 16, 28-12 after one.
Both sides traded scores early on in the second until Travis Charles scored 5 straight points to push the Kestrels advantage to 21. Westminster’s bench helped them to a 7-2 run to keep themselves within 16 but timely scores from Sentance and Okoronkwo restored the TSK lead and ensured they would head into the interval 52-31 to the good.
Kestrels would further extend the gap to 26 early in the second half, behind Ian Smith and Travis Charles, who both found their way to the hoop for easy scores. Warriors found their scoring touch through point guard Afra Khalil and Guy Rundle but with TSK replying almost every trip down the floor, the lead would remain out at 20 plus for the visitors. Jonathan Lashley scored 4 straight to close the quarter for the Kestrels, leaving them up 75-51 with 10 minutes to play.
A 9-2 run to open the final period showed Warriors were not done yet and that they were going to make TSK work for the full 40 minutes, for their 16th league win on the bounce. Charles would stop the drought for the hosts, sparking a 12-3 run in reply as he scored 8 of the 12 and restored the advantage to 26 for his side. The closing possessions saw both teams in free scoring mood, however it was Kestrels who would run out 97-69 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had himself 30 points and 12 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo and Elliott Sentance added 18 and 17 respectively. Westminster’s player coach Jon Johnson led them with 15 points with Max Hufschlag chipping in 11 and Afra Khalil 10.
TSK Play caller, Matt Guymon commented; “This was an important game for us off the back of a National Cup Final last weekend, Westminster have been an unknown quantity on the road this season therefore it was vital for our guys to come with the right approach and focus. I felt like we were able to do this in spurts of the game, however it was not our most consistent 40 minute performance but ultimately the guys did enough to secure another victory.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376198/bs.html#ASFSK
TSK will now switch their focus to their all important BBL Trophy Semi Final first leg encounter with Bristol Flyers, this coming Wednesday, 7:30pm @ the SSC. Tickets are available on the door on game night.
TSK CROWNED NATIONAL CUP CHAMPIONS
Team Solent Kestrels continue to make history this season, as they clinched their first ever National Cup title at the University of Essex Sports Arena this weekend. Having made the final 3 out of the last 4 seasons, it had been the only trophy to elude Coach Guymon and his side, however a dominant display against a physical Reading Rockets side helped Kestrels to the first piece of silverware available this season.
Kestrels raced out to a 6-0 lead to start proceedings on Sunday afternoon, and they would never relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game, Travis Charles scored 4 quick points and Luke Busumbru soared to the hoop for a high flying lay up. Rockets would reply through the ever physical Ed Potter and a Ben Dixon finish in the paint, to get them off the mark, however it was TSK who continued to pour on the scoring fire power. A 7-0 run mid way through the quarter, behind a one handed Busumbru flush, forced Coach Keane into his first timeout with Kestrels now up 17-7. The sides traded scores post timeout, with Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith opening their accounts whilst Potter continued to find offensive rebounds for Rockets. A 9-2 run capped off by a Jonathan Lashley lay up for TSK saw them hold a 28-15 advantage after one.
Nick Richards briefly brought Reading back to within 10 early in the second, however a quick 7-0 scoring run from bench mob Elliott Sentance and Chris Scarlett saw TSK build their biggest lead of the game thus far, up 36-19 with Reading opting to use their second timeout with 7:26 remaining the half. A 6-2 scoring run post timeout for Rockets saw Coach Guymon call for time to settle his side down after Rocket cut the gap to 13 and it did just that as a 7-1 run in their favour restored a 19 point deficit. The half finished at a much slower pace as both teams struggled for rhythm and that meant Kestrels held a 49-30 lead at the half way mark.
Travis Charles connected on a short jumper to get the second half underway and despite a pair of Liam Davis free throws for Rockets, Okoronkwo and Smith extended the gap further to 23 points. A 6-0 Reading run, showed that they were not going to let Kestrels get their hands on the cup without a fight, as Nick Richards found success with his pull up jumper. In scrappy period of basketball from a TSK perspective, Rockets would capitalise and did eventually trim the arrears to 16, behind youngster Ross Stepney. TSK 65-49 to the good with 10 minutes to play.
Rockets flirted with a late come back in the early goings of the 4th quarter through Potter and Richards who’s pull up jump shot continue to cause TSK problems. However a 7-0 run through the mid point of the period capped off by another Busumbru steal and coast to coast dunk, ensured the Kestrels lead was back in the 20’s, up 78-56 with 4:44 left. A flurry of scores for both sides added to their tallies but that better suited TSK who were still firmly in control of the ball game, with Sentance pushing the lead out to 25 late on, before the south coasters eventually ran out 90-67 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 21 points, however it was Brendan Okoronkwo who picked up the MVP with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assist and 4 steals, whilst Luke Busumbru added 14 points. Reading Rockets American Guard Nick Richards led their scoring charge with 22 points with Ed Potter and Liam Davis adding 16 and 10 points respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon weighed in the clubs successful weekend; “I thought it was a great game for us today, we prepped all week for Reading and they were missing some key personnel, that meant other players stepped up for them despite our runs. This means everything for our club with our junior U16 Boys winning yesterday and the senior men today, its such a great testament to the work that goes on behind the scenes at our programme. This is our third final in the last four years, we were beaten convincingly in the previous two, so it was great for us to finally get our hands on the cup.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1518934/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/REn8NSZWO2M
Kestrels now turn all attention back to NBL D1 action after a two week hiatus with BBL Trophy and National Cup duties. Westminster Warriors will be the visitors on Saturday evening at the SSC for a 6pm tip off, where TSK will look to stay undefeated in the league.
Kestrels raced out to a 6-0 lead to start proceedings on Sunday afternoon, and they would never relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game, Travis Charles scored 4 quick points and Luke Busumbru soared to the hoop for a high flying lay up. Rockets would reply through the ever physical Ed Potter and a Ben Dixon finish in the paint, to get them off the mark, however it was TSK who continued to pour on the scoring fire power. A 7-0 run mid way through the quarter, behind a one handed Busumbru flush, forced Coach Keane into his first timeout with Kestrels now up 17-7. The sides traded scores post timeout, with Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith opening their accounts whilst Potter continued to find offensive rebounds for Rockets. A 9-2 run capped off by a Jonathan Lashley lay up for TSK saw them hold a 28-15 advantage after one.
Nick Richards briefly brought Reading back to within 10 early in the second, however a quick 7-0 scoring run from bench mob Elliott Sentance and Chris Scarlett saw TSK build their biggest lead of the game thus far, up 36-19 with Reading opting to use their second timeout with 7:26 remaining the half. A 6-2 scoring run post timeout for Rockets saw Coach Guymon call for time to settle his side down after Rocket cut the gap to 13 and it did just that as a 7-1 run in their favour restored a 19 point deficit. The half finished at a much slower pace as both teams struggled for rhythm and that meant Kestrels held a 49-30 lead at the half way mark.
Travis Charles connected on a short jumper to get the second half underway and despite a pair of Liam Davis free throws for Rockets, Okoronkwo and Smith extended the gap further to 23 points. A 6-0 Reading run, showed that they were not going to let Kestrels get their hands on the cup without a fight, as Nick Richards found success with his pull up jumper. In scrappy period of basketball from a TSK perspective, Rockets would capitalise and did eventually trim the arrears to 16, behind youngster Ross Stepney. TSK 65-49 to the good with 10 minutes to play.
Rockets flirted with a late come back in the early goings of the 4th quarter through Potter and Richards who’s pull up jump shot continue to cause TSK problems. However a 7-0 run through the mid point of the period capped off by another Busumbru steal and coast to coast dunk, ensured the Kestrels lead was back in the 20’s, up 78-56 with 4:44 left. A flurry of scores for both sides added to their tallies but that better suited TSK who were still firmly in control of the ball game, with Sentance pushing the lead out to 25 late on, before the south coasters eventually ran out 90-67 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 21 points, however it was Brendan Okoronkwo who picked up the MVP with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assist and 4 steals, whilst Luke Busumbru added 14 points. Reading Rockets American Guard Nick Richards led their scoring charge with 22 points with Ed Potter and Liam Davis adding 16 and 10 points respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon weighed in the clubs successful weekend; “I thought it was a great game for us today, we prepped all week for Reading and they were missing some key personnel, that meant other players stepped up for them despite our runs. This means everything for our club with our junior U16 Boys winning yesterday and the senior men today, its such a great testament to the work that goes on behind the scenes at our programme. This is our third final in the last four years, we were beaten convincingly in the previous two, so it was great for us to finally get our hands on the cup.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1518934/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/REn8NSZWO2M
Kestrels now turn all attention back to NBL D1 action after a two week hiatus with BBL Trophy and National Cup duties. Westminster Warriors will be the visitors on Saturday evening at the SSC for a 6pm tip off, where TSK will look to stay undefeated in the league.
KESTRELS MAKE HISTORY BY CLINCHING BBL TROPHY SEMI FINAL SPOT
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made British basketball history on Saturday evening, as they defeated Worthing Thunder 94-81 and booked their spot in the semi final of the BBL Trophy, becoming the first NBL D1 club to do so. After knocking out last seasons BBL league champions London Lions, early this year, Kestrels dispatched Thunder to set up a two legged encounter with Bristol Flyers in February.
Kestrels quickly set about finding their scoring rhythm as Travis Charles converted a pair of free throws, before Luke Busumbru went coast to coast for the high flying finish above the rim to give his side a 0-4 lead. However it was the hosts who threw the next punch by way of a 12-2 run, with the home crowd behind them, Tom Ward scored 5 straight to put Thunder up 12-6. The lead was short lived for Thunder though as Elliott Sentance came off the bench to earn a trip to the foul line and when Brendan Okoronkwo stroked a triple, with just 2 minutes left in the quarter, the deficit was down to just a point at 16-15. The sides traded baskets in the closing stages of the period, including a trademark Chris Scarlett three to beat the first quarter buzzer, leaving TSK down 1 (23-22).
Scarlett made it back to back three’s as he opened the second quarter scoring for his side and Elliot Dadds followed suit to give Kestrels a 23-28 lead early on. Tom Ward continued his hot start from beyond the arc to reply for Thunder and brought them within two on the following possession with another jumper. 5 quick transition points from Busumbru and this time a triple from Ian Smith, saw Thunder call for timeout, with TSK threatening to take charge now up 28-35. Worthing most definitely made good use of the timeout to break up the Kestrels momentum and were able to reduce the arrears to just a point when AJ Basi converted an and-1. The visitors would close the half on an 8-2 run, including some hard work on the glass from Jonathan Lashley, to ensure they held an 8 point lead at the break up, 42-50.
TSK came out firing to start the third quarter as a 10-0 run, including a one handed hammer from Luke Busumbru, powered them to a 42-60 lead with less than 4 minutes gone in the period. It was very much a quarter of runs however, as Cameron Hildreth and AJ Basi kick started a come back for the hosts, and a 10-0 run in reply, brought them right back to within 8 and prompted a Coach Guymon timeout. Kestrels were able to regroup post TO and finish the quarter on a 7-2 scoring run, including a triple from Jonathan Lashley to beat the buzzer, TSK 57-70.
The side exchanged a number of scores to start the final stanza, as Kestrels would get up 14 briefly behind another Lashley finish in the paint. That was until a 10-2 run mid way through the quarter made things very interesting, with Thunder pulling themselves within 6 at 71-77, led by Hildreth. However order was restored for the visitors, as Busumbru knocked down a pair of free throws followed by an Ian Smith pull up, to put them back up 10, 74-84 with 1:24 left in the ball game. Despite a late flurry of three’s for the hosts, Kestrels would hold their nerve from the foul line to see this one out and advance to the semi final of the BBL Trophy, 81-94.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides resolve, in over coming Worthing for a third time this season; ”I’m so proud of our guys, who put in another fantastic performance in a game that has made history for British Basketball. This was an action packed game and I felt that we showed incredible resilience to respond to Worthing’s scoring runs”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by point guard Ian Smith’s 21 points, whilst Travis Charles added 18 and Jonathan Lashley 13. The hosts young star Cameron Hildreth had 19 points to lead them with veterans Alex Owumi and Tom Ward adding 18 and 15 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1490528/
Full Game; https://youtu.be/bBZgbhChPUQ
Kestrels will now face Bristol Flyers in the semi final but before that they must turn their attentions to a huge National Cup Final clash with Reading Rockets this coming Sunday (3:30pm). Essex University will host the finals weekend and TSK’s U16 Boys will also be apart of the weekend, as they face Manchester Magic on Saturday at 12:30pm.
Purchase Tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/event-tickets/
Kestrels quickly set about finding their scoring rhythm as Travis Charles converted a pair of free throws, before Luke Busumbru went coast to coast for the high flying finish above the rim to give his side a 0-4 lead. However it was the hosts who threw the next punch by way of a 12-2 run, with the home crowd behind them, Tom Ward scored 5 straight to put Thunder up 12-6. The lead was short lived for Thunder though as Elliott Sentance came off the bench to earn a trip to the foul line and when Brendan Okoronkwo stroked a triple, with just 2 minutes left in the quarter, the deficit was down to just a point at 16-15. The sides traded baskets in the closing stages of the period, including a trademark Chris Scarlett three to beat the first quarter buzzer, leaving TSK down 1 (23-22).
Scarlett made it back to back three’s as he opened the second quarter scoring for his side and Elliot Dadds followed suit to give Kestrels a 23-28 lead early on. Tom Ward continued his hot start from beyond the arc to reply for Thunder and brought them within two on the following possession with another jumper. 5 quick transition points from Busumbru and this time a triple from Ian Smith, saw Thunder call for timeout, with TSK threatening to take charge now up 28-35. Worthing most definitely made good use of the timeout to break up the Kestrels momentum and were able to reduce the arrears to just a point when AJ Basi converted an and-1. The visitors would close the half on an 8-2 run, including some hard work on the glass from Jonathan Lashley, to ensure they held an 8 point lead at the break up, 42-50.
TSK came out firing to start the third quarter as a 10-0 run, including a one handed hammer from Luke Busumbru, powered them to a 42-60 lead with less than 4 minutes gone in the period. It was very much a quarter of runs however, as Cameron Hildreth and AJ Basi kick started a come back for the hosts, and a 10-0 run in reply, brought them right back to within 8 and prompted a Coach Guymon timeout. Kestrels were able to regroup post TO and finish the quarter on a 7-2 scoring run, including a triple from Jonathan Lashley to beat the buzzer, TSK 57-70.
The side exchanged a number of scores to start the final stanza, as Kestrels would get up 14 briefly behind another Lashley finish in the paint. That was until a 10-2 run mid way through the quarter made things very interesting, with Thunder pulling themselves within 6 at 71-77, led by Hildreth. However order was restored for the visitors, as Busumbru knocked down a pair of free throws followed by an Ian Smith pull up, to put them back up 10, 74-84 with 1:24 left in the ball game. Despite a late flurry of three’s for the hosts, Kestrels would hold their nerve from the foul line to see this one out and advance to the semi final of the BBL Trophy, 81-94.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides resolve, in over coming Worthing for a third time this season; ”I’m so proud of our guys, who put in another fantastic performance in a game that has made history for British Basketball. This was an action packed game and I felt that we showed incredible resilience to respond to Worthing’s scoring runs”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by point guard Ian Smith’s 21 points, whilst Travis Charles added 18 and Jonathan Lashley 13. The hosts young star Cameron Hildreth had 19 points to lead them with veterans Alex Owumi and Tom Ward adding 18 and 15 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1490528/
Full Game; https://youtu.be/bBZgbhChPUQ
Kestrels will now face Bristol Flyers in the semi final but before that they must turn their attentions to a huge National Cup Final clash with Reading Rockets this coming Sunday (3:30pm). Essex University will host the finals weekend and TSK’s U16 Boys will also be apart of the weekend, as they face Manchester Magic on Saturday at 12:30pm.
Purchase Tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/event-tickets/
TSK PUNCH 3RD NATIONAL CUP FINAL TICKET IN 4 SEASONS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made it 3 National Cup final appearances in 4 seasons on Sunday afternoon, as they saw off Loughborough Riders in the semi final, 86-70. In a rematch of last seasons final, Kestrels made the trip to the East Midlands to play their 4th cup game in a row on the road and would keep their unbeaten season record well and truly intact.
Elliot Dadds opened the Kestrels early scoring onslaught as he stroked a three on the opening possession of the ball game and despite Rasheed Worrell scoring inside for the hosts, Kestrels would set about building a 2-13 lead inside three minutes, prompting a Coach Jarram timeout for the Riders. Worrell converted for his side post timeout but it would get worse for the hosts Brendan Okoronkwo and Travis Charles scored 4 straight. A 9-3 run for Kestrels to follow saw the lead pushed out to 11-26 and when Okoronkwo stroked his second triple of the period, it was a 16 point Kestrel lead with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Jonathan Lashley came off the bench to provide instant impact once again for the visitors and despite a late Reis Pinnock three ball, TSK were firmly in control after one, 18-34.
Elliott Sentance marked his return to the Kestrels line up with a trademark cut and finish under the basket to kick start the second quarter. The sides traded baskets in large part for the opening possessions of the period, but that would better suit the visitors who were still in the driving seat come the mid point of the quarter, 21 points to the good. A 13-1 run to close out the half however would take the lead to an unassailable 30 points, as Luke Busumbru and Charles scored freely for the visiting Kestrels, leaving the scoreline at 27-57 at the break.
A 7-0 run to start the second half showed that Loughborough were ready to chip away at the huge TSK lead as Harrison Gamble got in on the scoring act for the hosts, but Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles would settle down their side with a pair of scores in the paint. Alex Roberts would score 4 straight to follow and when Jonas Dietrich scored in transition, Coach Matt Guymon called for timeout the lead now down to 21. Riders were able to continue their scoring rhythm to close the quarter and trimmed the deficit to 17 heading into the final stanza, 49-66
The hosts momentarily brought themselves within 16 but that would be as close as they got, a 6-0 run for TSK, capped off by a Charles turn around jumper, restored a 22 point cushion. The sides traded baskets for long spells in the fourth until a brief 5-0 run for Kestrels, behind a Luke Busumbru and-1 and a Dadds pull up, effectively punched TSK’s Cup Final ticket with just over 3 minutes to play. With Kestrels up 24, Riders frantically tried to find quick scores but it was too little to late for the hosts, as TSK held on for the 70-86 victory and set up a Cup Final showdown with Reading Rockets on 2nd February 2020.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance and on reaching another cup final; “This is another fantastic achievement for the club to reach our 3rd cup final in 4 seasons, the guys have shown outstanding resilience through out our cup run having played all of our games on the road. Our guys were locked in from the jump and that allowed us to build the momentum early on, which enabled us to create a big deficit heading into half time. Credit to Loughborough, we knew they would respond in the second half with a run of their own and we were able to weather the storm, resulting in a convincing victory.”
Travis Charles was the high point man for Team Solent Kestrels with 22 points and 9 rebounds, whilst Elliot Dadds added 17 points and Luke Busumbru chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds. Loughborough were led by guard Alex Roberts who had 20 points and Reis Pinnock who was the only other player in double figures for the hosts with 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1493617/
It’s now a double header on finals weekends at the University of Essex (1st/2nd February 2020) with TSK U16 Boys taking on Manchester Magic on the Saturday (12:30pm tip) whilst D1 Men match up with Reading Rockets on the Sunday (3:30pm).
Get your tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/events/basketball-england-nbl-senior-cup-final/
Elliot Dadds opened the Kestrels early scoring onslaught as he stroked a three on the opening possession of the ball game and despite Rasheed Worrell scoring inside for the hosts, Kestrels would set about building a 2-13 lead inside three minutes, prompting a Coach Jarram timeout for the Riders. Worrell converted for his side post timeout but it would get worse for the hosts Brendan Okoronkwo and Travis Charles scored 4 straight. A 9-3 run for Kestrels to follow saw the lead pushed out to 11-26 and when Okoronkwo stroked his second triple of the period, it was a 16 point Kestrel lead with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Jonathan Lashley came off the bench to provide instant impact once again for the visitors and despite a late Reis Pinnock three ball, TSK were firmly in control after one, 18-34.
Elliott Sentance marked his return to the Kestrels line up with a trademark cut and finish under the basket to kick start the second quarter. The sides traded baskets in large part for the opening possessions of the period, but that would better suit the visitors who were still in the driving seat come the mid point of the quarter, 21 points to the good. A 13-1 run to close out the half however would take the lead to an unassailable 30 points, as Luke Busumbru and Charles scored freely for the visiting Kestrels, leaving the scoreline at 27-57 at the break.
A 7-0 run to start the second half showed that Loughborough were ready to chip away at the huge TSK lead as Harrison Gamble got in on the scoring act for the hosts, but Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles would settle down their side with a pair of scores in the paint. Alex Roberts would score 4 straight to follow and when Jonas Dietrich scored in transition, Coach Matt Guymon called for timeout the lead now down to 21. Riders were able to continue their scoring rhythm to close the quarter and trimmed the deficit to 17 heading into the final stanza, 49-66
The hosts momentarily brought themselves within 16 but that would be as close as they got, a 6-0 run for TSK, capped off by a Charles turn around jumper, restored a 22 point cushion. The sides traded baskets for long spells in the fourth until a brief 5-0 run for Kestrels, behind a Luke Busumbru and-1 and a Dadds pull up, effectively punched TSK’s Cup Final ticket with just over 3 minutes to play. With Kestrels up 24, Riders frantically tried to find quick scores but it was too little to late for the hosts, as TSK held on for the 70-86 victory and set up a Cup Final showdown with Reading Rockets on 2nd February 2020.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance and on reaching another cup final; “This is another fantastic achievement for the club to reach our 3rd cup final in 4 seasons, the guys have shown outstanding resilience through out our cup run having played all of our games on the road. Our guys were locked in from the jump and that allowed us to build the momentum early on, which enabled us to create a big deficit heading into half time. Credit to Loughborough, we knew they would respond in the second half with a run of their own and we were able to weather the storm, resulting in a convincing victory.”
Travis Charles was the high point man for Team Solent Kestrels with 22 points and 9 rebounds, whilst Elliot Dadds added 17 points and Luke Busumbru chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds. Loughborough were led by guard Alex Roberts who had 20 points and Reis Pinnock who was the only other player in double figures for the hosts with 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1493617/
It’s now a double header on finals weekends at the University of Essex (1st/2nd February 2020) with TSK U16 Boys taking on Manchester Magic on the Saturday (12:30pm tip) whilst D1 Men match up with Reading Rockets on the Sunday (3:30pm).
Get your tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/events/basketball-england-nbl-senior-cup-final/
KESTRELS GET BIG WIN IN OPENING HOME GAME OF 2020
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
It was the first action of 2020 for Team Solent Kestrels at the Solent Sports Complex on Saturday evening and they did not disappoint the home fans, as they controlled the ball game from start to finish to hand Worthing Thunder a 98-76 defeat and improve to 15-0. The match up was a repeat of last seasons NBL D1 Playoff Final and what will be, the BBL Trophy Quarter Final, where the sides will meet down in Worthing later this month.
Worthing youngster Cameron Hildreth got the scoring underway for the visitors as he went coast to coast for a tough finish, however Travis Charles replied on the following possession for TSK with a trademark mid range jumper. Although Tom Ward was able to stroke a three for Thunder to give them a brief 4-5 lead, it would be the only time his side led on the night. A 14-0 run inside just over two minutes of basketball showed just how deadly Kestrels can be in transition, capped off with 5 straight Ian Smith points. Kestrels scored 5 more without reply post timeout through Charles and this time, sharpshooter Chris Scarlett, but it was AJ Bas who was able to stop the visitors drought with a finish inside. Another 6-0 run for the hosts gave them a 27-7 advantage and Thunder opted to use their second timeout of the half. A 10-2 run for Worthing to close the quarter did however leave the scoreline a little less one sided at 29-17.
The sides traded blows to start the second as Hildreth and Okoronkwo scored for their sides respectively but when Travis Charles kick started a 14-2 run, Kestrels would be fully in control now up 46-23 with just under half of the second period left to play. Ian Smith was in free scoring mood with the visitors finding it difficult to keep in front and when Andrew Chaikalis came into the game he would waste no time getting to the hoop to increase the deficit to 27. Owumi checked back in for Thunder to close the half despite having 3 fouls, and he would score their final 6 points of the quarter but it was TSK who remained firmly in the driving seat, up 56-31.
Kestrels pushed the lead out to 29 early in the half forcing an early timeout from the visitors, with little changing by way of adjustments for them and this time it was Luke Busumbru who was causing all kinds of problems for the Thunder as he scored 9 straight. With the lead well into the 30’s for the home town Kestrels the pace of the game slowed down drastically, as what promised to be a hotly contested match up, was anything but with the hosts in control. Jonathan Lashley and Chris Scarlett ticked the scoreboard over for TSK whilst Cameron Hildreth continued to find scores for his side. Kestrels 85-50 to the good after three.
A 13-5 run for Thunder to start the final period saw them trim the deficit to 27 and although Kestrels were able to weather the run and find scores through Charles and Smith, it was Thunder who were the aggressor late on. A 10-2 run to close the game would make the scoreline a little more respectable from a Worthing perspective but ultimately TSK would be out of site, running out 98-76 winners.
TSK player caller Matt Guymon was pleased on the whole with how his side controlled the game; “This was another clinical performance from our guys getting impactful contributions from our whole roster. I was really pleased with how we defended and ultimately we were able to use these stops to fuel what we were did offensively. With a number of key games coming up for us, it is vitally important that our guys continue to play with confidence and contribute on both ends of the floor.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s 19 points, 8 assists and 7 rebound whilst Travis Charles added 18 points and Brendan Okoronkwo had 18 points and 16 rebounds. Worthing were led by youngster Cameron Hildreth who had 21 points with Alex Owumi and Tom Ward chipping in 13 and 12 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376161/bs.html
TSK now turn their attention to a huge National Cup Semi Final clash on the road at Loughborough Riders next weekend, with the winner facing either Reading Rockets or Myerscough College who contest the other semi final.
Worthing youngster Cameron Hildreth got the scoring underway for the visitors as he went coast to coast for a tough finish, however Travis Charles replied on the following possession for TSK with a trademark mid range jumper. Although Tom Ward was able to stroke a three for Thunder to give them a brief 4-5 lead, it would be the only time his side led on the night. A 14-0 run inside just over two minutes of basketball showed just how deadly Kestrels can be in transition, capped off with 5 straight Ian Smith points. Kestrels scored 5 more without reply post timeout through Charles and this time, sharpshooter Chris Scarlett, but it was AJ Bas who was able to stop the visitors drought with a finish inside. Another 6-0 run for the hosts gave them a 27-7 advantage and Thunder opted to use their second timeout of the half. A 10-2 run for Worthing to close the quarter did however leave the scoreline a little less one sided at 29-17.
The sides traded blows to start the second as Hildreth and Okoronkwo scored for their sides respectively but when Travis Charles kick started a 14-2 run, Kestrels would be fully in control now up 46-23 with just under half of the second period left to play. Ian Smith was in free scoring mood with the visitors finding it difficult to keep in front and when Andrew Chaikalis came into the game he would waste no time getting to the hoop to increase the deficit to 27. Owumi checked back in for Thunder to close the half despite having 3 fouls, and he would score their final 6 points of the quarter but it was TSK who remained firmly in the driving seat, up 56-31.
Kestrels pushed the lead out to 29 early in the half forcing an early timeout from the visitors, with little changing by way of adjustments for them and this time it was Luke Busumbru who was causing all kinds of problems for the Thunder as he scored 9 straight. With the lead well into the 30’s for the home town Kestrels the pace of the game slowed down drastically, as what promised to be a hotly contested match up, was anything but with the hosts in control. Jonathan Lashley and Chris Scarlett ticked the scoreboard over for TSK whilst Cameron Hildreth continued to find scores for his side. Kestrels 85-50 to the good after three.
A 13-5 run for Thunder to start the final period saw them trim the deficit to 27 and although Kestrels were able to weather the run and find scores through Charles and Smith, it was Thunder who were the aggressor late on. A 10-2 run to close the game would make the scoreline a little more respectable from a Worthing perspective but ultimately TSK would be out of site, running out 98-76 winners.
TSK player caller Matt Guymon was pleased on the whole with how his side controlled the game; “This was another clinical performance from our guys getting impactful contributions from our whole roster. I was really pleased with how we defended and ultimately we were able to use these stops to fuel what we were did offensively. With a number of key games coming up for us, it is vitally important that our guys continue to play with confidence and contribute on both ends of the floor.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Ian Smith’s 19 points, 8 assists and 7 rebound whilst Travis Charles added 18 points and Brendan Okoronkwo had 18 points and 16 rebounds. Worthing were led by youngster Cameron Hildreth who had 21 points with Alex Owumi and Tom Ward chipping in 13 and 12 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376161/bs.html
TSK now turn their attention to a huge National Cup Semi Final clash on the road at Loughborough Riders next weekend, with the winner facing either Reading Rockets or Myerscough College who contest the other semi final.
TSK TAME LEOPARDS AS NBL ACTION RESUMES
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday saw Team Solent Kestrels shift their focus back to NBL D1 action after their huge victory in the capital the evening prior in the BBL Trophy. It was another trip to outskirts of East London and this time to face struggling Essex & Herts Leopards who would provide a much better account of themselves than earlier on in the season. Despite a poor defensive showing in the first half, allowing Leopards 51 points, Kestrels were able to shift through the gears in the second and blow the game wide open, running out 79-113 winners and moving to 14-0 on the season.
It was a bright start for the visitors as they found a number of easy scores in transition through Ian Smith and Luke Busumbru and when the latter stroked a triple, 3 minutes into the ball game, Kestrels would lead 6-11. Elliot Dadds pushed the gap to 8 point when he knocked down his first 3 of the game and then a 7-0 run, including a pair of Travis Charles jump shots, saw TSK up 15-26. A pair of Toby Gastaldi-Davies 3’s either side of Elliot Dadds’ second 3, would cut the gap to 6, but Charles scored to close the quarter and ensure the visitors were in front 23-31 after one.
Busumbru edged Kestrels back in front by double digits to start the second but a Prince Lartey and-1 followed by a Temi Mongo 3 pointer for the hosts, pulled them within 4 early on. A quick 5-0 run in reply, behind a pair of Ian Smith lay ups for TSK, ensured their lead was back to 9 but that was again short lived Chuck Duru trimmed the deficit to 2 with just 4 minutes until the break. Essex would get themselves within touching distance at 45-46 after Lartey got to the hoop again, but Kestrels weathered the free scoring Leopards onslaught to go into the interval up 51-54.
It was back and forth to start the second half as Chuck Duru and Travis Charles traded scores, however it was Kestrels who found their rhythm, to the tune of a 7-0 run through Lashley and Smith and that would force Coach Baker into his first timeout of the half. Leopards responded post timeout as Ahmed Ketiri got the hoop for the dunk in transition but a trademark Kestrels 12-0 run blew the score wide open at 59-77, capped off by another Dadds 3 ball. The hosts were able to stop the trough through Duru and Lartey but Travis Charles scored on a put back to finish the third with his side now 63-82 to the good.
A 10-3 run to start the fourth essentially ended the contest in favour of the Kestrels as they forced Essex into difficult shot attempts and converted in transition on the other end with big man duo Charles and Lashley in free scoring mood. With Kestrels now up 26 they were able to dictate the tempo of the ball game and continued to find holes in the Leopards zone for easy scores in the paint. Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench for TSK to extend the deficit with a pull up and Dadds stroked yet another triple to push the arrears into the 30 point territory. The visitors would finish the game on an 11-4 run to cap off an impressive second half display, securing a 79-113 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides “After the high of saturdays performance it was always going to be a challenging game for us both mentally and physically, and credit to Essex who put in a great first half performance. We were able to make some adjustments in the second half and string together some significant scoring runs that allowed us to control the ball game.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Jonathan Lashley’s 25 points and 14 rebounds off the bench whilst Luke Busumbru continued his impressive form with 23 and 8 assists and Ian Smith added 21 and 8 rebounds. Essex were led by guard Prince Lartey and his 25 points with Chuck Duru and Jerelle Okoro adding 14 and 11 respectively for the hosts.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376177/bs.html#ASFSK
After a busy opening weekend to 2020, TSK will now turn their attention to this coming weekend where they will welcome 2nd placed Worthing Thunder in a rematch of last years playoff final, which will be live streamed on the NBL Live coverage, 6pm @ SSC.
It was a bright start for the visitors as they found a number of easy scores in transition through Ian Smith and Luke Busumbru and when the latter stroked a triple, 3 minutes into the ball game, Kestrels would lead 6-11. Elliot Dadds pushed the gap to 8 point when he knocked down his first 3 of the game and then a 7-0 run, including a pair of Travis Charles jump shots, saw TSK up 15-26. A pair of Toby Gastaldi-Davies 3’s either side of Elliot Dadds’ second 3, would cut the gap to 6, but Charles scored to close the quarter and ensure the visitors were in front 23-31 after one.
Busumbru edged Kestrels back in front by double digits to start the second but a Prince Lartey and-1 followed by a Temi Mongo 3 pointer for the hosts, pulled them within 4 early on. A quick 5-0 run in reply, behind a pair of Ian Smith lay ups for TSK, ensured their lead was back to 9 but that was again short lived Chuck Duru trimmed the deficit to 2 with just 4 minutes until the break. Essex would get themselves within touching distance at 45-46 after Lartey got to the hoop again, but Kestrels weathered the free scoring Leopards onslaught to go into the interval up 51-54.
It was back and forth to start the second half as Chuck Duru and Travis Charles traded scores, however it was Kestrels who found their rhythm, to the tune of a 7-0 run through Lashley and Smith and that would force Coach Baker into his first timeout of the half. Leopards responded post timeout as Ahmed Ketiri got the hoop for the dunk in transition but a trademark Kestrels 12-0 run blew the score wide open at 59-77, capped off by another Dadds 3 ball. The hosts were able to stop the trough through Duru and Lartey but Travis Charles scored on a put back to finish the third with his side now 63-82 to the good.
A 10-3 run to start the fourth essentially ended the contest in favour of the Kestrels as they forced Essex into difficult shot attempts and converted in transition on the other end with big man duo Charles and Lashley in free scoring mood. With Kestrels now up 26 they were able to dictate the tempo of the ball game and continued to find holes in the Leopards zone for easy scores in the paint. Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench for TSK to extend the deficit with a pull up and Dadds stroked yet another triple to push the arrears into the 30 point territory. The visitors would finish the game on an 11-4 run to cap off an impressive second half display, securing a 79-113 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides “After the high of saturdays performance it was always going to be a challenging game for us both mentally and physically, and credit to Essex who put in a great first half performance. We were able to make some adjustments in the second half and string together some significant scoring runs that allowed us to control the ball game.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Jonathan Lashley’s 25 points and 14 rebounds off the bench whilst Luke Busumbru continued his impressive form with 23 and 8 assists and Ian Smith added 21 and 8 rebounds. Essex were led by guard Prince Lartey and his 25 points with Chuck Duru and Jerelle Okoro adding 14 and 11 respectively for the hosts.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376177/bs.html#ASFSK
After a busy opening weekend to 2020, TSK will now turn their attention to this coming weekend where they will welcome 2nd placed Worthing Thunder in a rematch of last years playoff final, which will be live streamed on the NBL Live coverage, 6pm @ SSC.
KESTRELS KNOCK OUT BBL CHAMPS LONDON LIONS IN TROPHY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday saw the first action of the new year for Team Solent Kestrels and it would provide one of the most high profile ‘upsets’ in recent BBL Trophy history. Kestrels convincingly defeating, last seasons BBL League and Cup champions, the London Lions on their home floor, 92-82 and booking a quarter final match up against following NBL outfit Worthing Thunder.
Lions started the better of the sides as they established themselves on the offensive glass and found a number of paint touches, building an 8-5 advantage. However a 10-0 run in reply, behind Jonathan Lashley and Travis Charles for the visitors, saw them hold an 8-15 lead with just two minutes left in the first. Jules Dang Akodo briefly responded for the Londoners but it was Kestrels inside duo that powered them to a 13-22 lead after one.
Luke Busumbru momentarily pushed the advantage into double figures for TSK to start the second, but Lions talisman Justin Robinson stroked a triple to get them off the mark for the quarter. Kestrels however would continue with their trademark ball movement and continue to find a number of excellent scoring opportunities through Brendan Okoronkwo and again Charles. Mid way through the quarter a 10-2 run for TSK capped off with an almost wide open lay up for Ian Smith, meant the lead was now out to 13 at 25-38. Lions big man Brandon Peel stopped the rot for hosts but post Coach Macauley timeout Elliot Dadds piled on the pressure as he stroked a triple, 27-41 TSK. Despite a pair of trips to the foul line for the home side, Kestrels would ensure they held a 12 point advantage at the break, 33-45.
The 3rd quarter was certainly a period of two halves as the reigning BBL League Champions showed their mettle and set about trimming the deficit early on. A 10-2 run for the Lions brought them to within 4 at 43-47, behind 5 Robinson points, however Elliot Dadds answered with a timely 3 to settle down the visitors. Robinson was starting to find his rhythm from beyond the arc as he knocked down another triple in transition, to cut the arrears to 4 yet again, but that would be as close as they got. Former Lion Lashley got to the foul line to restore a 6 point gap and that would kick start TSK again on the offensive end. Ian Smith converted a pair of lay ups to bring the Kestrels lead back to double digits and although Andre Lockhart scored 4 straight for the hosts, an 8-3 run to close the quarter capped off by a Chris Scarlett 3 from the car park on the buzzer, saw TSK restore their 12 point buffer.
Busumbru went coast to coast for the and-1 at the start of the 4th for TSK to put them up 15 and the sides would trade scores over the opening possessions of the final quarter, which better suited the visitors. Dang Akodo brought Lions back within 12 after he converted an and-1 of his own but Charles was on hand to responded on the ensuing possession for TSK before he further extended the gap to 16 forcing a timeout for the hosts with 5:11 remaining. Kestrels pushed the deficit to 20 through Jonathan Lashley post TO, as he was huge for the visitors down the stretch and it would only be a late flurry of scores from London that made the scoreline that much closer. Kestrels holding on for a statement 92-82 victory over their BBL opposition.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of his sides performance; “I’m so proud of our guys for this fantastic achievement that means so much to our club. Our players sacrificed some of their Xmas break, travelling back early to ensure that we could prepare for a game of this magnitude. I loved our effort & intensity at both ends of the floor with a real commitment to execute the plan which we laid out. This was a team effort, but I want to give additional credit to Jon Lashley who was unbelievable all game, having a huge impact against his old club.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 point and 14 rebound double double, whilst Jonathan Lashley had 21 points off the bench and Ian Smith chipped in 15. London Lions GB guard Justin Robinson had 19 points to lead the hosts, with Brandon Peel and Jordan Whelan chipping in 17 and 13 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1475800/bs.html
TSK’s victory now sets up an all NBL clash with Worthing Thunder who knocked off Manchester Giants, the tie will be played before the end of January and we will have all the information in due course.
Lions started the better of the sides as they established themselves on the offensive glass and found a number of paint touches, building an 8-5 advantage. However a 10-0 run in reply, behind Jonathan Lashley and Travis Charles for the visitors, saw them hold an 8-15 lead with just two minutes left in the first. Jules Dang Akodo briefly responded for the Londoners but it was Kestrels inside duo that powered them to a 13-22 lead after one.
Luke Busumbru momentarily pushed the advantage into double figures for TSK to start the second, but Lions talisman Justin Robinson stroked a triple to get them off the mark for the quarter. Kestrels however would continue with their trademark ball movement and continue to find a number of excellent scoring opportunities through Brendan Okoronkwo and again Charles. Mid way through the quarter a 10-2 run for TSK capped off with an almost wide open lay up for Ian Smith, meant the lead was now out to 13 at 25-38. Lions big man Brandon Peel stopped the rot for hosts but post Coach Macauley timeout Elliot Dadds piled on the pressure as he stroked a triple, 27-41 TSK. Despite a pair of trips to the foul line for the home side, Kestrels would ensure they held a 12 point advantage at the break, 33-45.
The 3rd quarter was certainly a period of two halves as the reigning BBL League Champions showed their mettle and set about trimming the deficit early on. A 10-2 run for the Lions brought them to within 4 at 43-47, behind 5 Robinson points, however Elliot Dadds answered with a timely 3 to settle down the visitors. Robinson was starting to find his rhythm from beyond the arc as he knocked down another triple in transition, to cut the arrears to 4 yet again, but that would be as close as they got. Former Lion Lashley got to the foul line to restore a 6 point gap and that would kick start TSK again on the offensive end. Ian Smith converted a pair of lay ups to bring the Kestrels lead back to double digits and although Andre Lockhart scored 4 straight for the hosts, an 8-3 run to close the quarter capped off by a Chris Scarlett 3 from the car park on the buzzer, saw TSK restore their 12 point buffer.
Busumbru went coast to coast for the and-1 at the start of the 4th for TSK to put them up 15 and the sides would trade scores over the opening possessions of the final quarter, which better suited the visitors. Dang Akodo brought Lions back within 12 after he converted an and-1 of his own but Charles was on hand to responded on the ensuing possession for TSK before he further extended the gap to 16 forcing a timeout for the hosts with 5:11 remaining. Kestrels pushed the deficit to 20 through Jonathan Lashley post TO, as he was huge for the visitors down the stretch and it would only be a late flurry of scores from London that made the scoreline that much closer. Kestrels holding on for a statement 92-82 victory over their BBL opposition.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely proud of his sides performance; “I’m so proud of our guys for this fantastic achievement that means so much to our club. Our players sacrificed some of their Xmas break, travelling back early to ensure that we could prepare for a game of this magnitude. I loved our effort & intensity at both ends of the floor with a real commitment to execute the plan which we laid out. This was a team effort, but I want to give additional credit to Jon Lashley who was unbelievable all game, having a huge impact against his old club.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 point and 14 rebound double double, whilst Jonathan Lashley had 21 points off the bench and Ian Smith chipped in 15. London Lions GB guard Justin Robinson had 19 points to lead the hosts, with Brandon Peel and Jordan Whelan chipping in 17 and 13 respectively.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1475800/bs.html
TSK’s victory now sets up an all NBL clash with Worthing Thunder who knocked off Manchester Giants, the tie will be played before the end of January and we will have all the information in due course.
TSK GO INTO THE BREAK 13-0 AFTER IMPRESSIVE DEFENCE DISPLAY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Kestrels made it 13 wins from 13 league games ahead of the Christmas break on Saturday, as they despatched 2nd placed Thames Valley Cavaliers 82-105 on the road in Uxbridge. Even without influential scorer Elliott Sentance, sidelined due to a short term knee injury, Kestrels stifled the usually free scorer Cavaliers and handed them the fourth loss of the season. TSK now head into the new year at the summit of NBL D1, 3 games clear of now 2nd placed Hemel Storm and a semi final clash vs. Loughborough Riders to look forward too.
The hosts were the aggressors early on as Hakeem Sylla and Taylor Johnson handed them a 5-0 lead in the opening possessions, but it wasn’t long before Travis Charles set up shop and kick started an 11-2 run for TSK, giving them a 7-11 lead. Aiman Rezk briefly tied things up for TVC at 11 and then again at 17 through Sylla, however it was Kestrels American duo of Charles and Ian Smith that continued to answer the call and keep the visitors out in front. Elliot Dadds stroked a triple late in the quarter to ensure his side would be 19-26 to the good after one.
Charles continued where he left off as he scored TSK’s first 4 point of the 2nd quarter, but Cavaliers American Martelle McLemore was not to be outdone as he scored 10 straight points to bring his side to within 4, 33-37. Kestrels would steady the ship through a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo free throws and when Chris Scarlett came off the bench to knock down his first 3, they would extend the advantage to 9, 35-44. The sides traded scores to round out the half as Sylla found his rhythm for the home side but Elliot Dadds scored 5 timely points putting TSK up 45-55 at the interval.
Johnson momentarily cut the arrears to 8 points after he knocked down a jumper to start the second half but Charles and Dadds responded in speedy fashion for TSK to extend the gap to 12. This was the beginning of a back and forth exchange as Johnson and Smith were trading scores for their teams respectively, in a high intensity 3rd period. A 6-0 run for the visitors to broke the score open at 54-69 and force Coach Robert Banks into a timeout for TVC. The hosts would respond post timeout as Blayne Freckleton got to the foul line before Sylla converted in close, and although Jonathan Lashley kept TSK ticking over at the line it was the hosts who trimmed the gap to 6 via 7-0 run. Smith again weathered the storm and ensured that Kestrels would hold an 8 point lead heading into the final quarter.
The gap was cut to 5 early on in the 4th as Johnson split a pair free throws for the hosts, but 5 straight Scarlett points followed by an Okoronkwo lay up in transition, would force a TVC timeout with the league leaders back up 10. A 10-3 run post timeout would be the game changing run TSK had been waiting on and when Okoronkwo capped off the run with a put back dunk, the visitors would find themselves up 17 with a little over 5 minutes left. The hosts showed some resolve as they briefly reduced the gap to 12 points, through successful trips to the foul line but when Luke Busumbru went baseline and soared high for the two handed flush, followed by a trademark Elliot Dadds charge, the momentum had well and truly swung TSK’s way. With Kestrels now up 15, it was time for excellent game management and stops on the defensive end, in fact the visitors would hold Cavaliers scoreless for the final 3 minutes 47 seconds of the ball game. The south coasters continued to build the lead in the closing stages and would run out 82-105 victors.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who dominated inside with 26 points and 19 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith added 20 and Elliot Dadds 18. The hosts American guard Taylor Johnson had 23 points with Hakeem Sylla backing him up chipping in 20 points and Martelle McLemore 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376163/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels now turn their attention to an exciting match up in the BBL Trophy on Saturday 4th January 2020 (5pm) as they travel to the University of East London to take on London Lions.
The hosts were the aggressors early on as Hakeem Sylla and Taylor Johnson handed them a 5-0 lead in the opening possessions, but it wasn’t long before Travis Charles set up shop and kick started an 11-2 run for TSK, giving them a 7-11 lead. Aiman Rezk briefly tied things up for TVC at 11 and then again at 17 through Sylla, however it was Kestrels American duo of Charles and Ian Smith that continued to answer the call and keep the visitors out in front. Elliot Dadds stroked a triple late in the quarter to ensure his side would be 19-26 to the good after one.
Charles continued where he left off as he scored TSK’s first 4 point of the 2nd quarter, but Cavaliers American Martelle McLemore was not to be outdone as he scored 10 straight points to bring his side to within 4, 33-37. Kestrels would steady the ship through a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo free throws and when Chris Scarlett came off the bench to knock down his first 3, they would extend the advantage to 9, 35-44. The sides traded scores to round out the half as Sylla found his rhythm for the home side but Elliot Dadds scored 5 timely points putting TSK up 45-55 at the interval.
Johnson momentarily cut the arrears to 8 points after he knocked down a jumper to start the second half but Charles and Dadds responded in speedy fashion for TSK to extend the gap to 12. This was the beginning of a back and forth exchange as Johnson and Smith were trading scores for their teams respectively, in a high intensity 3rd period. A 6-0 run for the visitors to broke the score open at 54-69 and force Coach Robert Banks into a timeout for TVC. The hosts would respond post timeout as Blayne Freckleton got to the foul line before Sylla converted in close, and although Jonathan Lashley kept TSK ticking over at the line it was the hosts who trimmed the gap to 6 via 7-0 run. Smith again weathered the storm and ensured that Kestrels would hold an 8 point lead heading into the final quarter.
The gap was cut to 5 early on in the 4th as Johnson split a pair free throws for the hosts, but 5 straight Scarlett points followed by an Okoronkwo lay up in transition, would force a TVC timeout with the league leaders back up 10. A 10-3 run post timeout would be the game changing run TSK had been waiting on and when Okoronkwo capped off the run with a put back dunk, the visitors would find themselves up 17 with a little over 5 minutes left. The hosts showed some resolve as they briefly reduced the gap to 12 points, through successful trips to the foul line but when Luke Busumbru went baseline and soared high for the two handed flush, followed by a trademark Elliot Dadds charge, the momentum had well and truly swung TSK’s way. With Kestrels now up 15, it was time for excellent game management and stops on the defensive end, in fact the visitors would hold Cavaliers scoreless for the final 3 minutes 47 seconds of the ball game. The south coasters continued to build the lead in the closing stages and would run out 82-105 victors.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who dominated inside with 26 points and 19 rebounds, whilst Ian Smith added 20 and Elliot Dadds 18. The hosts American guard Taylor Johnson had 23 points with Hakeem Sylla backing him up chipping in 20 points and Martelle McLemore 14.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376163/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels now turn their attention to an exciting match up in the BBL Trophy on Saturday 4th January 2020 (5pm) as they travel to the University of East London to take on London Lions.
KESTRELS BOOK SEMI FINAL TICKET WITH TOUGH ROAD VICTORY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday saw Team Solent Kestrels make the short trip to Hertfordshire to face Hemel Storm, for the second time in as many weekends, in the national cup quarter-finals. With Kestrels narrowly edging to victory last time out Storm would be eager to get one back on TSK, however that would not be the case as Kestrels ran out 97–87 winners and booked their spot in the semi-final of the National Cup.
It was a tentative start from both sides with neither team giving up much on the defensive end, but it would be the hosts who struck first behind Lee Hodges and Bode Adeluola to take a 10-7 lead early on. Storm would briefly extend the advantage to 8 points after a Sam Newman three however a 7-3 run to close the quarter meant TSK would trail by 4, 24-20 after one.
The second quarter was all Kestrels as Jon Lashley and Luke Busumbru set about tying the game up early on with aggressive drives to the hoop, before a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo free throws gave the visitors a 2 point lead. The lead would change hands several times over the next few possessions, until a 12-2 run, behind a balanced Kestrels attack pushed them into the first double digit advantage of the game, 35-45. Hemel responded post time out however Travis Charles and Elliot Dadds ensured the Kestrels lead would be 15 by the half-time interval, TSK now up 40-55.
Storm would throw the first punch of the second half as big man duo Greg Poleon and Hodges trimmed the gap to 11 almost immediately. However the visitors weathered the early pressure and 7 straight points from Busumbru and Charles restored their lead, this time up 18, 44-62. The sides would continue to trade blows in a free scoring start to the third quarter, as Poleon found his rhythm whilst Okoronkwo stroked a pair of triples for TSK. An 16-4 run for Storm on the back of this would cut the gap right down to just 2 points as the momentum really started to shift in favour of the hosts, especially with the Hemel faithful now behind them. The home side would lose American talisman Mike Williams Jr. to a knee injury as time wound down in the third and to add misery to the hosts comeback hopes, Elliot Dadds would find his way to the rim to restore a 4 point buffer for TSK.
Both sides came up with a number of empty possessions, in what was a nervy start to the final period, however Jonathan Lashley and Luke Busumbru quickly got the score board ticking for their side, Kestrels lead now at 8, 71-79. Storm trimmed it to 6 through Adeluola but Lashley followed by a pair of Charles free throws pushed the visitors back out to a 12 point advantage. Hemel came right back yet again though, this time through Lee Hodges who scored 5 straight to cut the arrears to 7 but that would be as close as the hosts got. Some excellent game management and free throw shooting down the stretch would be enough to book Kestrels their 4th semi final cup spot in as many seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides grit, to tough out the win; “It was a very similar situation to last week, where a double digit half time lead was erased in the 3rd quarter. I thought we did a good job remaining composed & finding ways to score against Hemel’s disruptive 1-3-1 defence. This was a balanced team effort at both ends but I have to recognise Luke Busumbru’s contribution, with his best performance of the year he was able to have a huge impact on the outcome of the game.”
Kestrels were led by Travis Charles 28 points and 9 rebounds whilst Luke Busumbru added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith had 13 a piece. Hemel Storm’s big man Lee Hodges was their stand out performer with 26 points and 12 rebounds whilst Greg Poleon had 18 points and 13 rebounds and Bode Adeluola added 13.
It will now be a wait to see who TSK will face in the semi finals with Reading Rockets, Loughborough Riders or Myerscough College/Westminster Warriors, their potential opponents. The semi final will take place on the weekend of the 18th/19th January 2019.
TSK now turn all attentions to the final league match up of the calendar year, as they look to remain undefeated this side of the Christmas break, when they travel to high scoring Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, 6pm tip @ Uxbridge College.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1469355/bs.html
It was a tentative start from both sides with neither team giving up much on the defensive end, but it would be the hosts who struck first behind Lee Hodges and Bode Adeluola to take a 10-7 lead early on. Storm would briefly extend the advantage to 8 points after a Sam Newman three however a 7-3 run to close the quarter meant TSK would trail by 4, 24-20 after one.
The second quarter was all Kestrels as Jon Lashley and Luke Busumbru set about tying the game up early on with aggressive drives to the hoop, before a pair of Brendan Okoronkwo free throws gave the visitors a 2 point lead. The lead would change hands several times over the next few possessions, until a 12-2 run, behind a balanced Kestrels attack pushed them into the first double digit advantage of the game, 35-45. Hemel responded post time out however Travis Charles and Elliot Dadds ensured the Kestrels lead would be 15 by the half-time interval, TSK now up 40-55.
Storm would throw the first punch of the second half as big man duo Greg Poleon and Hodges trimmed the gap to 11 almost immediately. However the visitors weathered the early pressure and 7 straight points from Busumbru and Charles restored their lead, this time up 18, 44-62. The sides would continue to trade blows in a free scoring start to the third quarter, as Poleon found his rhythm whilst Okoronkwo stroked a pair of triples for TSK. An 16-4 run for Storm on the back of this would cut the gap right down to just 2 points as the momentum really started to shift in favour of the hosts, especially with the Hemel faithful now behind them. The home side would lose American talisman Mike Williams Jr. to a knee injury as time wound down in the third and to add misery to the hosts comeback hopes, Elliot Dadds would find his way to the rim to restore a 4 point buffer for TSK.
Both sides came up with a number of empty possessions, in what was a nervy start to the final period, however Jonathan Lashley and Luke Busumbru quickly got the score board ticking for their side, Kestrels lead now at 8, 71-79. Storm trimmed it to 6 through Adeluola but Lashley followed by a pair of Charles free throws pushed the visitors back out to a 12 point advantage. Hemel came right back yet again though, this time through Lee Hodges who scored 5 straight to cut the arrears to 7 but that would be as close as the hosts got. Some excellent game management and free throw shooting down the stretch would be enough to book Kestrels their 4th semi final cup spot in as many seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides grit, to tough out the win; “It was a very similar situation to last week, where a double digit half time lead was erased in the 3rd quarter. I thought we did a good job remaining composed & finding ways to score against Hemel’s disruptive 1-3-1 defence. This was a balanced team effort at both ends but I have to recognise Luke Busumbru’s contribution, with his best performance of the year he was able to have a huge impact on the outcome of the game.”
Kestrels were led by Travis Charles 28 points and 9 rebounds whilst Luke Busumbru added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith had 13 a piece. Hemel Storm’s big man Lee Hodges was their stand out performer with 26 points and 12 rebounds whilst Greg Poleon had 18 points and 13 rebounds and Bode Adeluola added 13.
It will now be a wait to see who TSK will face in the semi finals with Reading Rockets, Loughborough Riders or Myerscough College/Westminster Warriors, their potential opponents. The semi final will take place on the weekend of the 18th/19th January 2019.
TSK now turn all attentions to the final league match up of the calendar year, as they look to remain undefeated this side of the Christmas break, when they travel to high scoring Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, 6pm tip @ Uxbridge College.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1469355/bs.html
TSK STAY UNDEFEATED AT HOME FOR 2019 WITH HOODS WIN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday evening saw Kestrels stay undefeated on their home floor for the calendar year of 2019, as they produced a dominant display to knock off Nottingham Hoods (113-69) and improve to 12-0. Coach Matt Guymon’s table toppers controlled the game from start to finish and provided the opportunity to share minutes amongst the whole squad, with one eye on Sundays quarter final match up.
Kestrels would set the tone early in this one racing out to a 7–0 lead behind five Brendan Okoronkwo points. Although Hoods provided a brief response through a Luke Mitchell three-pointer the TSK lead would quickly reach double digits inside the first four minutes, as Okoronkwo helped himself to, an easy paint score before Elliott Sentance would follow suit. Nottingham trimmed the gap to 9 through American guard Demetrius Houston, however when Luke Busumbru soared down the lane for the one handed dunk, he would ignite a huge run for the hosts to close the quarter. Chris Scarlett stroked 3 back-to-back triples, whilst Jonathan Lashley and Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench to ensure TSK we’re 39-16 to the good after one.
A 6-0 Kestrels run to start the second pushed the gap to 29 inside the first 2 minutes of the period, with the sides then trading baskets through the mid point of the quarter. Houston and Mitchell would score a pair of back-to-back layups for the visitors to trim the gap to 24 and that would prompt coach Matt Guymon into his first time out to settle his side down. A 14-5 run post timeout would see Kestrels head into the break now up 63–30.
Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith push the lead to 39 early on in the second half as they connected on a pair of triples, as the visitors showed no immediate signs of a comeback. A 10-3 run mid way through the quarter extended the advantage to 44, after Travis Charles found his rhythm. Truzzel Spencer and Laurits Juffer scores 6 unanswered the Nottingham as time wound down in the third but the TSK advantage was still out at 39, 89-51.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a convincing performance from our guys from start to finish. Credit to Nottingham who were missing some key guys, they kept the defensive intensity up throughout the game and were able to force us into a number of turnovers. It was unfortunate that Elliott Sentance went down with a knee injury early on, we will hopefully find out more this week on what the recovery time will be. That said, the whole squad provided important contributions to keep us undefeated on our home floor this calendar year.”
TSK youngster Steve Nwagwu came off the bench to stroke a three ball to get proceedings underway in the final stanza, only to be matched at the opposite end by Matt Parker. For large spells of the 4th it was back and forth with both teams finding good looks and the margin sticking around the 35+ point mark. Jonathan Lashley would score the hosts last 12 points whilst Spencer knocked down 3 triples late to counter but it was Kestrels who ran out comfortable winners, 113-69.
Team Solent Kestrels used a balanced scoring effort yet again with 6 players in double figures, led by Travis Charles’ 19 point sand 15 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo and Jonathan Lashley added 18 a piece. Nottingham were led by Truzzel Spencer’s 13 points with Demetrius Houston adding 12 points as the only other player to reach double figures.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376147/bs.html
Kestrels would set the tone early in this one racing out to a 7–0 lead behind five Brendan Okoronkwo points. Although Hoods provided a brief response through a Luke Mitchell three-pointer the TSK lead would quickly reach double digits inside the first four minutes, as Okoronkwo helped himself to, an easy paint score before Elliott Sentance would follow suit. Nottingham trimmed the gap to 9 through American guard Demetrius Houston, however when Luke Busumbru soared down the lane for the one handed dunk, he would ignite a huge run for the hosts to close the quarter. Chris Scarlett stroked 3 back-to-back triples, whilst Jonathan Lashley and Andrew Chaikalis came off the bench to ensure TSK we’re 39-16 to the good after one.
A 6-0 Kestrels run to start the second pushed the gap to 29 inside the first 2 minutes of the period, with the sides then trading baskets through the mid point of the quarter. Houston and Mitchell would score a pair of back-to-back layups for the visitors to trim the gap to 24 and that would prompt coach Matt Guymon into his first time out to settle his side down. A 14-5 run post timeout would see Kestrels head into the break now up 63–30.
Elliot Dadds and Ian Smith push the lead to 39 early on in the second half as they connected on a pair of triples, as the visitors showed no immediate signs of a comeback. A 10-3 run mid way through the quarter extended the advantage to 44, after Travis Charles found his rhythm. Truzzel Spencer and Laurits Juffer scores 6 unanswered the Nottingham as time wound down in the third but the TSK advantage was still out at 39, 89-51.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a convincing performance from our guys from start to finish. Credit to Nottingham who were missing some key guys, they kept the defensive intensity up throughout the game and were able to force us into a number of turnovers. It was unfortunate that Elliott Sentance went down with a knee injury early on, we will hopefully find out more this week on what the recovery time will be. That said, the whole squad provided important contributions to keep us undefeated on our home floor this calendar year.”
TSK youngster Steve Nwagwu came off the bench to stroke a three ball to get proceedings underway in the final stanza, only to be matched at the opposite end by Matt Parker. For large spells of the 4th it was back and forth with both teams finding good looks and the margin sticking around the 35+ point mark. Jonathan Lashley would score the hosts last 12 points whilst Spencer knocked down 3 triples late to counter but it was Kestrels who ran out comfortable winners, 113-69.
Team Solent Kestrels used a balanced scoring effort yet again with 6 players in double figures, led by Travis Charles’ 19 point sand 15 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo and Jonathan Lashley added 18 a piece. Nottingham were led by Truzzel Spencer’s 13 points with Demetrius Houston adding 12 points as the only other player to reach double figures.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376147/bs.html
KESTRELS WEATHER STORM TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday evening would make for Team Solent Kestrels most difficult rest of the season so far as they were pushed all the way by Hemel Storm. A late flurry from the visitors would set up a tense finish for the spectators at the Solent Sports Complex, however it was TSK who showed why they are yet to be defeated this season, clinching a 79-74 victory.
Hemel would start the brighter of the two sides and jumped out to an early 4-7 lead behind 4 Mike Williams Jr. points, as their American talisman started how he intended to continue. Despite several good looks at the basket early on, Kestrels were unable to capitalise and unusually for them struggled to control the opening 5 minutes. Ian Smith would connect on a three pointer to give TSK an 11-8 lead and when Luke Busumbru checked into the game he would find his way to the rim to extend the lead to 4. Elliott Sentance would score 7 of the last 8 points in the quarter for the hosts, to ensure they held a 22-14 lead after one.
The visitors would briefly cut the margin to just 5 points to start the second period however a 7-0 run in response gave TSK their first double-digit deficit, now up 29-17. Mike Williams Jr. and Brendan Okoronkwo traded three-pointers as the latter scored 7 straight points for his side and when Chris Scarlett stroked his second three ball of the game, Kestrels would lead by 15 (39-24). The lead would reach as many as 17 for the closing spells of the half but a Bode Adeluola 3 pointer to beat the half time buzzer trimmed the gap for Hemel to 14, 48-34.
It was a back-and-forth start to the second half with both sides finding easy scoring opportunities in the paint, until a 9-0 scoring run for the visitors capped off by a tough 3 pointer from Williams Jr, brought them to within 7. Sentance would weather the onslaught as he connected on a 3 of his own to push the lead back to double digits, however a big Greg Poleon dunk ensured TSK’s lead was just 8 (61-53) heading into the final quarter.
Despite Kestrels scoring out put drying up in the third, that would not be the case to start the final stanza, as the hosts quickly embarked on a 6-0 run and re-established a 14 point advantage. Hemel’s guard duo of Adeluola and Williams Jr. replied with 5 quick points though and that would prompt coach Guymon into a timeout with 7 and a half minutes left in the ball game, TSK up 9. Post timeout it was Storm who swung the momentum in their favour, as the trio of Adeluola, Poleon and Williams Jr. strung three straight scores together, leaving the score at 69-67 in favour of the hosts. Okoronkwo and Travis Charles steadied the home fans nerves with back to back unanswered lay ups and although Adeluola scored on the following possession, a Sentance three pushed the gap back to 7. In true back-and-forth fashion it was Hemel who responded through Adeluola again and this time big man Lee Hodges to bring them with 3, with just 1 minute 50 seconds to play. Okoronkwo put TSK back up 5 with 1 minute and 30 seconds to play and a number of fantastic defensive efforts ensured that Storm would come up empty on the following possessions. The visitors would be forced to foul late and Charles went 1-2 at the line to seal the victory for TSK.
Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with the resilience his side showed; “I thought we did a great job defensively on their key personnel, making them take difficult shots or have to score in other ways. It wasn’t our best offensive performance, which Hemel should take some credit for with their changing defences. I was pleased with our composure in the 4th quarter and our ability to close out the game even after the momentum swing.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance who posted 22 points and 8 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo and Travis Charles added 17 and 11 respectively. Hemel were led by stand out American guard Mike Williams Jr. with a game high 23 with Bode Adeluola and Greg Poleon chipping in 15 a piece.
Kestrels will look to stay perfect on their home floor this side of the Christmas break, when they welcome Nottingham Hoods to the SSC this Saturday (6pm), in the final home action of the year.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376136/
KESTRELS CONTROL TOUGH TEST ON THE ROAD IN LOUGHBOROUGH
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made it a perfect 10 as they stretched their unbeaten start to the season into double figures with a 99-85 win on the road in Loughborough on Saturday evening. Coach Guymon’s side led from the opener possession to the final buzzer but it was not plain sailing the whole way and TSK would be made to work for their 10th win of the season.
Kestrels raced out to an early lead behind a Balanced scoring effort, finding a number of scores inside the paint as well as establishing self from be on the arc through Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith. Despite the visitors building a 10-1 lead inside the opening three minutes the Riders would trim the gap to 2 after a 7-0 run powered by Harrison Gamble. The sides would trade baskets through the midpoint of the quarter however an 8-2 run would push the kestrels advantage to nine at 21-12. The league would reach double figures when Ian Smith connected on his second three pointer of the quarter but Harrison Gamble would reply with his third of the quarter to ensure the gap was seven after one, 23-30.
Okoronkwo continued his Hot start in the second quarter as he connected on a step back jump-shot, followed by a pair of Ian Smith layups, to restore a double digit lead. Tom Yome would reply for the Riders however Okoronkwo would push the deficit out to 13 on the following possession, forcing a coach Jarram time out. Elliot Dadds and Elliott Sentance would continue to pile the pressure on post time out giving the visitors a 17 point lead but when a Kyle Jimenez triple trimmed the gap to just 12, Coach Guymon would call for time out to steady the ship. For the reminder of the half it would be the Harrison Gamble vs. Travis Charles show as they both powered their teams offensive efforts, with TSK up 40-53 at the break
Okoronkwo stroked 4 back to back three pointers to open the Kestrels scoring in the second half but he would be matched by Loughborough’s American forward, Rasheed Worrell’s, inside presence as he got going for the hosts. With the sides effectively cancelling each other out, that better suited TSK as they lead stayed out at 15 with just over 5 minutes left in the period. After a huge dunk from Worrell, Riders we’re unable to capitalise on the potential momentum swing and Kestrels used a 6-2 scoring run to head into the fourth up 60-77.
Jonathan Lashley and Dadds extended the Kestrels advantage to 20 in the opening possessions of the final stanza and some fantastic defensive sequences saw the visitors hold Loughborough scoreless over a two minute spell. Gamble continued to show his pedigree on the offensive end for his side but Okoronkwo matched him every step of the way with his 6th triple of the game to push the lead to 67-89 with 5 minutes to play. Elliott Sentance would also continue to find ways to the foul line to keep the scoreboard ticking for TSK and despite a late flurry of threes for the Riders, Kestrels controlled the closing stages to earn a 85-99 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This is a great road win for us against a tough Loughborough team. Credit to our guys who were locked in throughout the game and responded to what the Riders threw at them. There were some defensive areas of scouting & rotations that we will revisit this week but ultimately this is a fantastic win and helps us continue to build momentum during this tough pre Christmas run.”
Team Solent Kestrels’ Brendan Okoronkwo was in fine form yet again as he posted 28 points on 6/6 from beyond the arc, whilst Travis Charles added 22 points and 18 rebounds with Ian Smith chipping in 17. Loughborough Riders recent addition Harrison Gamble had a game high 35 points whilst Rasheed Worrell and Alex Roberts added 17 and 13 respectively.
Kestrels now turn their focus to a 1 vs. 2 match up next Saturday (6pm) at the SSC, where they’ll welcome Hemel Storm to the south coast.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376143/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels raced out to an early lead behind a Balanced scoring effort, finding a number of scores inside the paint as well as establishing self from be on the arc through Brendan Okoronkwo and Ian Smith. Despite the visitors building a 10-1 lead inside the opening three minutes the Riders would trim the gap to 2 after a 7-0 run powered by Harrison Gamble. The sides would trade baskets through the midpoint of the quarter however an 8-2 run would push the kestrels advantage to nine at 21-12. The league would reach double figures when Ian Smith connected on his second three pointer of the quarter but Harrison Gamble would reply with his third of the quarter to ensure the gap was seven after one, 23-30.
Okoronkwo continued his Hot start in the second quarter as he connected on a step back jump-shot, followed by a pair of Ian Smith layups, to restore a double digit lead. Tom Yome would reply for the Riders however Okoronkwo would push the deficit out to 13 on the following possession, forcing a coach Jarram time out. Elliot Dadds and Elliott Sentance would continue to pile the pressure on post time out giving the visitors a 17 point lead but when a Kyle Jimenez triple trimmed the gap to just 12, Coach Guymon would call for time out to steady the ship. For the reminder of the half it would be the Harrison Gamble vs. Travis Charles show as they both powered their teams offensive efforts, with TSK up 40-53 at the break
Okoronkwo stroked 4 back to back three pointers to open the Kestrels scoring in the second half but he would be matched by Loughborough’s American forward, Rasheed Worrell’s, inside presence as he got going for the hosts. With the sides effectively cancelling each other out, that better suited TSK as they lead stayed out at 15 with just over 5 minutes left in the period. After a huge dunk from Worrell, Riders we’re unable to capitalise on the potential momentum swing and Kestrels used a 6-2 scoring run to head into the fourth up 60-77.
Jonathan Lashley and Dadds extended the Kestrels advantage to 20 in the opening possessions of the final stanza and some fantastic defensive sequences saw the visitors hold Loughborough scoreless over a two minute spell. Gamble continued to show his pedigree on the offensive end for his side but Okoronkwo matched him every step of the way with his 6th triple of the game to push the lead to 67-89 with 5 minutes to play. Elliott Sentance would also continue to find ways to the foul line to keep the scoreboard ticking for TSK and despite a late flurry of threes for the Riders, Kestrels controlled the closing stages to earn a 85-99 victory.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This is a great road win for us against a tough Loughborough team. Credit to our guys who were locked in throughout the game and responded to what the Riders threw at them. There were some defensive areas of scouting & rotations that we will revisit this week but ultimately this is a fantastic win and helps us continue to build momentum during this tough pre Christmas run.”
Team Solent Kestrels’ Brendan Okoronkwo was in fine form yet again as he posted 28 points on 6/6 from beyond the arc, whilst Travis Charles added 22 points and 18 rebounds with Ian Smith chipping in 17. Loughborough Riders recent addition Harrison Gamble had a game high 35 points whilst Rasheed Worrell and Alex Roberts added 17 and 13 respectively.
Kestrels now turn their focus to a 1 vs. 2 match up next Saturday (6pm) at the SSC, where they’ll welcome Hemel Storm to the south coast.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376143/bs.html#ASFSK
TSK SET UP QUARTER FINAL WITH HEMEL AFTER WIN IN BRADFORD
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels ensured Sunday’s long trip north to Bradford Dragons was worth the journey, as they punched their ticket to the National Cup quarter final for the fourth consecutive season. The win on the road did not come easy for TSK despite being in control for large spells of the ball game, Dragons forced their way back in the third and set up a back and forth finish to a game Kestrels would end up winning 87-77.
Kestrels wasted no time at all in this one, setting the tone with a quick 10-3 run out of the gates behind 8 Elliott Sentance points and despite Albert Margai replying with a 3 for the Dragons, Kestrels pushed the lead out to 13 at 18-6 shortly after. Coach Mellor called for timeout to settle the hosts down and they were able to make the scoreboard tick through Jermaine Laing and Rihard Sulcs, but it would be Kestrels who were in control after the first, 25-14.
Luke Busumbru came off the bench for the visitors to shift them through the gears as he scored 7 straight points to widen the deficit, TSK now 32-17 to the good just two minutes into the 2nd period. The two sides would trade baskets for long spells of the quarter as Rihard Sulcs continued to find scores insides for the Dragons and Kestrels continued to find easy looks from passages of fantastic ball movement. Bradford reduced the arrears to single figures with a little over two minutes until the break, however a 10-2 run to close the half ensured Coach Matt Guymon’s side had a healthy 17 points advantage under their belt at 49-32.
Brendan Okoronkwo picked up where he left off to start the 3rd quarter as he scored 4 straight for TSK but it was the hosts who were the aggressors in the early goings of the second half. Dragons quickly set about trimming the Kestrels lead, through a balanced scoring attack and Coach Guymon would call for timeout to weather the storm at 53-44. A quick 6-0 run post timeout from Elliot Dadds and Sentance restored the gap to 15 for TSK and the sides would trade triples for a number of possessions to close the period, Kestrels 69-56 to the good.
Dragons cut the gap to 10 early in the 4th but the scoring duo of Okoronkwo and Sentance ensured they would keep the deficit in double figures for their side. The hosts sharpshooter, David Walsh was able to find his stroke from range as he sparked an 8-0 run with 5 minutes left to play, which meant the Kestrels lead had been sliced to just 4 points at 69-73. Ian Smith was not phased however and hit replied with a triple of his own to keep the hosts at bay with just over 3 minutes left. A pair of Walsh free throws momentarily gave Bradford hope as he further trimmed the deficit to 5, but 8 straight Travis Charles points, capped off by a game clinching and-1, restored a 10 point advantage and the visitors would see the game out at the free throw line.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Brendan Okoronkwo and Elliott Sentance who had 20 points a piece whilst Travis Charles added 17. Elliot Dadds would also fill the stat sheet with 10 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Bradford’s Rihard Sulcs led for the hosts with 22 points whilst David Walsh and Jermaine Laing chipped in 18 and 12 respectively.
“We are very happy to pick up this big road win against a much improved, tough Bradford side, it is always pleasing to reach the latter stages of the knock out competitions. I thought there were some very positive spells in the first half at both ends of the floor for us, with a continued balanced scoring effort. In the third quarter we did a good job of weathering the storm and responding to their runs, however in the fourth we lacked some composure in keys moments which allowed Bradford to get right back in the game. That said, full credit to our guys who were able to close the game out for us and secure an important victory.” Added TSK Play caller Matt Guymon.
The victory sets up a quarter final clash at Hemel Storm on Sunday 15th December 2019, 5pm tip. Kestrels now face another stern road test this coming Saturday, with focus shifting back to league play and the hot on their heels Loughborough Riders.
Kestrels wasted no time at all in this one, setting the tone with a quick 10-3 run out of the gates behind 8 Elliott Sentance points and despite Albert Margai replying with a 3 for the Dragons, Kestrels pushed the lead out to 13 at 18-6 shortly after. Coach Mellor called for timeout to settle the hosts down and they were able to make the scoreboard tick through Jermaine Laing and Rihard Sulcs, but it would be Kestrels who were in control after the first, 25-14.
Luke Busumbru came off the bench for the visitors to shift them through the gears as he scored 7 straight points to widen the deficit, TSK now 32-17 to the good just two minutes into the 2nd period. The two sides would trade baskets for long spells of the quarter as Rihard Sulcs continued to find scores insides for the Dragons and Kestrels continued to find easy looks from passages of fantastic ball movement. Bradford reduced the arrears to single figures with a little over two minutes until the break, however a 10-2 run to close the half ensured Coach Matt Guymon’s side had a healthy 17 points advantage under their belt at 49-32.
Brendan Okoronkwo picked up where he left off to start the 3rd quarter as he scored 4 straight for TSK but it was the hosts who were the aggressors in the early goings of the second half. Dragons quickly set about trimming the Kestrels lead, through a balanced scoring attack and Coach Guymon would call for timeout to weather the storm at 53-44. A quick 6-0 run post timeout from Elliot Dadds and Sentance restored the gap to 15 for TSK and the sides would trade triples for a number of possessions to close the period, Kestrels 69-56 to the good.
Dragons cut the gap to 10 early in the 4th but the scoring duo of Okoronkwo and Sentance ensured they would keep the deficit in double figures for their side. The hosts sharpshooter, David Walsh was able to find his stroke from range as he sparked an 8-0 run with 5 minutes left to play, which meant the Kestrels lead had been sliced to just 4 points at 69-73. Ian Smith was not phased however and hit replied with a triple of his own to keep the hosts at bay with just over 3 minutes left. A pair of Walsh free throws momentarily gave Bradford hope as he further trimmed the deficit to 5, but 8 straight Travis Charles points, capped off by a game clinching and-1, restored a 10 point advantage and the visitors would see the game out at the free throw line.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Brendan Okoronkwo and Elliott Sentance who had 20 points a piece whilst Travis Charles added 17. Elliot Dadds would also fill the stat sheet with 10 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Bradford’s Rihard Sulcs led for the hosts with 22 points whilst David Walsh and Jermaine Laing chipped in 18 and 12 respectively.
“We are very happy to pick up this big road win against a much improved, tough Bradford side, it is always pleasing to reach the latter stages of the knock out competitions. I thought there were some very positive spells in the first half at both ends of the floor for us, with a continued balanced scoring effort. In the third quarter we did a good job of weathering the storm and responding to their runs, however in the fourth we lacked some composure in keys moments which allowed Bradford to get right back in the game. That said, full credit to our guys who were able to close the game out for us and secure an important victory.” Added TSK Play caller Matt Guymon.
The victory sets up a quarter final clash at Hemel Storm on Sunday 15th December 2019, 5pm tip. Kestrels now face another stern road test this coming Saturday, with focus shifting back to league play and the hot on their heels Loughborough Riders.
KESTRELS GROUND ROCKETS BEHIND SENTANCE 40 POINT HAUL
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
It was the battle of the early season front runners at Solent Sports Complex on Saturday evening as Kestrels welcomed cross county rivals, Reading Rockets, in what would be their toughest test yet. However TSK were ready for the challenge and used a controlled second half performance to ensure their undefeated record stays intact at 8-0 and they move two games clear at the summit of NBL D1.
The visitors raced out of the blocks in this one as they set about building a 4-13 lead across the first 4 minutes of the ball game, through American duo AJ Carr and Nicholas Richards. However that seemed to be the wake up call Coach Guymon’s side needed, as they swung things straight back in their favour with a 14-0 run, behind Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles who found a number of scoring opportunities in the paint. Carr stopped the drought for Rockets as he stroked a triple but that would be the start of a back and forth spell of traded baskets, ending with TSK up 28-21 after one.
Much the same as the first quarter, Reading jumped out of the gates the quicker of the two sides, and strung together a 0-7 run to prompt a swift TSK timeout with the game now tied at 28 a piece. Rockets scored 5 more post timeout to regain the lead at 28-33 as Carr continued his sharpshooting from beyond the arc, and although the sides traded baskets for long spells of the quarter Reading still led by 3 through the mid point of the period. In a half of runs, it was the hosts turn to put together one of their trademark scoring runs and this time to the tune of 10-0, powered by 5 Sentance points. Rockets would get back within 1 after Pau Mayor hit a three, however Ian Smith ensured it was a 5 point lead for the home side as he converted before the half time buzzer, 52-47.
Rockets Aussie guard Ben Dixon got the scoring underway in the second half with a three pointer, but Sentance would reply immediately with one of his own as he continued his free scoring. A 6-0 run for TSK behind Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo, now relieved of first half foul trouble, saw the hosts push the gap back out to 9 points, 61-52. Despite Dixon’s jumper for the Rockets, Kestrels began to turn the screw and a further 8 unanswered points put them in control, 69-54. The sides traded baskets for the final few minutes of the quarter until Ed Potter scored 4 straight to bring the Rockets with 6, but Luke Busumbru re-established a 9 point deficit as he stroked a triple in reply.
The visitors showed they were not going to let this one fizzle out in the fourth, as they cut the gap to just 5 points in the opening spells of the period. Sentance and Smith weathered the brief spell of pressure from Reading however and despite an AJ Carr jumper, Kestrels extinguished any hopes of a come back when they scored a further 8 in a row behind a pair of triples from Okoronkwo and Sentance. With the lead now at 15 for TSK it was very much on them to use smart game control to see his one out, and they did just that. Rockets briefly brought the deficit down to 11 but from there on in Kestrels found great looks to keep the scoreboard ticking and ran out 106-89 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels scoring fire power was on display once again, as they poured in another 100 plus point performance, none more impressive than Elliott Sentance’s huge 40 point outburst, whilst Travis Charles added 24 points and 8 rebounds with Ian Smith falling 2 assists shy of a triple double as he posted 15 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Reading Rockets were led by American, AJ Carr who had a stellar shooting night with 28 points, whilst Spaniard Pau Mayor added 13 and Nicholas Richards 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides strong second half showing; “This was a great test for us against a talented/physical Reading team. Early on in the contest I felt like we got away from our identity, taking contested shots with limited ball movement, fortunately we resolved this quickly and were able to get back to the style of basketball we wanted to play. On the defensive end, I felt we locked into the actions Reading ran & also took away the strengths of some of their key guys. We look forward to building on this performance back at home next Saturday.”
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to next weekend 4th home game in a row as they welcome D1 newcomers Liverpool to SSC on Saturday, 6pm tip, before they hit the road to Bradford to face the Dragons in the 4th Round of the National Cup on Sunday afternoon, 4:30pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376137/bs.html#ASFSK
The visitors raced out of the blocks in this one as they set about building a 4-13 lead across the first 4 minutes of the ball game, through American duo AJ Carr and Nicholas Richards. However that seemed to be the wake up call Coach Guymon’s side needed, as they swung things straight back in their favour with a 14-0 run, behind Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles who found a number of scoring opportunities in the paint. Carr stopped the drought for Rockets as he stroked a triple but that would be the start of a back and forth spell of traded baskets, ending with TSK up 28-21 after one.
Much the same as the first quarter, Reading jumped out of the gates the quicker of the two sides, and strung together a 0-7 run to prompt a swift TSK timeout with the game now tied at 28 a piece. Rockets scored 5 more post timeout to regain the lead at 28-33 as Carr continued his sharpshooting from beyond the arc, and although the sides traded baskets for long spells of the quarter Reading still led by 3 through the mid point of the period. In a half of runs, it was the hosts turn to put together one of their trademark scoring runs and this time to the tune of 10-0, powered by 5 Sentance points. Rockets would get back within 1 after Pau Mayor hit a three, however Ian Smith ensured it was a 5 point lead for the home side as he converted before the half time buzzer, 52-47.
Rockets Aussie guard Ben Dixon got the scoring underway in the second half with a three pointer, but Sentance would reply immediately with one of his own as he continued his free scoring. A 6-0 run for TSK behind Charles and Brendan Okoronkwo, now relieved of first half foul trouble, saw the hosts push the gap back out to 9 points, 61-52. Despite Dixon’s jumper for the Rockets, Kestrels began to turn the screw and a further 8 unanswered points put them in control, 69-54. The sides traded baskets for the final few minutes of the quarter until Ed Potter scored 4 straight to bring the Rockets with 6, but Luke Busumbru re-established a 9 point deficit as he stroked a triple in reply.
The visitors showed they were not going to let this one fizzle out in the fourth, as they cut the gap to just 5 points in the opening spells of the period. Sentance and Smith weathered the brief spell of pressure from Reading however and despite an AJ Carr jumper, Kestrels extinguished any hopes of a come back when they scored a further 8 in a row behind a pair of triples from Okoronkwo and Sentance. With the lead now at 15 for TSK it was very much on them to use smart game control to see his one out, and they did just that. Rockets briefly brought the deficit down to 11 but from there on in Kestrels found great looks to keep the scoreboard ticking and ran out 106-89 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels scoring fire power was on display once again, as they poured in another 100 plus point performance, none more impressive than Elliott Sentance’s huge 40 point outburst, whilst Travis Charles added 24 points and 8 rebounds with Ian Smith falling 2 assists shy of a triple double as he posted 15 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Reading Rockets were led by American, AJ Carr who had a stellar shooting night with 28 points, whilst Spaniard Pau Mayor added 13 and Nicholas Richards 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides strong second half showing; “This was a great test for us against a talented/physical Reading team. Early on in the contest I felt like we got away from our identity, taking contested shots with limited ball movement, fortunately we resolved this quickly and were able to get back to the style of basketball we wanted to play. On the defensive end, I felt we locked into the actions Reading ran & also took away the strengths of some of their key guys. We look forward to building on this performance back at home next Saturday.”
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to next weekend 4th home game in a row as they welcome D1 newcomers Liverpool to SSC on Saturday, 6pm tip, before they hit the road to Bradford to face the Dragons in the 4th Round of the National Cup on Sunday afternoon, 4:30pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376137/bs.html#ASFSK
EXCELLENT DEFENSIVE DISPLAY SEES KESTRELS HOLD OFF TRAILBLAZERS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
NBL D1 League leaders Team Solent Kestrels secured win number 7 on Saturday evening, as they fought off the visiting Derby Trailblazers to run out 87-66 victors. In what proved to be TSK’s toughest test yet on their home floor, they would use a measured second half performance with their defensive intensity fuelling them.
Kestrels took a quick 4-0 lead behind Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles, who found their way into the paint for a pair of easy looks, whilst Oliver Stanley opened the visitors account on a put back. The hosts would go up 5 when Brendan Okoronkwo collected his own miss and scored but a 2-6 run for the Trailblazers capped off with a Stanley dunk brought them back within 1. TSK however finished the quarter on a 9-2 run as Charles and Sentance combined again to leave their side up 8 after one, 23-15.
Charles would open the 2nd quarter by converting an and-1 opportunity to push the lead out into double figures for the first time in the game however the following possessions saw the teams trade baskets through Sentance and Trailblazers American Malcolm Smith. Spanish guard Sergio Gomez trimmed the deficit to 7 points for Derby and that would prompt a Coach Guymon timeout for some minor adjustments. Kestrels weathered the run and briefly restored their 11 point advantage through Jonathan Lashley, but a pair of Smith free throws ensured the lead would sit in single digits at the break with the hosts in front, 42-33.
The Trailblazers raced out of the blocks in the second half and whatever Coach Matt Shaw had said during the interval clearly took affect as they cut the gap to just 3 points with a 0-6 run. Elliot Dadds would stem the flow with a jumper before Smith sunk a pair of free throws for Derby, however a 9-2 run behind a balanced offensive effort saw Kestrels seize back the control and Coach Shaw call for timeout, TSK up 53-44. Lashley would score the home sides final 8 points of the quarter to ensure his side would take a 12 point buffer into the final period.
Derby showed they were ready to battle back early in the 4th as they scored 4 straight to take the gap down to just 8 points through Gomez and Stanley. However that was short lived as Kestrels strung together a 10-0 response and took their first commanding lead, now up 71-53 with just under 6 minutes to play, timeout Derby. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout and when Luke Busumbru and Okoronkwo scored for TSK they would push the gap to 20. Kestrels would use excellent game management and solid shot selection in the closing 4 minutes to ensure they held on to win 87-66 and stay undefeated.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was again pleased with his sides performance; “Credit to Matt Shaw and his side, we knew they would try to take us out of rhythm and I thought they were able to do that in spells. However the guys were able to put in another outstanding defensive performance, where we were able to limit their key personnel and their impact on the game. Despite it not being our most clinical offensive display we were still able to put 87 points on the board with yet another balanced scoring effort and I have to single out Jonathan Lashley, who I thought helped swing the momentum in the second half with his contributions.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who won the battle of the big men with 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Elliott Sentance added 20 points and Jonathan Lashley 14. The visitors were powered by Oliver Stanley and Sergio Gomez’s 18 points a piece with Malcolm Smith adding 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376142/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attention to a 1 vs. 2 match up next Saturday, in game number 3 of their 4 game home stand, where they’ll host Reading Rockets on Saturday 6pm at SSC.
Kestrels took a quick 4-0 lead behind Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles, who found their way into the paint for a pair of easy looks, whilst Oliver Stanley opened the visitors account on a put back. The hosts would go up 5 when Brendan Okoronkwo collected his own miss and scored but a 2-6 run for the Trailblazers capped off with a Stanley dunk brought them back within 1. TSK however finished the quarter on a 9-2 run as Charles and Sentance combined again to leave their side up 8 after one, 23-15.
Charles would open the 2nd quarter by converting an and-1 opportunity to push the lead out into double figures for the first time in the game however the following possessions saw the teams trade baskets through Sentance and Trailblazers American Malcolm Smith. Spanish guard Sergio Gomez trimmed the deficit to 7 points for Derby and that would prompt a Coach Guymon timeout for some minor adjustments. Kestrels weathered the run and briefly restored their 11 point advantage through Jonathan Lashley, but a pair of Smith free throws ensured the lead would sit in single digits at the break with the hosts in front, 42-33.
The Trailblazers raced out of the blocks in the second half and whatever Coach Matt Shaw had said during the interval clearly took affect as they cut the gap to just 3 points with a 0-6 run. Elliot Dadds would stem the flow with a jumper before Smith sunk a pair of free throws for Derby, however a 9-2 run behind a balanced offensive effort saw Kestrels seize back the control and Coach Shaw call for timeout, TSK up 53-44. Lashley would score the home sides final 8 points of the quarter to ensure his side would take a 12 point buffer into the final period.
Derby showed they were ready to battle back early in the 4th as they scored 4 straight to take the gap down to just 8 points through Gomez and Stanley. However that was short lived as Kestrels strung together a 10-0 response and took their first commanding lead, now up 71-53 with just under 6 minutes to play, timeout Derby. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout and when Luke Busumbru and Okoronkwo scored for TSK they would push the gap to 20. Kestrels would use excellent game management and solid shot selection in the closing 4 minutes to ensure they held on to win 87-66 and stay undefeated.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was again pleased with his sides performance; “Credit to Matt Shaw and his side, we knew they would try to take us out of rhythm and I thought they were able to do that in spells. However the guys were able to put in another outstanding defensive performance, where we were able to limit their key personnel and their impact on the game. Despite it not being our most clinical offensive display we were still able to put 87 points on the board with yet another balanced scoring effort and I have to single out Jonathan Lashley, who I thought helped swing the momentum in the second half with his contributions.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who won the battle of the big men with 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Elliott Sentance added 20 points and Jonathan Lashley 14. The visitors were powered by Oliver Stanley and Sergio Gomez’s 18 points a piece with Malcolm Smith adding 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376142/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attention to a 1 vs. 2 match up next Saturday, in game number 3 of their 4 game home stand, where they’ll host Reading Rockets on Saturday 6pm at SSC.
TSK EASE PAST SURREY RAMS TO BOOK 4TH ROUND CUP SPOT
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday saw TSK make the short trip to Division 3 side, Surrey Rams, in the third round of the National Cup and it was a routine win for the visiting Kestrels, 37-120. Kestrels led from the opening tip to the final buzzer and advanced to the 4th round where they will face another road trip at either Bradford Dragons or Team Newcastle University. Due to the Cup ruling surrounding only one American being permitted to play against teams in Divisions below TSK, Ian Smith would sit this one out whilst Chris Scarlett would miss out also.
Brendan Okoronkwo and Luke Busumbru scored Kestrels first 14 points to force the hosts into an early timeout, as TSK set the tone early on with their defensive intensity. Rams responded post timeout through Barrie Waters, who sunk a pair a three pointers, however Elliot Dadds scored 7 straight points and that pushed the Kestrels lead to 17. Okoronkwo stroked another two three balls before the quarter was up and when Busumbru obliged on a triple of his own the visitors were in front 15-40.
The second was much of the same for TSK as Jonathan Lashley scored 10 points straight to start the period, followed by Ash Briggs and young Steve Nwagwu’s successful trip to the foul line. Rams big men were continuing to establish their presence in the post and were able to score well through Jacob Loveridge. However Andrew Chakailis ensured that Kestrels would lead 27-67 at the break as he scored in the paint to round out the half.
Kestrels ramped up the defensive intensity to start the second half as they would limit the Rams to just 10 points in the half, whilst pouring in 53 themselves. Lashley continued his dominance inside as he converted inside for a number of easy scores, whilst Steve Nwagwu found his touch from distance in the fourth. Another balanced TSK scoring performance saw 8 out of 9 players reach double figures to secure a 37-120 victory.
Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides professional performance; “I wanted to ensure we got something out of this cup game as you always run the risk of losing focus in these type of games. The energy from the players was great and it allowed us to work on a number of different tactical areas that can help us moving forward. Credit to Surrey Rams, who competed physically throughout the game. I think they have a number of talented players and I can see them having a good year in division 3.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Jonathan Lashley’s 26 points and 15 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 20 and Luke Busumbru 16. Surrey Rams’ Barrie Waters and Prashan Rai led the way for the hosts with 9 a piece.
Kestrels will be back at Solent Sports Complex this Saturday as they play host to Derby Trailblazers, in game number 2 of a 4 game league home stand. 6pm tip off.
Brendan Okoronkwo and Luke Busumbru scored Kestrels first 14 points to force the hosts into an early timeout, as TSK set the tone early on with their defensive intensity. Rams responded post timeout through Barrie Waters, who sunk a pair a three pointers, however Elliot Dadds scored 7 straight points and that pushed the Kestrels lead to 17. Okoronkwo stroked another two three balls before the quarter was up and when Busumbru obliged on a triple of his own the visitors were in front 15-40.
The second was much of the same for TSK as Jonathan Lashley scored 10 points straight to start the period, followed by Ash Briggs and young Steve Nwagwu’s successful trip to the foul line. Rams big men were continuing to establish their presence in the post and were able to score well through Jacob Loveridge. However Andrew Chakailis ensured that Kestrels would lead 27-67 at the break as he scored in the paint to round out the half.
Kestrels ramped up the defensive intensity to start the second half as they would limit the Rams to just 10 points in the half, whilst pouring in 53 themselves. Lashley continued his dominance inside as he converted inside for a number of easy scores, whilst Steve Nwagwu found his touch from distance in the fourth. Another balanced TSK scoring performance saw 8 out of 9 players reach double figures to secure a 37-120 victory.
Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides professional performance; “I wanted to ensure we got something out of this cup game as you always run the risk of losing focus in these type of games. The energy from the players was great and it allowed us to work on a number of different tactical areas that can help us moving forward. Credit to Surrey Rams, who competed physically throughout the game. I think they have a number of talented players and I can see them having a good year in division 3.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Jonathan Lashley’s 26 points and 15 rebounds whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 20 and Luke Busumbru 16. Surrey Rams’ Barrie Waters and Prashan Rai led the way for the hosts with 9 a piece.
Kestrels will be back at Solent Sports Complex this Saturday as they play host to Derby Trailblazers, in game number 2 of a 4 game league home stand. 6pm tip off.
KESTRELS POUR IN ANOTHER 100 PLUS POINT PERFORMANCE IN WIN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
It was win number 6 in a row for Team Solent Kestrels this Saturday as they dispatched Yorkshire outfit, Bradford Dragons, 107-79 at the Solent Sports Complex. The win sees Kestrels strengthen their grip on top spot in NBL Division 1, as the only team left in the league with an undefeated record. With the new NBL Live initiative kicking off on Saturday, it was the first time the league live streamed a regular season fixture across the internet and was a chance for Kestrels fans further a field to catch their side in action.
After a tense opening few possessions for both sides, Ian Smith broke the deadlock for the hosts whilst Jermaine Laing scored inside for the Dragons. Neither team was able to take control of the ball game in the early going and traded scores through Elliott Sentance and then Allie Fullah for the visitors, until that kick started a 9-2 run for TSK that saw them jump out to a 15-6 advantage. Bradford guard Rafi Saipe scored 4 straight for his side to ensure they stayed within touching distance of the Kestrels, but when Luke Busumbru came off the bench, he injected the energy the home side needed to take them up another gear. He and Sentance would combine for 10 of TSK’s last 12 points in the quarter to ensure they were 29-14 to the good after one.
The lead jumped out to 19 early on in the 2nd quarter as both Jonathan Lashley and Travis Charles exerted their dominance inside, however Rihard Sulcs came off the bench for the Dragons to convert inside also. Brendan Okoronkwo finally broke the 20 point barrier for the TSK lead and Sentance’s transition lay up extended the advantage to 23 with just 4 minutes played in the period. Sulcs and Bradford’s shooter David Walsh replied for the visitors momentarily but a Lashley buzzer beater 3 pointer ensured the hosts lead stayed at 23 heading into the half time break, 57-34.
Dragons stroked a 3 on the opening possession of the half through Walsh again, however that would be as close as they ever got to the hosts the rest of the way. An 11-0 run in reply behind a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, meant TSK would kill off any hopes of a Bradford come back and put them up 68-37. Dadds connected on another three before Fetske scored 4 straight for the Dragons but when Chris Scarlett got in on the three point act, TSK found themselves up 35 with 2 minutes to play in the quarter. The visitors showed their fight stringing together a 9-0 run but Charles weathered the storm with 4 points of his own, Kestrels up 83-52 heading into the fourth.
Ashley Briggs and Okoronkwo got the final period underway with 5 quick points for the home town Kestrels, however a flurry of traded 3’s would follow as the lead stayed at 35. Albert Margai trimmed the deficit to 28 for the Dragons and when Sulcs later converted the and-1 attempt the gap was down to 24. With time on the hosts sides they rallied for a pair of three’s from Okoronkwo and Smith to break the 100 point mark for the 5th time in 6 games and Kestrels saw out the closing minutes to run out 28 points victors, 107-79.
Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “I thought Bradford tried to set the tone physically early on in this game and I felt we did a good job with our spacing & how we attacked inside-out. This was another balanced scoring performance for us, but I was disappointed with our commitment and focus to the defensive end. In spells we defended the way we needed to, but the consistency wasn’t there tonight, which is something we must correct moving forward.”
Kestrels balanced scoring output continued again, this time Elliott Sentance was the high point man with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Whilst Travis Charles added a 22 point and 10 rebound double double and Brendan Okoronkwo did a little bit of everything with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists. Bradford were led by Ricky Fetske’s 17 points, with sharpshooter David Walsh adding 15 and Jermaine Laing 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376118/bs.html
After a tense opening few possessions for both sides, Ian Smith broke the deadlock for the hosts whilst Jermaine Laing scored inside for the Dragons. Neither team was able to take control of the ball game in the early going and traded scores through Elliott Sentance and then Allie Fullah for the visitors, until that kick started a 9-2 run for TSK that saw them jump out to a 15-6 advantage. Bradford guard Rafi Saipe scored 4 straight for his side to ensure they stayed within touching distance of the Kestrels, but when Luke Busumbru came off the bench, he injected the energy the home side needed to take them up another gear. He and Sentance would combine for 10 of TSK’s last 12 points in the quarter to ensure they were 29-14 to the good after one.
The lead jumped out to 19 early on in the 2nd quarter as both Jonathan Lashley and Travis Charles exerted their dominance inside, however Rihard Sulcs came off the bench for the Dragons to convert inside also. Brendan Okoronkwo finally broke the 20 point barrier for the TSK lead and Sentance’s transition lay up extended the advantage to 23 with just 4 minutes played in the period. Sulcs and Bradford’s shooter David Walsh replied for the visitors momentarily but a Lashley buzzer beater 3 pointer ensured the hosts lead stayed at 23 heading into the half time break, 57-34.
Dragons stroked a 3 on the opening possession of the half through Walsh again, however that would be as close as they ever got to the hosts the rest of the way. An 11-0 run in reply behind a pair of Elliot Dadds triples, meant TSK would kill off any hopes of a Bradford come back and put them up 68-37. Dadds connected on another three before Fetske scored 4 straight for the Dragons but when Chris Scarlett got in on the three point act, TSK found themselves up 35 with 2 minutes to play in the quarter. The visitors showed their fight stringing together a 9-0 run but Charles weathered the storm with 4 points of his own, Kestrels up 83-52 heading into the fourth.
Ashley Briggs and Okoronkwo got the final period underway with 5 quick points for the home town Kestrels, however a flurry of traded 3’s would follow as the lead stayed at 35. Albert Margai trimmed the deficit to 28 for the Dragons and when Sulcs later converted the and-1 attempt the gap was down to 24. With time on the hosts sides they rallied for a pair of three’s from Okoronkwo and Smith to break the 100 point mark for the 5th time in 6 games and Kestrels saw out the closing minutes to run out 28 points victors, 107-79.
Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “I thought Bradford tried to set the tone physically early on in this game and I felt we did a good job with our spacing & how we attacked inside-out. This was another balanced scoring performance for us, but I was disappointed with our commitment and focus to the defensive end. In spells we defended the way we needed to, but the consistency wasn’t there tonight, which is something we must correct moving forward.”
Kestrels balanced scoring output continued again, this time Elliott Sentance was the high point man with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Whilst Travis Charles added a 22 point and 10 rebound double double and Brendan Okoronkwo did a little bit of everything with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists. Bradford were led by Ricky Fetske’s 17 points, with sharpshooter David Walsh adding 15 and Jermaine Laing 12.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376118/bs.html
TSK STAY UNDEFEATED AS THEY THRASH WARRIORS IN THE CAPITAL
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels undefeated streak moved to 5 this weekend, with a comprehensive victory at newly promoted Westminster Warriors, to the tune of 140-77. Kestrels again provided a stunning offensive onslaught that saw them almost double their opponents score, which would have been the 4th time in 5 games.
In just their second road outing of the season, talk pre game turned to whether or not Kestrels would be able to continue their excellent early season form, and they wasted absolutely no time in building their lead. Brendan Okoronkwo would start the party with a 3 ball on the opening possession of the game and a pair of lay ups from Elliott Sentance and Ian Smith, forced the hosts to call for an early timeout with Kestrels up 0-7. A brief response for the Warriors post timeout pulled them to within 5 but that was as close as they got all evening, Elliot Dadds opened his account from distance and when Smith scored 7 straight, the visitors were in control, 11-22. A 3-15 run for TSK including a flurry of back to back scores from Sentance and Smith, followed by former Warriors big man Jonathan Lashley, meant Kestrels led 14-37 after one.
The sides traded scores to open the second with the lead hovering around 20 for Coach Guymon’s squad, as Okoronkwo and Dadds found their scoring rhythm whilst a balanced attack for the Londoners kept them ticking over. It was TSK who found another gear though, and when they strung together a 2-12 run with just 2 and half minutes to play in the half, the lead ballooned to 29 at 29-58. Chris Scarlett came off the bench and did what he does best from beyond the arc, scoring 9 points in a little over a minute and by the interval the visitors were firmly in control, 35-72.
Travis Charles scored 3 of 4 at the line to start the second half and push the advantage out to 40 for TSK, however Justin Hitchman ensured the Warriors got the scoreboard ticking early too. Kestrels used the next two minutes to explode for a 3-13 run to kill off any hope of a second half turn around for the hosts, as the lead was a point short of 50 with over 15 minutes left on the clock. Hitchman knocked down a three to momentarily weather the storm for Westminster but it wouldn’t be enough to prevent Smith, Dadds and Sentance stroking three balls of their own and pushing the gap well into the 50’s. Luke Busumbru and Lashley would combine well off the bench to close the period and when Okoronkwo’s lay up went just before the buzzer, his side would now lead 53-111.
The pace of the game slowed dramatically in the final period with Kestrels having posted an average of 37 points a quarter thus far. It was back and forth by way of scoring for large spells, with Johnson and Sempala for the hosts and Dadds stroking another set of triples for TSK. Ashley Briggs scored 4 straight to push the lead to 65 and Kestrels would seal another comprehensive victory, 77-140.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was again impressed with his sides performance and added; “This was another focused effort from our guys who were able to put in an excellent display on both ends of the floor. Westminster had some key personnel that we wanted to limit and I thought we did a good job taking away space & forcing other players to make plays. The talking point of the night was our offensive production, which was incredible at times. To make 19 3s and shoot 33-34 from the FT line was as impressive a performance as i’ve seen.”
TSK were led by Ian Smith who dropped 34 points, 6 assists, 6 steals and 4 rebounds in 30 minutes of action, whilst Elliott Sentance had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Elliot Dadds had 22 points on 6/7 from the three. Westminster Warriors’ Arif Sempala had 22 points to lead them, while Jon Johnson and Justin Hitchman had 12 a piece.
Kestrels will now return home to SSC where they’ll play host to Bradford Dragons this coming Saturday at 6pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376091/bs.html
In just their second road outing of the season, talk pre game turned to whether or not Kestrels would be able to continue their excellent early season form, and they wasted absolutely no time in building their lead. Brendan Okoronkwo would start the party with a 3 ball on the opening possession of the game and a pair of lay ups from Elliott Sentance and Ian Smith, forced the hosts to call for an early timeout with Kestrels up 0-7. A brief response for the Warriors post timeout pulled them to within 5 but that was as close as they got all evening, Elliot Dadds opened his account from distance and when Smith scored 7 straight, the visitors were in control, 11-22. A 3-15 run for TSK including a flurry of back to back scores from Sentance and Smith, followed by former Warriors big man Jonathan Lashley, meant Kestrels led 14-37 after one.
The sides traded scores to open the second with the lead hovering around 20 for Coach Guymon’s squad, as Okoronkwo and Dadds found their scoring rhythm whilst a balanced attack for the Londoners kept them ticking over. It was TSK who found another gear though, and when they strung together a 2-12 run with just 2 and half minutes to play in the half, the lead ballooned to 29 at 29-58. Chris Scarlett came off the bench and did what he does best from beyond the arc, scoring 9 points in a little over a minute and by the interval the visitors were firmly in control, 35-72.
Travis Charles scored 3 of 4 at the line to start the second half and push the advantage out to 40 for TSK, however Justin Hitchman ensured the Warriors got the scoreboard ticking early too. Kestrels used the next two minutes to explode for a 3-13 run to kill off any hope of a second half turn around for the hosts, as the lead was a point short of 50 with over 15 minutes left on the clock. Hitchman knocked down a three to momentarily weather the storm for Westminster but it wouldn’t be enough to prevent Smith, Dadds and Sentance stroking three balls of their own and pushing the gap well into the 50’s. Luke Busumbru and Lashley would combine well off the bench to close the period and when Okoronkwo’s lay up went just before the buzzer, his side would now lead 53-111.
The pace of the game slowed dramatically in the final period with Kestrels having posted an average of 37 points a quarter thus far. It was back and forth by way of scoring for large spells, with Johnson and Sempala for the hosts and Dadds stroking another set of triples for TSK. Ashley Briggs scored 4 straight to push the lead to 65 and Kestrels would seal another comprehensive victory, 77-140.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was again impressed with his sides performance and added; “This was another focused effort from our guys who were able to put in an excellent display on both ends of the floor. Westminster had some key personnel that we wanted to limit and I thought we did a good job taking away space & forcing other players to make plays. The talking point of the night was our offensive production, which was incredible at times. To make 19 3s and shoot 33-34 from the FT line was as impressive a performance as i’ve seen.”
TSK were led by Ian Smith who dropped 34 points, 6 assists, 6 steals and 4 rebounds in 30 minutes of action, whilst Elliott Sentance had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Elliot Dadds had 22 points on 6/7 from the three. Westminster Warriors’ Arif Sempala had 22 points to lead them, while Jon Johnson and Justin Hitchman had 12 a piece.
Kestrels will now return home to SSC where they’ll play host to Bradford Dragons this coming Saturday at 6pm.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376091/bs.html
KESTRELS CONTINUE FINE EARLY SEASON FORM TO MOVE TO 4-0
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels fine early season form continued on Saturday evening as they dispatched East Midlands outfit, Leicester Warriors 112-56 at Solent Sports Complex. Coach Matt Guymon’s side maintained their unbeaten record and moved to 4-0 at the summit of NBL D1.
Kestrels American forward Travis Charles, ensured the hosts would start much the better of the two sides, as he scored 8 of TSK’s first 10 points, leaving them up 10 nothing inside 5 minutes. Warriors own American, TJ Henderson, replied right away with 5 straight points but that sparked the cavalry for the home side as former Warrior, Elliott Sentance stroked a 3 ball to restore the 10 point advantage. Brendan Okoronkwo pushed the deficit to 16 in the closing stages of the first, however Lamin Willan converted an and-1 to leave the score at 24-11 after one.
Jonathan Lashley came off the bench to score on a pretty post move getting things underway in the second quarter, before he was matched at the other end by Roderick Howell’s inside finish for the Warriors. A 10-1 run would follow for the hosts and that ultimately blew the lead wide open at 22, as Sentance, Charles and this time Ian Smith found easy scoring opportunities. Warriors showed no signs of giving up the fight early though, as Henderson connected on back to back triples followed by a Willan drive to force a Coach Guymon timeout and trim the gap to 14. Post timeout Luke Busumbru turned his speed on to glide his way to the hoop on back to back scores, before he went baseline for the big flush that sent SSC into a frenzy and restored his sides 20 point advantage. Kestrels closed the half on a 12-1 run to lead 55-29 at the break.
Kestrels pushed the lead out to 30 in the opening possessions of the second half and whilst Warriors scored 5 points early on, the hosts would limit them to 4 points in the remaining 8 minutes of third quarter action, in arguably their best defensive display of the season so far. Smith scored 7 straight and that pushed the lead to 39 with just under 4 minutes remaining in the period and by the time the quarter finished Kestrels had extended the gap to 41 at, 79-38.
The sides traded baskets to start the final period, as Busumbru stroked a 3 before Howell scored 4 straight for the Warriors. The lead stayed at 45 for long spells of the 4th as Kestrels balanced scoring attack continued in full flow whilst Henderson was able to make some tough shots for the visitors. Chris Scarlett, much to the delight of the Kestrels Family, was back in fine form as he found his touch from beyond the arc with a pair of triples, before the story of the night, U18 call up Steve Nwagwu (who has been with the club since the age of 12), made his D1 debut with 5 minutes left on the clock. TSK would extend the lead further through Nwagwu and Sentance as they ran out 112-56 winners.
Coach Matt Guymon was very happy with his sides performance and commented; “Tonight was another fantastic team performance, where we got a balanced contribution at both ends of the floor, Leicester have some scoring fire power and I loved our commitment to the defensive end to limit their impact on the game. The intensity on the defensive end fuelled our offensive game and we are continuing to play an unselfish brand of basketball, this showed in the stats also as we had 33 assists. We’ve had a great start to the season so far but we know we must stay focussed on improving each week.”
Team Solent Kestrels produced another balanced scoring output with 5 players in double figures and no less than 33 assists. However Ian Smith led the way with 25 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds whilst Travis Charles had 22 points and 10 rebounds with Elliott Sentance adding 21 points and 7 boards. Leicester Warriors were paced by 20 points from TJ Henderson whilst Lamin Willan and Roderick Howell had 12 and 11 points respectively.
Kestrels will head out on the road next weekend when they travel to the capital to face newly promoted Westminster Warriors at 5:30pm on Saturday. You can catch TSK back in action at SSC the following weekend (2nd Nov) when they return home to face Bradford Dragons.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376100/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels American forward Travis Charles, ensured the hosts would start much the better of the two sides, as he scored 8 of TSK’s first 10 points, leaving them up 10 nothing inside 5 minutes. Warriors own American, TJ Henderson, replied right away with 5 straight points but that sparked the cavalry for the home side as former Warrior, Elliott Sentance stroked a 3 ball to restore the 10 point advantage. Brendan Okoronkwo pushed the deficit to 16 in the closing stages of the first, however Lamin Willan converted an and-1 to leave the score at 24-11 after one.
Jonathan Lashley came off the bench to score on a pretty post move getting things underway in the second quarter, before he was matched at the other end by Roderick Howell’s inside finish for the Warriors. A 10-1 run would follow for the hosts and that ultimately blew the lead wide open at 22, as Sentance, Charles and this time Ian Smith found easy scoring opportunities. Warriors showed no signs of giving up the fight early though, as Henderson connected on back to back triples followed by a Willan drive to force a Coach Guymon timeout and trim the gap to 14. Post timeout Luke Busumbru turned his speed on to glide his way to the hoop on back to back scores, before he went baseline for the big flush that sent SSC into a frenzy and restored his sides 20 point advantage. Kestrels closed the half on a 12-1 run to lead 55-29 at the break.
Kestrels pushed the lead out to 30 in the opening possessions of the second half and whilst Warriors scored 5 points early on, the hosts would limit them to 4 points in the remaining 8 minutes of third quarter action, in arguably their best defensive display of the season so far. Smith scored 7 straight and that pushed the lead to 39 with just under 4 minutes remaining in the period and by the time the quarter finished Kestrels had extended the gap to 41 at, 79-38.
The sides traded baskets to start the final period, as Busumbru stroked a 3 before Howell scored 4 straight for the Warriors. The lead stayed at 45 for long spells of the 4th as Kestrels balanced scoring attack continued in full flow whilst Henderson was able to make some tough shots for the visitors. Chris Scarlett, much to the delight of the Kestrels Family, was back in fine form as he found his touch from beyond the arc with a pair of triples, before the story of the night, U18 call up Steve Nwagwu (who has been with the club since the age of 12), made his D1 debut with 5 minutes left on the clock. TSK would extend the lead further through Nwagwu and Sentance as they ran out 112-56 winners.
Coach Matt Guymon was very happy with his sides performance and commented; “Tonight was another fantastic team performance, where we got a balanced contribution at both ends of the floor, Leicester have some scoring fire power and I loved our commitment to the defensive end to limit their impact on the game. The intensity on the defensive end fuelled our offensive game and we are continuing to play an unselfish brand of basketball, this showed in the stats also as we had 33 assists. We’ve had a great start to the season so far but we know we must stay focussed on improving each week.”
Team Solent Kestrels produced another balanced scoring output with 5 players in double figures and no less than 33 assists. However Ian Smith led the way with 25 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds whilst Travis Charles had 22 points and 10 rebounds with Elliott Sentance adding 21 points and 7 boards. Leicester Warriors were paced by 20 points from TJ Henderson whilst Lamin Willan and Roderick Howell had 12 and 11 points respectively.
Kestrels will head out on the road next weekend when they travel to the capital to face newly promoted Westminster Warriors at 5:30pm on Saturday. You can catch TSK back in action at SSC the following weekend (2nd Nov) when they return home to face Bradford Dragons.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376100/bs.html#ASFSK
ANOTHER DOMINANT HOME DISPLAY FOR TSK KEEPS THEM UNBEATEN
Saturday evening saw the return of TSK to the Solent Sports complex, where they maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a comprehensive 95-45 victory over a young but very talented Barking Abbey side. After a back and forth opening period, Kestrels were able to exert their dominance from the 2nd period and never looked back.
The hosts opened the scoring immediately through Elliott Sentance but some sloppy play in the following possessions allowed Barking to find a number of transition scores, through Veron Eze and Chris Feeney to edge them in front 9-13. This seemed to be the trigger TSK needed as they sprung into life with a 10-0 run to regain the lead and force a Coach Vear timeout. Post TO Kestrels held the visitors scoreless, meaning they were without a bucket for the final 5 minutes of the quarter, TSK in front 24-13 after one.
Ian Smith scored in transition to start the second period after a nice find from Luke Busumbru and although Sam Alajiki stroked a triple for Barking, Brendan Okoronkwo replied almost instantly to see the Kestrels up 33-18. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter until Coach Guymon’s side turned up the defensive pressure once again and closed the half on a 17-0 run, effectively blowing the contest wide open, 52-22.
A 14-1 run to start the second half extinguished any hopes of a Barking come back, as Kestrels big man Travis Charles proved too much for the visitors. As has been the case in both of TSK’s early season games, the scoring load was shared across the board as Elliot Dadds got in on the act before Kestrels/Itchen Academy product, Ashley Briggs, came off the bench to score 4 straight. Veron Eze kept the scoreboard ticking over for BA but Kestrels would still be firmly in control at the end of the third, 78-34.
The pace of the game slowed in the fourth, with both sides matching each other early on, as Briggs and Charles scored the ball inside for the hosts whilst Eze and Feeney found their way to the hoop for Barking. However this favoured TSK with an unassailable lead in tact they ran out 95-45 winners to move to 3-0.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented; “For us it was another clinical performance, I think our focus and commitment to the defensive end in particular is improving game to game. Offensively we got another balanced scoring output with a number of guys making key contributions, which is testament to the guys really beginning to buy into the style of basketball we want to play. It was great to see another packed house at Solent Sports Complex with the Kestrels Family in full voice, we are looking forward now to a tough test next weekend when we welcome Leicester Warriors.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 22 point and 10 rebound double double, whilst Elliott Sentance added 17 and Brendan Okoronkwo 16. The visitors guard Chris Feeney powered them with 14 and Veron Eze was the only other player in double figures with 11.
You won’t have to wait long to catch the Kestrels back in action, as they welcome Leicester Warriors to the SSC this coming Saturday, 6pm tip off. It will be the first home double header of the season as the D1 Women’s side play before at 3pm, as they play host to also undefeated Anglia Ruskin University.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376105/index.html
The hosts opened the scoring immediately through Elliott Sentance but some sloppy play in the following possessions allowed Barking to find a number of transition scores, through Veron Eze and Chris Feeney to edge them in front 9-13. This seemed to be the trigger TSK needed as they sprung into life with a 10-0 run to regain the lead and force a Coach Vear timeout. Post TO Kestrels held the visitors scoreless, meaning they were without a bucket for the final 5 minutes of the quarter, TSK in front 24-13 after one.
Ian Smith scored in transition to start the second period after a nice find from Luke Busumbru and although Sam Alajiki stroked a triple for Barking, Brendan Okoronkwo replied almost instantly to see the Kestrels up 33-18. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter until Coach Guymon’s side turned up the defensive pressure once again and closed the half on a 17-0 run, effectively blowing the contest wide open, 52-22.
A 14-1 run to start the second half extinguished any hopes of a Barking come back, as Kestrels big man Travis Charles proved too much for the visitors. As has been the case in both of TSK’s early season games, the scoring load was shared across the board as Elliot Dadds got in on the act before Kestrels/Itchen Academy product, Ashley Briggs, came off the bench to score 4 straight. Veron Eze kept the scoreboard ticking over for BA but Kestrels would still be firmly in control at the end of the third, 78-34.
The pace of the game slowed in the fourth, with both sides matching each other early on, as Briggs and Charles scored the ball inside for the hosts whilst Eze and Feeney found their way to the hoop for Barking. However this favoured TSK with an unassailable lead in tact they ran out 95-45 winners to move to 3-0.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented; “For us it was another clinical performance, I think our focus and commitment to the defensive end in particular is improving game to game. Offensively we got another balanced scoring output with a number of guys making key contributions, which is testament to the guys really beginning to buy into the style of basketball we want to play. It was great to see another packed house at Solent Sports Complex with the Kestrels Family in full voice, we are looking forward now to a tough test next weekend when we welcome Leicester Warriors.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 22 point and 10 rebound double double, whilst Elliott Sentance added 17 and Brendan Okoronkwo 16. The visitors guard Chris Feeney powered them with 14 and Veron Eze was the only other player in double figures with 11.
You won’t have to wait long to catch the Kestrels back in action, as they welcome Leicester Warriors to the SSC this coming Saturday, 6pm tip off. It will be the first home double header of the season as the D1 Women’s side play before at 3pm, as they play host to also undefeated Anglia Ruskin University.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1376105/index.html
KESTRELS MOVE TO 2-0 AFTER IMPRESSIVE ROAD WIN IN WORTHING
Coach Matt Guymon’s Kestrels kept their perfect start to the season alive on Saturday evening, as they dispatched Worthing Thunder on the road, 70-88. A dominant first half display for the Kestrels would ultimately be the difference in the ball game, outscoring the hosts 26-47 across the first two periods.
The hosts started the quicker of the two sides, with Tom Ward knocking down a pair of tough jump shots to open proceedings and put Thunder up 4-0. An 8-2 scoring run in reply for TSK would be just what they needed to get them going, behind 5 Elliott Sentance points, however the opening spells saw both teams struggle offensively. Kestrels extended the lead to 4 at 10-14 after Sentance stroked another 3 ball, prompting a home timeout with 3 minutes left in the first. A short exchange of scores followed and TSK finished the period up 14-16.
Theo King came in off the bench to knock down a triple for the visitors on the opening possession of the second and despite a Ward three in response, TSK would quickly find themselves up 17-25, after Ian Smith got the step on his man to finish at the rim. Kanye King brought Thunder within 6 albeit very briefly, because Elliot Dadds knocked down another three to force the second timeout from Coach Stevens, Kestrels up 19-28. Post timeout the sides traded baskets with the lead hovering around 11 and TSK poised to take the game over. A 12-0 run to close the half did exactly that, Kestrels holding the hosts scoreless for the final 3:34 of the period, taking a 26-47 lead into the break.
A 7-2 Worthing run to open the second half showed there was still life left in the hosts pulling within 16. However Brendan Okoronkwo ensured his new side kept the score board ticking over, followed by a Travis Charles score inside to restore a 20 point advantage. For long spells of the third period the sides would trade baskets, both enjoying short runs. The first saw Kestrels build a 23 point gap behind a balanced scoring effort but Zaire Taylor found his touch from distance, to pull Thunder back within 15 to close the quarter.
King briefly trimmed the deficit to 13 for the Sussex outfit, but a quick 6-0 run in response powered by Sentance, moved Kestrels right back in the driving seat at 52-71. Thunder’s American duo Taylor and Alex Owumi kept them alive with a pair of perimeter buckets, but some excellent game management from the visitors saw them find high percentage looks to restore their advantage, 63-80 to the good with just under 5 minutes to play. Kestrels would turn up the defensive pressure to close the game out, only allowing Thunder 7 points in the final 5 minutes, whilst ticking the scoreboard over themselves to secure a convincing 70-88 victory, in their first road outing this season.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance and added; “I thought we were excellent for large spells defensively tonight, we limited key personnel and that really sparked our transition game on the other end of the floor. We had a number of contributions on the offensive end and again showed we have a number of weapons that can really score the ball for us. I have to give a special mention to Elliot Dadds who was carry an ankle injury but was able to give us everything he had, really epitomising the toughness of this group.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance’s 27 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 16 on his return to his former side and Ian Smith fell one assist shy of a triple double with 15 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists. Worthing’s Tom Ward had 20 points to lead the offensive charge for the home town Thunder, with new signing Kayne King adding 16 and Zaire Taylor 15.
Kestrels are back in action this coming Saturday 12th October 2019, 6pm at the Solent Sports Complex, where they will welcome Barking Abbey.
The hosts started the quicker of the two sides, with Tom Ward knocking down a pair of tough jump shots to open proceedings and put Thunder up 4-0. An 8-2 scoring run in reply for TSK would be just what they needed to get them going, behind 5 Elliott Sentance points, however the opening spells saw both teams struggle offensively. Kestrels extended the lead to 4 at 10-14 after Sentance stroked another 3 ball, prompting a home timeout with 3 minutes left in the first. A short exchange of scores followed and TSK finished the period up 14-16.
Theo King came in off the bench to knock down a triple for the visitors on the opening possession of the second and despite a Ward three in response, TSK would quickly find themselves up 17-25, after Ian Smith got the step on his man to finish at the rim. Kanye King brought Thunder within 6 albeit very briefly, because Elliot Dadds knocked down another three to force the second timeout from Coach Stevens, Kestrels up 19-28. Post timeout the sides traded baskets with the lead hovering around 11 and TSK poised to take the game over. A 12-0 run to close the half did exactly that, Kestrels holding the hosts scoreless for the final 3:34 of the period, taking a 26-47 lead into the break.
A 7-2 Worthing run to open the second half showed there was still life left in the hosts pulling within 16. However Brendan Okoronkwo ensured his new side kept the score board ticking over, followed by a Travis Charles score inside to restore a 20 point advantage. For long spells of the third period the sides would trade baskets, both enjoying short runs. The first saw Kestrels build a 23 point gap behind a balanced scoring effort but Zaire Taylor found his touch from distance, to pull Thunder back within 15 to close the quarter.
King briefly trimmed the deficit to 13 for the Sussex outfit, but a quick 6-0 run in response powered by Sentance, moved Kestrels right back in the driving seat at 52-71. Thunder’s American duo Taylor and Alex Owumi kept them alive with a pair of perimeter buckets, but some excellent game management from the visitors saw them find high percentage looks to restore their advantage, 63-80 to the good with just under 5 minutes to play. Kestrels would turn up the defensive pressure to close the game out, only allowing Thunder 7 points in the final 5 minutes, whilst ticking the scoreboard over themselves to secure a convincing 70-88 victory, in their first road outing this season.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance and added; “I thought we were excellent for large spells defensively tonight, we limited key personnel and that really sparked our transition game on the other end of the floor. We had a number of contributions on the offensive end and again showed we have a number of weapons that can really score the ball for us. I have to give a special mention to Elliot Dadds who was carry an ankle injury but was able to give us everything he had, really epitomising the toughness of this group.”
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliott Sentance’s 27 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 16 on his return to his former side and Ian Smith fell one assist shy of a triple double with 15 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists. Worthing’s Tom Ward had 20 points to lead the offensive charge for the home town Thunder, with new signing Kayne King adding 16 and Zaire Taylor 15.
Kestrels are back in action this coming Saturday 12th October 2019, 6pm at the Solent Sports Complex, where they will welcome Barking Abbey.
ITS DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR LEOPARDS AS KESTRELS WIN SEASON OPENER
Team Solent Kestrels started their NBL D1 campaign with a stunning 122-61 victory, over Essex & Herts Leopards on Saturday evening, at the brand new Solent Sports Complex. As the curtain raised around the league on the new season, TSK set about sending a statement of intent as they doubled the visitors score with a very balance team effort.
Kestrels flew out of the blocks to an 8-0 lead, as newcomer Ian Smith got himself going early on, forcing a Leopards timeout with just a minute and half played. Obi Egbunike got the visitors off the mark post timeout, but Kestrels showed no signs of slowing down and built themselves an 18-9, again powered by Smith. Leopards new signing Hafeez Abdul brought them within 7 at 21-14 after he stroked a triple, however Kestrels closed the quarter on a 12-6 run, including a monster dunk from Luke Busumbru, to leave them 33-19 to the good.
A 9-0 run for TSK saw them extend the lead to 23 less than 3 minutes into the second period. Leopards point guard Prince Lartey gave them some respite as he knocked down a three ball for his side, but it did little by way of trimming the score as Kestrels continued to pour it in with a balance scoring effort to push the advantage out to 27 with 4 minutes to play until the half. The sides traded baskets to close out the period and the hosts were firmly in the driving seat at the half, 62-38.
The home sides ball movement and clinical transition basketball was in full flow by the time the third quarter rolled around and Elliott Sentance set about pushing the lead out into the 30’s early on. A 12-2 run to close out the third quarter allowed Kestrels to increase their lead to 91-52 with 10 minutes still to play.
A quick 14-0 to begin the final stanza, powered by Ash Briggs and Greek guard Andrew Chaikalis, saw Kestrels smash through the 100 point barrier and the lead continue to stack up. An excellent defensive display from the hosts in the 4th meant Leopards were only able to score 9 points, whilst TSK were still in free scoring mood putting 31 on the board, running out 122-61 winners.
“Our club and the Kestrels Family have been looking forward to our first home league game in our brand new facility and tonight the guys did not disappoint the fans. It was a fantastic turn out from our supporters and we hope to continue to build on that for each game. I thought the group put in a solid performance at this early stage of the season, we are playing unselfish basketball at a high tempo, but we need to continue to focus on how we guard the 3 point line and the oppositions key personnel. That said, I’m really excited with the potential we have shown so far.” Added Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon.
TSK had 5 players reach double figures in a mammoth scoring performance, Ian Smith and Travis Charles led the way with 26 points whilst Elliott Sentance added 23 points. Essex new comer Hafeez Abdul impressed with 24 points whist Jerelle Okoro was the only other player in double figures with 10.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to south coast rivals, Worthing Thunder, this coming Saturday. You can purchase tickets here; https://southdownsleisure.legendonlineservices.co.uk/enterprise/program/index?Name=Thunder 7:30pm Tip off at Worthing Leisure Centre.
Alternatively you can catch Kestrels back in action at the SSC on Saturday 5th October 2019 at 6pm, when they play host to Barking Abbey.
Kestrels flew out of the blocks to an 8-0 lead, as newcomer Ian Smith got himself going early on, forcing a Leopards timeout with just a minute and half played. Obi Egbunike got the visitors off the mark post timeout, but Kestrels showed no signs of slowing down and built themselves an 18-9, again powered by Smith. Leopards new signing Hafeez Abdul brought them within 7 at 21-14 after he stroked a triple, however Kestrels closed the quarter on a 12-6 run, including a monster dunk from Luke Busumbru, to leave them 33-19 to the good.
A 9-0 run for TSK saw them extend the lead to 23 less than 3 minutes into the second period. Leopards point guard Prince Lartey gave them some respite as he knocked down a three ball for his side, but it did little by way of trimming the score as Kestrels continued to pour it in with a balance scoring effort to push the advantage out to 27 with 4 minutes to play until the half. The sides traded baskets to close out the period and the hosts were firmly in the driving seat at the half, 62-38.
The home sides ball movement and clinical transition basketball was in full flow by the time the third quarter rolled around and Elliott Sentance set about pushing the lead out into the 30’s early on. A 12-2 run to close out the third quarter allowed Kestrels to increase their lead to 91-52 with 10 minutes still to play.
A quick 14-0 to begin the final stanza, powered by Ash Briggs and Greek guard Andrew Chaikalis, saw Kestrels smash through the 100 point barrier and the lead continue to stack up. An excellent defensive display from the hosts in the 4th meant Leopards were only able to score 9 points, whilst TSK were still in free scoring mood putting 31 on the board, running out 122-61 winners.
“Our club and the Kestrels Family have been looking forward to our first home league game in our brand new facility and tonight the guys did not disappoint the fans. It was a fantastic turn out from our supporters and we hope to continue to build on that for each game. I thought the group put in a solid performance at this early stage of the season, we are playing unselfish basketball at a high tempo, but we need to continue to focus on how we guard the 3 point line and the oppositions key personnel. That said, I’m really excited with the potential we have shown so far.” Added Team Solent Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon.
TSK had 5 players reach double figures in a mammoth scoring performance, Ian Smith and Travis Charles led the way with 26 points whilst Elliott Sentance added 23 points. Essex new comer Hafeez Abdul impressed with 24 points whist Jerelle Okoro was the only other player in double figures with 10.
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to south coast rivals, Worthing Thunder, this coming Saturday. You can purchase tickets here; https://southdownsleisure.legendonlineservices.co.uk/enterprise/program/index?Name=Thunder 7:30pm Tip off at Worthing Leisure Centre.
Alternatively you can catch Kestrels back in action at the SSC on Saturday 5th October 2019 at 6pm, when they play host to Barking Abbey.
KESTRELS SCORCH BBL OUTFIT IN FINAL PRE SEASON TUNE UP
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday saw TSK defeat BBL outfit Surrey Scorchers, in an intense pre season match up, as both sides continue their preparations ahead of the new season. Kestrels led from the opening possessions until the final buzzer at Solent Sports Complex and showed early signs of Coach Guymon’s new squad really beginning to gel.
The hosts jumped out to an early 10-3 lead, behind 5 Travis Charles points, however Scorchers responded in quick fashion and cut the gap to 4 at 16-12. Kestrels were in free scoring mood to close the first quarter though and found themselves up 13 with just a minute left in the period, prompting a Coach Raftopoulos timeout for the Scorchers. Kestrels led 30-18 heading into the second quarter.
Ex Kestrel guard Caylin Raftopoulos, reminded the Kestrels Family of his sharpshooting ability as he stroked 3 in a row to start the second quarter and in turn trimmed the deficit to just 7. Despite a brief response from the home side, Scorchers showed their quality and were able to bring themselves within 4 at 40-36, sparking a TSK timeout with 4 minutes left in the half. Post timeout Kestrels outscored the visitors 10-6, to take a 50-42 advantage into the interval.
A 10-4 run to open the second half for the hosts pushes their lead out to 14, after Luke Busumbru and Elliot Dadds provided the scoring spark. The sides traded baskets over the next 3 minutes, until Scorchers found their scoring touch and trimmed the deficit right down to just 5, 66-61. This would be some what of a wake up call for TSK as they exploded for a 12-0 run to close the third period, behind Charles and Jonathan Lashley, Kestrels up 78-61.
The pace of the game slowed down drastically in the final stanza, with Kestrels getting up by as many 23 through the mid point of the quarter. Scorchers rallied late through White and Adrian Kuyinu but the deficit was too much and Kestrels picked up victory, 93-75.
Kestrels American big man Travis Charles led the way with 19 points, whilst Elliott Sentance and Elliot Dadds added 16 and 15 points respectively. Scorchers new American signing Marcus White was the high point man with 20, whilst Surrey captain Tayo Ogedengbe added 12 and James Hawthorne 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented; “I’m proud of the performance today, where we got contributions across the board showing our depth & balance. This group is buying into playing unselfish basketball and they have built some excellent chemistry in a short space of time. It’s very early days, but I like the direction we are going in our final 2 weeks of pre season prep.”
With no basketball this coming weekend for the D1 Men’s side, it means its the season opener next up, on Saturday 28th September 2019, when Kestrels welcome Essex & Herts Leopards to Solent Sports Complex for a 6pm tip off, keep your eyes peeled for plenty of promotional content in the run up.
The hosts jumped out to an early 10-3 lead, behind 5 Travis Charles points, however Scorchers responded in quick fashion and cut the gap to 4 at 16-12. Kestrels were in free scoring mood to close the first quarter though and found themselves up 13 with just a minute left in the period, prompting a Coach Raftopoulos timeout for the Scorchers. Kestrels led 30-18 heading into the second quarter.
Ex Kestrel guard Caylin Raftopoulos, reminded the Kestrels Family of his sharpshooting ability as he stroked 3 in a row to start the second quarter and in turn trimmed the deficit to just 7. Despite a brief response from the home side, Scorchers showed their quality and were able to bring themselves within 4 at 40-36, sparking a TSK timeout with 4 minutes left in the half. Post timeout Kestrels outscored the visitors 10-6, to take a 50-42 advantage into the interval.
A 10-4 run to open the second half for the hosts pushes their lead out to 14, after Luke Busumbru and Elliot Dadds provided the scoring spark. The sides traded baskets over the next 3 minutes, until Scorchers found their scoring touch and trimmed the deficit right down to just 5, 66-61. This would be some what of a wake up call for TSK as they exploded for a 12-0 run to close the third period, behind Charles and Jonathan Lashley, Kestrels up 78-61.
The pace of the game slowed down drastically in the final stanza, with Kestrels getting up by as many 23 through the mid point of the quarter. Scorchers rallied late through White and Adrian Kuyinu but the deficit was too much and Kestrels picked up victory, 93-75.
Kestrels American big man Travis Charles led the way with 19 points, whilst Elliott Sentance and Elliot Dadds added 16 and 15 points respectively. Scorchers new American signing Marcus White was the high point man with 20, whilst Surrey captain Tayo Ogedengbe added 12 and James Hawthorne 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon commented; “I’m proud of the performance today, where we got contributions across the board showing our depth & balance. This group is buying into playing unselfish basketball and they have built some excellent chemistry in a short space of time. It’s very early days, but I like the direction we are going in our final 2 weeks of pre season prep.”
With no basketball this coming weekend for the D1 Men’s side, it means its the season opener next up, on Saturday 28th September 2019, when Kestrels welcome Essex & Herts Leopards to Solent Sports Complex for a 6pm tip off, keep your eyes peeled for plenty of promotional content in the run up.
OVERTIME VICTORY FOR TSK IN FIRST PRE SEASON ACTION
Image Courtesy | Paul Watts
Kestrels welcomed west coast NCAA DI out fit Cal Poly Mustangs in their first pre season action at the brand new Solent Sports Complex. The Mustangs rounded out their tour of the capital down in Southampton, after playing Surrey Scorchers, Barking Abbey and London Lions earlier in the week. TSK headed into this one with just a week of pre season under their belt, with American duo Ian Smith and Travis Charles joining the squad at the back end of the week.
The visitors opened the scoring through Hank Hollingsworth but TSK newcomer Brendan Okoronkwo replied with 4 of his own, in a sign of things to come this season for the Kestrels faithful. Despite Malek Harwell pouring in 7 straight Cal Poly points, the hosts pushed the lead out to 5 after a Travis Charles and-1. TSK extended the lead to 8 in the closing stages of the first period as Theo King came off the bench to knock down a triple, however Mustangs big man Alimamy Koroma converted an and-1 opportunity to close the quarter, 27-22.
A 9-2 run to open the second saw Cal Poly edge out in front at 29-31, as they looked to have found their scoring rhythm on a number of paint drives and successful trips to the foul line. However a 7-2 run in reply from Kestrels, behind Elliot Dadds, Ashley Briggs and Charles, put them back in front by 3 with a little under 4 minutes left in the half. Whilst the Americans were ticking the scoreboard over at the free throw line, Kestrels would find their touch from the perimeter as Ian Smith and Greek guard, Andrew Chaikalis, ensured the South Coast hosts held a 6 point advantage at the break, 44-38.
Coach Guymon’s side rode the momentum into the 2nd half, as Elliot Sentance and Charles showed why they will be a potent scoring duo amongst D1’s best this season, scoring 16 of TSK’s 18 3rd quarter points. The Kestrel lead was out to as many as 13 in spells of the third period, but the Mustangs rallied and closed the quarter on a 13-5 run to only trail by 5 heading into the fourth, as Sophomore guard Junior Ballard got going.
The sides traded baskets for most of the opening possessions in the final period with TSK holding a 5-8 point buffer, despite Ballard continuing his free scoring for the visitors. With just over 3 minutes to play Kestrels lead had moved into double digits at, 78-68 after Briggs finished well in transition. However Cal Poly were by no means done, and they were able to string together a 12-2 run to tie the ball game at 80 and send it to overtime, after Ian Smith’s heave for the hosts rimmed out.
Kestrels opened the extra stanza with a successful trip to the foul line but it would be a 7-2 reply from the Americans to edge them in front by 3 with 2 minutes to play. Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles combined beautifully to tie things up at 89 and when Cal split a pair of free throws on the next possession, Charles snatched the incentive and put the home side up 1. An empty possession for the visitors after Elliot Dadds stepped in to take a charge, meant they had to foul with 4 seconds left on the clock and Sentence would step to the line to increase the lead to 93-90. A last second triple wouldn’t go for the Mustangs and Kestrels held on for a hard earned 93-90 victory.
TSK were led by Travis Charles’ 23 points whilst Elliott Sentence added 20 and Brendan Okoronkwo 12. Cal Poly’s Junior Ballard was the high point man for them with 20, with graduate guard Malek Harwell chipping in 14 points and Jamal Smith 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a great test for our guys after the first official week of practice. Even though players have been arriving throughout the week, we were able to see a lot of different line ups and work on our principles at both ends of the court. As far as the game is concerned I thought our players showed fantastic composure considering the circumstances and we got contributions across the board, showing that we have some really balanced depth.”
We must take this time to thank BTM Basketball for making yesterdays game happen as they played host to the Mustangs this week. You can catch Kestrels back in pre season action next Saturday at the earlier time of 4pm at Solent Sports Complex when they play host to BBL side Surrey Scorchers, as both sides continue preparation for the new season.
The visitors opened the scoring through Hank Hollingsworth but TSK newcomer Brendan Okoronkwo replied with 4 of his own, in a sign of things to come this season for the Kestrels faithful. Despite Malek Harwell pouring in 7 straight Cal Poly points, the hosts pushed the lead out to 5 after a Travis Charles and-1. TSK extended the lead to 8 in the closing stages of the first period as Theo King came off the bench to knock down a triple, however Mustangs big man Alimamy Koroma converted an and-1 opportunity to close the quarter, 27-22.
A 9-2 run to open the second saw Cal Poly edge out in front at 29-31, as they looked to have found their scoring rhythm on a number of paint drives and successful trips to the foul line. However a 7-2 run in reply from Kestrels, behind Elliot Dadds, Ashley Briggs and Charles, put them back in front by 3 with a little under 4 minutes left in the half. Whilst the Americans were ticking the scoreboard over at the free throw line, Kestrels would find their touch from the perimeter as Ian Smith and Greek guard, Andrew Chaikalis, ensured the South Coast hosts held a 6 point advantage at the break, 44-38.
Coach Guymon’s side rode the momentum into the 2nd half, as Elliot Sentance and Charles showed why they will be a potent scoring duo amongst D1’s best this season, scoring 16 of TSK’s 18 3rd quarter points. The Kestrel lead was out to as many as 13 in spells of the third period, but the Mustangs rallied and closed the quarter on a 13-5 run to only trail by 5 heading into the fourth, as Sophomore guard Junior Ballard got going.
The sides traded baskets for most of the opening possessions in the final period with TSK holding a 5-8 point buffer, despite Ballard continuing his free scoring for the visitors. With just over 3 minutes to play Kestrels lead had moved into double digits at, 78-68 after Briggs finished well in transition. However Cal Poly were by no means done, and they were able to string together a 12-2 run to tie the ball game at 80 and send it to overtime, after Ian Smith’s heave for the hosts rimmed out.
Kestrels opened the extra stanza with a successful trip to the foul line but it would be a 7-2 reply from the Americans to edge them in front by 3 with 2 minutes to play. Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles combined beautifully to tie things up at 89 and when Cal split a pair of free throws on the next possession, Charles snatched the incentive and put the home side up 1. An empty possession for the visitors after Elliot Dadds stepped in to take a charge, meant they had to foul with 4 seconds left on the clock and Sentence would step to the line to increase the lead to 93-90. A last second triple wouldn’t go for the Mustangs and Kestrels held on for a hard earned 93-90 victory.
TSK were led by Travis Charles’ 23 points whilst Elliott Sentence added 20 and Brendan Okoronkwo 12. Cal Poly’s Junior Ballard was the high point man for them with 20, with graduate guard Malek Harwell chipping in 14 points and Jamal Smith 12.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a great test for our guys after the first official week of practice. Even though players have been arriving throughout the week, we were able to see a lot of different line ups and work on our principles at both ends of the court. As far as the game is concerned I thought our players showed fantastic composure considering the circumstances and we got contributions across the board, showing that we have some really balanced depth.”
We must take this time to thank BTM Basketball for making yesterdays game happen as they played host to the Mustangs this week. You can catch Kestrels back in pre season action next Saturday at the earlier time of 4pm at Solent Sports Complex when they play host to BBL side Surrey Scorchers, as both sides continue preparation for the new season.
KESTRELS CROWNED PLAYOFF CHAMPIONS WITH WIN IN MANCHESTER
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday saw the curtain fall on the NBL D1 2018-19 season as Team Solent Kestrels faced off with Worthing Thunder for the Playoff Championship title. Both teams would make the trip from the south coast to the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester, where they would both be looking for a silverware double, with TSK having already secured the league title whilst Thunder clinched the National Cup earlier in the year. This would be the fourth time the sides met in all competitions with Thunder taking the Trophy game at the start of the season, (with Nick Lewis) and the league fixture at Worthing, with Kestrels beating them by 10 at Places Leisure Eastleigh. With a complete contrast in playing styles this was always set to be the ultimate showdown to finish the season with.
Kestrels struck first as Travis Charles set up his shop on the inside as he put back a Louie Kirkman miss, however Alex Owumi had other ideas for Worthing and he stroked a pair of triples to give them a 4-6 lead. A back and forth start saw the game tied up a number of times over the first five minutes, until TSK strung together the first run of the game (8-0), as Herm Senor II found his stride giving Kestrels a 14-8 lead. TSK would stay out in front by 6 over the next few possessions, until an 8-3 run from the Thunder pulled them within 1 at 22-21 with 38 seconds left in the quarter. Kestrels 15 year old stand out, Jeremy Sochan, came off the bench late in the quarter to stroke a three ball, to ensure his side went in up 4 after one.
Worthing came out firing in the second as they hit three triples in a row, including Brendan Okoronkwo’s third of the game to tie things up at 30. The lead would change hands several times through out the quarter as Charles and Tom Ward for Thunder exchanged a number of scores. However a 9-2 run to close the half for TSK gave them breathing room heading into the break, Elliot Dadds scored 5 of those before a Sochan and-1 capped off the run. TSK 49-43 to the good at the interval.
TSK opened the second half up in quick fashion on a 9-2 run to extend their advantage to 58-45 behind 5 Tayo Oyefusi points and they would keep that lead through out the first five minutes of the quarter. Jorge Ebanks and Okoronkwo, again from beyond the arc, set about reducing the deficit and they sparked a run that would eventually see Thunder bring themselves back within 7, capped off by that man Okoronkwo’s fifth three of the game. TSK would take a 69-62 lead into the final quarter.
Travis Charles momentarily put Kestrels up 9 to open the fourth quarter, however Zaire Taylor responded with a 7-2 run of his own for Thunder, to bring them all the way back to within just 4 points. That was the wake up call Kestrels needed and it without doubt kicked them back into life, as Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds hit a pair of triples to fuel an 8-0 run, timeout Worthing, TSK now up 81-69 with with 6:37 to play. Taylor stroked a tough fully contested triple out of the timeout and followed that up with a lay up after 4 Kestrels points, meaning Thunder still found themselves down 11. A 7-0 burst to follow for Kestrels, predominantly from successful trips to the foul line, saw them take full control of the ball now up 92-74 with just 3:09 remaining. Ebanks scored 4 points either side of a Sam Turner finish, which left the lead out at 16 and when Louie Kirkman hit a baseline jumper late, that put the nail in the coffin for TSK. Herm Senor II would dribble the ball out as the Kestrels bench and supporters erupted into a frenzy as Kestrels clinched the NBL D1 Playoff title, 100-81.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by the Finals MVP, Travis Charles who posted 25 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists, whilst Herm Senor II backed him up with 22 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds whilst Elliot Dadds had 19 points and 5 rebounds. Worthing’s Jorge Ebanks and Zaire Taylor both had 20 points to lead them whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 17.
TSK Head Coach and NBL D1 Coach of the Year Matt Guymon added this after leading his side to the League and Playoff double; “This was the perfect ending to a fantastic season. We had worked so hard in our preparation the last 2 weeks for this opportunity and I cannot fault the guys in anyway as they executed our game plan with such focus & determination. It was a team effort in every sense of the word at both ends of the floor and I am so pleased Chris Scarlett, Louie Kirkman & Tayo Oyefusi were able to end their careers as champions. Thank you to all our supporters who travelled in large numbers to create an amazing atmosphere, you guys were the difference behind our bench!”
Travis Charles was ecstatic with his teams victory; “All the hard work that we have put in, from the players, the coaches, my people, I gotta thank God for this opportunity. It just feels good, it’s not just about me, yeah I got MVP from one performance, but it was really a team effort, you know a family effort that came together as one.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1142658/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/811SW7xc7yE
We must take this time to thank our incredible Kestrels Family that includes; Sponsors, Supporters, Volunteers, Coaching Staff, Players and anyone else in between, you have all been absolutely fantastic this season and without all of you none of this is possible. This one is for you.
#KestrelsFamily
Kestrels struck first as Travis Charles set up his shop on the inside as he put back a Louie Kirkman miss, however Alex Owumi had other ideas for Worthing and he stroked a pair of triples to give them a 4-6 lead. A back and forth start saw the game tied up a number of times over the first five minutes, until TSK strung together the first run of the game (8-0), as Herm Senor II found his stride giving Kestrels a 14-8 lead. TSK would stay out in front by 6 over the next few possessions, until an 8-3 run from the Thunder pulled them within 1 at 22-21 with 38 seconds left in the quarter. Kestrels 15 year old stand out, Jeremy Sochan, came off the bench late in the quarter to stroke a three ball, to ensure his side went in up 4 after one.
Worthing came out firing in the second as they hit three triples in a row, including Brendan Okoronkwo’s third of the game to tie things up at 30. The lead would change hands several times through out the quarter as Charles and Tom Ward for Thunder exchanged a number of scores. However a 9-2 run to close the half for TSK gave them breathing room heading into the break, Elliot Dadds scored 5 of those before a Sochan and-1 capped off the run. TSK 49-43 to the good at the interval.
TSK opened the second half up in quick fashion on a 9-2 run to extend their advantage to 58-45 behind 5 Tayo Oyefusi points and they would keep that lead through out the first five minutes of the quarter. Jorge Ebanks and Okoronkwo, again from beyond the arc, set about reducing the deficit and they sparked a run that would eventually see Thunder bring themselves back within 7, capped off by that man Okoronkwo’s fifth three of the game. TSK would take a 69-62 lead into the final quarter.
Travis Charles momentarily put Kestrels up 9 to open the fourth quarter, however Zaire Taylor responded with a 7-2 run of his own for Thunder, to bring them all the way back to within just 4 points. That was the wake up call Kestrels needed and it without doubt kicked them back into life, as Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds hit a pair of triples to fuel an 8-0 run, timeout Worthing, TSK now up 81-69 with with 6:37 to play. Taylor stroked a tough fully contested triple out of the timeout and followed that up with a lay up after 4 Kestrels points, meaning Thunder still found themselves down 11. A 7-0 burst to follow for Kestrels, predominantly from successful trips to the foul line, saw them take full control of the ball now up 92-74 with just 3:09 remaining. Ebanks scored 4 points either side of a Sam Turner finish, which left the lead out at 16 and when Louie Kirkman hit a baseline jumper late, that put the nail in the coffin for TSK. Herm Senor II would dribble the ball out as the Kestrels bench and supporters erupted into a frenzy as Kestrels clinched the NBL D1 Playoff title, 100-81.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by the Finals MVP, Travis Charles who posted 25 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists, whilst Herm Senor II backed him up with 22 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds whilst Elliot Dadds had 19 points and 5 rebounds. Worthing’s Jorge Ebanks and Zaire Taylor both had 20 points to lead them whilst Brendan Okoronkwo added 17.
TSK Head Coach and NBL D1 Coach of the Year Matt Guymon added this after leading his side to the League and Playoff double; “This was the perfect ending to a fantastic season. We had worked so hard in our preparation the last 2 weeks for this opportunity and I cannot fault the guys in anyway as they executed our game plan with such focus & determination. It was a team effort in every sense of the word at both ends of the floor and I am so pleased Chris Scarlett, Louie Kirkman & Tayo Oyefusi were able to end their careers as champions. Thank you to all our supporters who travelled in large numbers to create an amazing atmosphere, you guys were the difference behind our bench!”
Travis Charles was ecstatic with his teams victory; “All the hard work that we have put in, from the players, the coaches, my people, I gotta thank God for this opportunity. It just feels good, it’s not just about me, yeah I got MVP from one performance, but it was really a team effort, you know a family effort that came together as one.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1142658/bs.html
Full Game; https://youtu.be/811SW7xc7yE
We must take this time to thank our incredible Kestrels Family that includes; Sponsors, Supporters, Volunteers, Coaching Staff, Players and anyone else in between, you have all been absolutely fantastic this season and without all of you none of this is possible. This one is for you.
#KestrelsFamily
DOMINANT KESTRELS ADVANCE TO THE PLAYOFF FINAL
Saturday evening saw the last competitive Kestrels game take place at St. Mary’s Leisure Centre as TSK welcomed Thames Valley Cavaliers, in the NBL D1 Playoff Semi Final. The sides had already met three times this season (2 x league & 1 x cup) with Kestrels taking the season series 2-1. However with the margin of victory single digits every time, this one left much intrigue with two very well balanced squads. Kestrels booked their semi final ticket with a convincing victory over Leicester Warriors last time out, whilst Thames Valley used a late run to see off #5 seed Derby Trailblazers in the quarter finals.
Martelle McLemore opened the scoring for TVC as he connected on a difficult jump shot, whilst Travis Charles replied with a trademark mid range jumper as neither team were able to take control of the game in the opening 5 minutes. With the scores deadlocked at 10 a piece the hosts strung together the first substantial run through a 7-0 burst, behind a balanced scoring output including a Tayo Oyefusi triple. TSK kept the lead at 6 for much of the remainder of the quarter, until Hakeem Sylla pulled the visitors within 2 on a short jumper. Charles rounded the period out though as he scored before the buzzer, TSK 23-19.
Cavaliers pulled themselves within just 1 point early on when Charles Acquah-Davis came off the bench to split a pair of free throws, however Nick Lewis and later Travis Charles had other ideas as they restored the hosts lead to 6. The Kestrels lead would grow no bigger than 6 for much of the second despite their best efforts, TVC continued to keep themselves within touching distance until the closing stages. Kestrels closed the half on an 8-3 run to finally break the 6 point lead mark and take a 42-33 advantage into the break.
It was a flurry of exchanged scores to start the second half as Charles and Senor II found their scoring groove but Sylla scored 7 straight for the visitors to lead their charge. Kestrels would however edge the lead into double figures for the first time in the ball game at 11 and whilst Bernard Hehetro trimmed it to 9 at the line, Elliot Dadds triple made sure that would be the last time, 54-42 TSK. That kick started a 16-4 run as Oyefusi and Scarlett got hot from range and prompted Coach Robert Banks to take his second time out of the half with 1:35 left in the third, Kestrels up 67-46. Another 2 triples for TSK, after Sylla split a pair at the line, ensured they would be firmly in control heading into the 4th, up 73-47.
5 straight points for Lewis followed by a Jeremy Sochan and-1 killed any hopes early on, that TVC may have had of a big come back. Kestrels continued to pour on the offensive production as Cavaliers had no answer for the balanced scoring attack and the lead stayed in the 30’s for long spells of the fourth. Herm Senor II sent St. Mary’s Leisure Centre wild when he got up for the one handed flush and the when Elliot Dadds scored 11 of TSK’s last 13 points, the crowd would lose their mind as he hit a deep triple with the foul to secure a 104-64 TSK victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles who had 21 points a piece whilst Herm Senor II added 15 points and 11 assists. 3 other Kestrels joined them in double figures in a very balanced scoring effort. Thames Valley forward Hakeem Sylla led them with 24 points and 8 rebounds whilst Martelle McLemore added 17 and Bernard Hehetro 16.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “What a performance from the guys! I am so happy that they will get a chance to play for some silverware to finish their season, especially Louie Kirkman & Tayo Oyefusi who have played their last home game. Thank you to everyone who came to support, it created an electric atmosphere in the final club game at St Mary’s.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1134787/bs.html
Kestrels now advance to the Playoff Final on Sunday 28th April 2019 where they’ll face off with Worthing Thunder who were the #2 seed. The final will take place at the National Basketball Performance Centre at 3:30pm on the Sunday afternoon and we hope to have some travel arrangements for the #KestrelsFamily confirmed very soon.
In the mean time you can purchase your tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
Martelle McLemore opened the scoring for TVC as he connected on a difficult jump shot, whilst Travis Charles replied with a trademark mid range jumper as neither team were able to take control of the game in the opening 5 minutes. With the scores deadlocked at 10 a piece the hosts strung together the first substantial run through a 7-0 burst, behind a balanced scoring output including a Tayo Oyefusi triple. TSK kept the lead at 6 for much of the remainder of the quarter, until Hakeem Sylla pulled the visitors within 2 on a short jumper. Charles rounded the period out though as he scored before the buzzer, TSK 23-19.
Cavaliers pulled themselves within just 1 point early on when Charles Acquah-Davis came off the bench to split a pair of free throws, however Nick Lewis and later Travis Charles had other ideas as they restored the hosts lead to 6. The Kestrels lead would grow no bigger than 6 for much of the second despite their best efforts, TVC continued to keep themselves within touching distance until the closing stages. Kestrels closed the half on an 8-3 run to finally break the 6 point lead mark and take a 42-33 advantage into the break.
It was a flurry of exchanged scores to start the second half as Charles and Senor II found their scoring groove but Sylla scored 7 straight for the visitors to lead their charge. Kestrels would however edge the lead into double figures for the first time in the ball game at 11 and whilst Bernard Hehetro trimmed it to 9 at the line, Elliot Dadds triple made sure that would be the last time, 54-42 TSK. That kick started a 16-4 run as Oyefusi and Scarlett got hot from range and prompted Coach Robert Banks to take his second time out of the half with 1:35 left in the third, Kestrels up 67-46. Another 2 triples for TSK, after Sylla split a pair at the line, ensured they would be firmly in control heading into the 4th, up 73-47.
5 straight points for Lewis followed by a Jeremy Sochan and-1 killed any hopes early on, that TVC may have had of a big come back. Kestrels continued to pour on the offensive production as Cavaliers had no answer for the balanced scoring attack and the lead stayed in the 30’s for long spells of the fourth. Herm Senor II sent St. Mary’s Leisure Centre wild when he got up for the one handed flush and the when Elliot Dadds scored 11 of TSK’s last 13 points, the crowd would lose their mind as he hit a deep triple with the foul to secure a 104-64 TSK victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Elliot Dadds and Travis Charles who had 21 points a piece whilst Herm Senor II added 15 points and 11 assists. 3 other Kestrels joined them in double figures in a very balanced scoring effort. Thames Valley forward Hakeem Sylla led them with 24 points and 8 rebounds whilst Martelle McLemore added 17 and Bernard Hehetro 16.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “What a performance from the guys! I am so happy that they will get a chance to play for some silverware to finish their season, especially Louie Kirkman & Tayo Oyefusi who have played their last home game. Thank you to everyone who came to support, it created an electric atmosphere in the final club game at St Mary’s.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1134787/bs.html
Kestrels now advance to the Playoff Final on Sunday 28th April 2019 where they’ll face off with Worthing Thunder who were the #2 seed. The final will take place at the National Basketball Performance Centre at 3:30pm on the Sunday afternoon and we hope to have some travel arrangements for the #KestrelsFamily confirmed very soon.
In the mean time you can purchase your tickets here; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
KESTRELS DEFEAT WARRIORS TO ADVANCE TO FINAL FOUR
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
The recently crowned NBL D1 champions returned to Places Leisure Eastleigh, where they would welcome Leicester Warriors, in the #1 vs. #8 playoff quarter final match up. Before tip off Kestrels would be presented their title in front of a packed home crowd and that would set the stage nicely for an excellent TSK performance. Warriors came in having lost their final regular season game narrowly to east midlands rivals, Loughborough Riders but had already done enough to secure an 8th place finish, with other results in their favour. Whilst Kestrels powered to victory over Essex Leopards last Sunday. The sides had already met twice in the regular season with Kestrels taking a late come from behind victory at Leicester before handing Warriors a heavy defeat at Places Leisure in March.
Kestrels opened up the game with a quick 5-0 run after Elliot Dadds stroked a corner triple, before Herm Senor II converted a pair of foul shots from the line. However Warriors American guard Taylor Johnson scored 5 of his own in reply to tie the game back up. It was an exchange of scores before any significant run came about, as Tayo Oyefusi hit a 3 ball for the home side before Alex Wilson knocked down a mid range jumper for Leicester. The first run came courtesy of TSK to the tune of 11-2 behind Travis Charles and Senor II and pushed the lead to 20-9. Carl Pearson stopped the drought for the visitors but that was it for them in the quarter, as Chris Scarlett and Jeremy Sochan came in off the bench to increase the deficit to 16, 28-12.
Again the sides would trade baskets to open the second quarter but it was the Warriors who broke that back and forth and embarked on a quick 9-2 run, to bring themselves back within 11 and spark a TSK timeout. That was the impetus that the hosts needed as they refocused in the time out and came firing back with a 10-1 run of their own. First through Charles who scored 4 quick points and again through Elliot Dadds who knocked down his second triple of the night, timeout Warriors with the lead now at 20 for Kestrels. TSK finished the half on a 13-4 run to leave them in full control at the break, 55-28.
An 11-4 opening spell for the visitors in the third made for an uneasy start to the second half for Kestrels, as a balanced scoring effort from the Warriors trimmed the gap to 20. However despite the slow start from the home side, much like the first half, the Leicester run sparked them into life behind 4 Louie Kirkman points. Senor II briefly restored the 27 point lead his side held at the half but a nip and tuck finish to the third quarter saw the East Midlands outfit cut the gap to 22.
Dadds and Nick Lewis opened the fourth quarter up and despite a Pak Chingombe triple, when Sochan and Charles added 4 more, Kestrels were back up 25. The Kestrels were able to control the game for large spells of the fourth and used some great ball movement to execute with time on their side. The lead would get to as many as 31 before it would finish 100-71 Kestrels.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 28 points, 11 assists and 3 rebounds whilst Travis Charles continued his run of big double doubles with 21 points and 17 rebounds, Chris Scarlett also added 13 off the bench. Leicester Warriors American Taylor Johnson and Lamin Willian had 21 a piece for them and Martyn Gayle joined them as the only other player in double figures with 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a great team performance, especially on the defensive end. I felt that it was another balanced team effort which is so important for us at this stage of the season. The fans were great again and we hope for another packed house in the semi finals.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1132892/bs.html
Kestrels now advance to the semi final where they will play host to Thames Valley Cavaliers, the game is scheduled for this coming weekend but TSK officials are currently working on securing the venue, date and time. This will all be announced in the coming days!
Kestrels opened up the game with a quick 5-0 run after Elliot Dadds stroked a corner triple, before Herm Senor II converted a pair of foul shots from the line. However Warriors American guard Taylor Johnson scored 5 of his own in reply to tie the game back up. It was an exchange of scores before any significant run came about, as Tayo Oyefusi hit a 3 ball for the home side before Alex Wilson knocked down a mid range jumper for Leicester. The first run came courtesy of TSK to the tune of 11-2 behind Travis Charles and Senor II and pushed the lead to 20-9. Carl Pearson stopped the drought for the visitors but that was it for them in the quarter, as Chris Scarlett and Jeremy Sochan came in off the bench to increase the deficit to 16, 28-12.
Again the sides would trade baskets to open the second quarter but it was the Warriors who broke that back and forth and embarked on a quick 9-2 run, to bring themselves back within 11 and spark a TSK timeout. That was the impetus that the hosts needed as they refocused in the time out and came firing back with a 10-1 run of their own. First through Charles who scored 4 quick points and again through Elliot Dadds who knocked down his second triple of the night, timeout Warriors with the lead now at 20 for Kestrels. TSK finished the half on a 13-4 run to leave them in full control at the break, 55-28.
An 11-4 opening spell for the visitors in the third made for an uneasy start to the second half for Kestrels, as a balanced scoring effort from the Warriors trimmed the gap to 20. However despite the slow start from the home side, much like the first half, the Leicester run sparked them into life behind 4 Louie Kirkman points. Senor II briefly restored the 27 point lead his side held at the half but a nip and tuck finish to the third quarter saw the East Midlands outfit cut the gap to 22.
Dadds and Nick Lewis opened the fourth quarter up and despite a Pak Chingombe triple, when Sochan and Charles added 4 more, Kestrels were back up 25. The Kestrels were able to control the game for large spells of the fourth and used some great ball movement to execute with time on their side. The lead would get to as many as 31 before it would finish 100-71 Kestrels.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 28 points, 11 assists and 3 rebounds whilst Travis Charles continued his run of big double doubles with 21 points and 17 rebounds, Chris Scarlett also added 13 off the bench. Leicester Warriors American Taylor Johnson and Lamin Willian had 21 a piece for them and Martyn Gayle joined them as the only other player in double figures with 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was a great team performance, especially on the defensive end. I felt that it was another balanced team effort which is so important for us at this stage of the season. The fans were great again and we hope for another packed house in the semi finals.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1132892/bs.html
Kestrels now advance to the semi final where they will play host to Thames Valley Cavaliers, the game is scheduled for this coming weekend but TSK officials are currently working on securing the venue, date and time. This will all be announced in the coming days!
TSK CROWNED NBL D1 CHAMPIONS WITH VICTORY IN ESSEX
Team Solent Kestrels made the trip to Brentwood, Essex on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the regular season. With Worthing having beat Thames Valley on Saturday, the permutations were simple, win and the title will be secured. This was the third match up between TSK and Essex this season, as they had already played in the semi finals of the National Cup and once at Places Leisure Eastleigh in January, with Kestrels winning on both occasions. Kestrels came in to this one having knocked off Bradford Dragons by 25 whilst Leopards were on a a 4 game losing streak.
Travis Charles opened his account almost right away with 4 quick points as Herm Senor II found him in and around the paint. Leopards’ American Asante Sandiford scored 5 quick for the hosts, but Kestrels forward Tayo Oyefusi matched him score for score to give his side a 5-9 lead. Charles continued to heat up from his favourite mid range spot whilst Senor II converted on an and-1 to spark a timeout for Essex, TSK 5-14 to the good. Louie Kirkman briefly extended the lead to double digits but a pair of 3’s, from Finlay Wood and Sam Newman, trimmed the gap to 5 in a back and forth opening exchange to the game. The lead was back at 10 through the half way point of the quarter through Charles who was dominant all game long, however that came at the expense of a serious cut above Senor II’s eye who left the game to receive treatment. Whilst the lead reached as many as 12, Newman and this time back up big man Daniel Wagener ensured it was down to 7 by the quarter break, 17-24.
Kirkman opened the 2nd quarter with a quick score inside but it was the home side who had the spring in their step and they set about cutting the advantage to 4 through Wood and big man Lee Hodges. The sides traded baskets across the following possessions with the lead staying at 4/5 points for the visitors, until Sandiford made a pair of free throws to bring his side to within one possession. That seemed to kick Kestrels back into gear as that sparked an 8-0 run behind Charles and Senor II, who was patched up and back in full flow. With the lead back at 11 Kestrels managed the closing possessions of the half and held onto an 8 point lead at the break, 35-43.
It was a little tense for both sides to start the 2nd half as they traded scores, going blow for blow until Elliot Dadds was able to push the lead back out to double digits at 12 with just 2:23 played. However Leopards showed they were not going to lose their fight that easily and they strung together an 8-0 run behind 6 Sandiford points to bring them within just 4 points at, 50-54. Much like the 2nd quarter though, this served as a spark for Kestrels who closed the quarter on an 11-2 run through Charles and Nick Lewis, who scored the last 5 points of the period, 52-65.
Kestrels made a strong start to the final 10 minutes of the regular season and increased their lead to 18 through Charles and Kirkman on a reverse lay up and whilst Finlay Wood kept the scoreboard ticking for Essex, TSK looked to have the title well within their sights. Nick Lewis stroked a three ball to push the gap to 20 with just 4:42 left in the ball game, but Sam Newman replied with a pair of threes to bring the deficit to 14 with 3:20 to play. A bench technical followed by a pair of Charles free throws preserved the Kestrels advantage and despite another three from the Leopards, Kirkman and Elliot Dadds ensured TSK would be 18 points winners, 67-85. Kestrels secure their first NBL D1 title in just their third season in the division with a record of 22-4 and will now hold the #1 seed in the playoffs.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who was huge once again for Kestrels, with 33 points and 14 rebounds, whilst Louie Kirkman added 15 points and Herm Senor II chipped in 13 points and 8 assists. Essex were led by Asante Sandiford’s 18 points, with Sam Newman the only other player in double figures with 16.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides title sealing victory; “I am so proud of our guys, from the opening tip you could see how much this game meant to them and I thought we were great, particularly on the defensive end. This is a huge achievement for the club, it has been over 20 years since a team from Southampton brought back a Division 1 title and this gives us a fantastic foundation moving into our new facility next season. I would also like to thank all of our supporters and sponsors who have been instrumental all season long, we now look forward to the playoffs starting on Saturday.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988963/bs.html
Kestrels would like to thank each and every one of our supporters, sponsors and #KestrelsFamily as with out you all, this is not possible, our success is very much your success and we look forward to you all brining the noise for the playoffs! Kestrels will play host to Leicester Warriors this Saturday at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 8pm in the quarter finals of the playoffs.
Travis Charles opened his account almost right away with 4 quick points as Herm Senor II found him in and around the paint. Leopards’ American Asante Sandiford scored 5 quick for the hosts, but Kestrels forward Tayo Oyefusi matched him score for score to give his side a 5-9 lead. Charles continued to heat up from his favourite mid range spot whilst Senor II converted on an and-1 to spark a timeout for Essex, TSK 5-14 to the good. Louie Kirkman briefly extended the lead to double digits but a pair of 3’s, from Finlay Wood and Sam Newman, trimmed the gap to 5 in a back and forth opening exchange to the game. The lead was back at 10 through the half way point of the quarter through Charles who was dominant all game long, however that came at the expense of a serious cut above Senor II’s eye who left the game to receive treatment. Whilst the lead reached as many as 12, Newman and this time back up big man Daniel Wagener ensured it was down to 7 by the quarter break, 17-24.
Kirkman opened the 2nd quarter with a quick score inside but it was the home side who had the spring in their step and they set about cutting the advantage to 4 through Wood and big man Lee Hodges. The sides traded baskets across the following possessions with the lead staying at 4/5 points for the visitors, until Sandiford made a pair of free throws to bring his side to within one possession. That seemed to kick Kestrels back into gear as that sparked an 8-0 run behind Charles and Senor II, who was patched up and back in full flow. With the lead back at 11 Kestrels managed the closing possessions of the half and held onto an 8 point lead at the break, 35-43.
It was a little tense for both sides to start the 2nd half as they traded scores, going blow for blow until Elliot Dadds was able to push the lead back out to double digits at 12 with just 2:23 played. However Leopards showed they were not going to lose their fight that easily and they strung together an 8-0 run behind 6 Sandiford points to bring them within just 4 points at, 50-54. Much like the 2nd quarter though, this served as a spark for Kestrels who closed the quarter on an 11-2 run through Charles and Nick Lewis, who scored the last 5 points of the period, 52-65.
Kestrels made a strong start to the final 10 minutes of the regular season and increased their lead to 18 through Charles and Kirkman on a reverse lay up and whilst Finlay Wood kept the scoreboard ticking for Essex, TSK looked to have the title well within their sights. Nick Lewis stroked a three ball to push the gap to 20 with just 4:42 left in the ball game, but Sam Newman replied with a pair of threes to bring the deficit to 14 with 3:20 to play. A bench technical followed by a pair of Charles free throws preserved the Kestrels advantage and despite another three from the Leopards, Kirkman and Elliot Dadds ensured TSK would be 18 points winners, 67-85. Kestrels secure their first NBL D1 title in just their third season in the division with a record of 22-4 and will now hold the #1 seed in the playoffs.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who was huge once again for Kestrels, with 33 points and 14 rebounds, whilst Louie Kirkman added 15 points and Herm Senor II chipped in 13 points and 8 assists. Essex were led by Asante Sandiford’s 18 points, with Sam Newman the only other player in double figures with 16.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides title sealing victory; “I am so proud of our guys, from the opening tip you could see how much this game meant to them and I thought we were great, particularly on the defensive end. This is a huge achievement for the club, it has been over 20 years since a team from Southampton brought back a Division 1 title and this gives us a fantastic foundation moving into our new facility next season. I would also like to thank all of our supporters and sponsors who have been instrumental all season long, we now look forward to the playoffs starting on Saturday.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988963/bs.html
Kestrels would like to thank each and every one of our supporters, sponsors and #KestrelsFamily as with out you all, this is not possible, our success is very much your success and we look forward to you all brining the noise for the playoffs! Kestrels will play host to Leicester Warriors this Saturday at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 8pm in the quarter finals of the playoffs.
KESTRELS GET WIN IN LAST HOME GAME OF REGULAR SEASON
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Team Solent Kestrels welcomed Yorkshire outfit Bradford Dragons to Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday evening, in the final home game of the regular season. With just two games left to play, Kestrels knew a win would take them to within one game of the NBL D1 title. Bradford were the first team to beat TSK in the regular season and in dramatic fashion at that, as Rihards Sulcs connected on a heave at the buzzer before the Christmas break. Kestrels came in off the back of routing Team Newcastle last Saturday, whilst the Dragons picked up an all important victory over fellow playoff hopefuls Essex Leopards.
Kestrels got things underway as Herm Senor II scooped to the hoop for a trademark finish off glass but it was the visiting Dragons who had the better of the opening possessions, in a relatively flat start to the game. A 7-0 run for TSK kicked them into gear it would seem, as Senor II and Travis Charles found their way to the basket, to put the hosts up 9-5. However an 8-4 run for Bradford to close the quarter saw things tied up at 13 after one, as both teams shot a poor percentage early.
The 2nd saw the sides exchange blows early on and the lead would change hands a number of times across the first 3 minutes of the period. A 9-0 run to break the back and forth from TSK pushed them out in front, up 26-18, behind a balanced scoring effort from the starting group. With just 3:28 to play in the half, the hosts broke the lead out to double digits at 12, when Travis Charles connected on a face up jumper. That wouldn’t last long though as the Dragons strung 5 unanswered points together, trimming the deficit to 7, timeout Kestrels. Charles would score late just before time expired on a nice find from Nick Lewis, to put Kestrels up 34-25 at the break.
It was much of the same to start the second half in terms of both sides unable to find their offensive rhythm and the lead staying at 8 or 9 early. However a 12-1 run would swing the game in Kestrels favour and allow them to take control mid way through the 3rd quarter, a number of high quality defensive possessions led to easy scores in transition to give the hosts the momentum. Rafi Saipe would connect on a pair of triples to bring his side back to within 14 but Tayo Oyefusi replied with one of his own to quell any hopes of a Dragons run. Nick Lewis and Josh Brown pushed the lead out over 20 but Fetske was fouled on a three point attempt late in the quarter, where he would convert all three at the line to leave the score at, 58-38 TSK.
Charles and Lewis both scored on a pair of lay up attempts to open the final period and despite Dragons also scoring in reply through Sulcs and Fetske, Kestrels pushed the lead out to 25. Fetske converted on an and-1 to trim it to 22 but that was as close as Bradford would get, as TSK got the lead out to as many as 28 before finally winning 80-55, controlling the game late.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles once again with 27 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II almost had himself a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds and Nick Lewis chipped in 11. Bradford were led by guard Rafi Saipe who had 25 points with Ricky Fetske the only other player to join him in double figures with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach was pleased with his sides gritty showing to pull out a win; “I thought we did an excellent job staying locked in on the defensive end, it wasn’t our most clinical performance offensively but we were able to set the tone by getting stops. We were able to use a run in the second half which was allowed us to control the game down the stretch. I was impressed yet again with the number of key contributions we had from across the squad.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988948/bs.html
Kestrels are now just one victory away from claiming the league title but will have to travel to, and defeat, a very tough Essex Leopards side next Sunday at 4pm. For those looking to travel the game will be at the Brentwood Leisure Centre.
Kestrels got things underway as Herm Senor II scooped to the hoop for a trademark finish off glass but it was the visiting Dragons who had the better of the opening possessions, in a relatively flat start to the game. A 7-0 run for TSK kicked them into gear it would seem, as Senor II and Travis Charles found their way to the basket, to put the hosts up 9-5. However an 8-4 run for Bradford to close the quarter saw things tied up at 13 after one, as both teams shot a poor percentage early.
The 2nd saw the sides exchange blows early on and the lead would change hands a number of times across the first 3 minutes of the period. A 9-0 run to break the back and forth from TSK pushed them out in front, up 26-18, behind a balanced scoring effort from the starting group. With just 3:28 to play in the half, the hosts broke the lead out to double digits at 12, when Travis Charles connected on a face up jumper. That wouldn’t last long though as the Dragons strung 5 unanswered points together, trimming the deficit to 7, timeout Kestrels. Charles would score late just before time expired on a nice find from Nick Lewis, to put Kestrels up 34-25 at the break.
It was much of the same to start the second half in terms of both sides unable to find their offensive rhythm and the lead staying at 8 or 9 early. However a 12-1 run would swing the game in Kestrels favour and allow them to take control mid way through the 3rd quarter, a number of high quality defensive possessions led to easy scores in transition to give the hosts the momentum. Rafi Saipe would connect on a pair of triples to bring his side back to within 14 but Tayo Oyefusi replied with one of his own to quell any hopes of a Dragons run. Nick Lewis and Josh Brown pushed the lead out over 20 but Fetske was fouled on a three point attempt late in the quarter, where he would convert all three at the line to leave the score at, 58-38 TSK.
Charles and Lewis both scored on a pair of lay up attempts to open the final period and despite Dragons also scoring in reply through Sulcs and Fetske, Kestrels pushed the lead out to 25. Fetske converted on an and-1 to trim it to 22 but that was as close as Bradford would get, as TSK got the lead out to as many as 28 before finally winning 80-55, controlling the game late.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles once again with 27 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II almost had himself a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds and Nick Lewis chipped in 11. Bradford were led by guard Rafi Saipe who had 25 points with Ricky Fetske the only other player to join him in double figures with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach was pleased with his sides gritty showing to pull out a win; “I thought we did an excellent job staying locked in on the defensive end, it wasn’t our most clinical performance offensively but we were able to set the tone by getting stops. We were able to use a run in the second half which was allowed us to control the game down the stretch. I was impressed yet again with the number of key contributions we had from across the squad.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988948/bs.html
Kestrels are now just one victory away from claiming the league title but will have to travel to, and defeat, a very tough Essex Leopards side next Sunday at 4pm. For those looking to travel the game will be at the Brentwood Leisure Centre.
VICTORY IN THE NORTH EAST FOR KESTRELS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
It was a long trip to the North East for Team Solent Kestrels this weekend as they faced Team Newcastle on Saturday afternoon, knowing a win would take them to within two games of the NBL D1 title. The sides had already met twice this season with Kestrels winning convincingly on both occasions, in the cup and league respectively. TSK came in this weekend off the back of two 100+ performances where they won twice in a home double header, whilst Team Newcastle picked up a much needed victory over Essex Leopards.
Team Solent Kestrels American forward Travis Charles scored 8 straight to start the game, whilst Nikola Urli and Tosan Evbuomwan got the hosts off the mark. Herm Senor II stole the ball and went coast to coast for an easy dish to Louie Kirkman for a lay up, before Travis Charles showed his athleticism to get ahead on the break for another easy score to prompt a Newcastle timeout at the mid point of the first. A pair of three’s from Team Newcastle’s American duo Nzerem and Stafford cut the lead to 4 but Chris Scarlett came off the bench to score 3 triples in a row, which almost immediately ballooned the deficit to 13. Stafford stopped the drought for the home side however a 9-5 run to close the quarter saw the visitors in front 17-32, after Scarlett’s 4th triple beat the buzzer.
It was a flurry of traded baskets to start the 2nd quarter as Laurie Owen and Tayo Oyefusi exchanged made three’s, before Charles and Nzerem continued their scoring charge. The lead stayed at 15 as neither side were able to make substantial runs to either cut or extend the advantage. That would be until Kestrels finished the half on a 12-3 run, to take a 35-58 lead in the half time interval.
Charles picked up where he left off to get the second half underway for TSK, but it was much of the same from both sides as neither could stop one another scoring. A 17-3 run from the 7 minute mark, through to the 3:30 point of the third from the visitors, saw off any hopes Newcastle may have had of a 2nd half come back. With the lead now 47-83 Kestrels were in full control and despite a 13-3 run in response from the hosts, to close the quarter, TSK still led by 26 heading into the 4th.
Newcastle momentarily cut the gap to 24 but that was as close as they got to the Kestrels, as they scored another 6 unanswered, capped off by an Oyefusi jump shot. TSK continued to pour in the offensive production as they shared the ball and kept the tempo high for large parts of the 4th. Kestrels broke the 100 point mark for the third game in a row when Sam Turner converted on his trade mark hook shot and in turn pushed the lead into 30’s. Scarlett finished things off with another triple and TSK came away from the north east with a 77-112 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ empathic 37 point performance, whilst Elliot Dadds had 17 points and 8 assists and Chris Scarlett added 16 points. Herm Senor II also handed out an impressive 14 assists. Team Newcastle’s Eric Stafford led them with 24 points whilst Onyekachi Nzerem backed him up with 23.
Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was another fantastic offensive performance from our guys. I was really pleased with how we shared the ball & also the tempo we were able to play at. The challenge for us now is to sustain this level of performance and continue to build towards the playoffs.”
Kestrels now turn their focus to Bradford Dragons, who they’ll welcome to Places Leisure Eastleigh next Saturday at 7:30pm. A win will leave TSK just one victory away from claiming the NBL D1 league title.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988944/bs.html#ASFSK
Team Solent Kestrels American forward Travis Charles scored 8 straight to start the game, whilst Nikola Urli and Tosan Evbuomwan got the hosts off the mark. Herm Senor II stole the ball and went coast to coast for an easy dish to Louie Kirkman for a lay up, before Travis Charles showed his athleticism to get ahead on the break for another easy score to prompt a Newcastle timeout at the mid point of the first. A pair of three’s from Team Newcastle’s American duo Nzerem and Stafford cut the lead to 4 but Chris Scarlett came off the bench to score 3 triples in a row, which almost immediately ballooned the deficit to 13. Stafford stopped the drought for the home side however a 9-5 run to close the quarter saw the visitors in front 17-32, after Scarlett’s 4th triple beat the buzzer.
It was a flurry of traded baskets to start the 2nd quarter as Laurie Owen and Tayo Oyefusi exchanged made three’s, before Charles and Nzerem continued their scoring charge. The lead stayed at 15 as neither side were able to make substantial runs to either cut or extend the advantage. That would be until Kestrels finished the half on a 12-3 run, to take a 35-58 lead in the half time interval.
Charles picked up where he left off to get the second half underway for TSK, but it was much of the same from both sides as neither could stop one another scoring. A 17-3 run from the 7 minute mark, through to the 3:30 point of the third from the visitors, saw off any hopes Newcastle may have had of a 2nd half come back. With the lead now 47-83 Kestrels were in full control and despite a 13-3 run in response from the hosts, to close the quarter, TSK still led by 26 heading into the 4th.
Newcastle momentarily cut the gap to 24 but that was as close as they got to the Kestrels, as they scored another 6 unanswered, capped off by an Oyefusi jump shot. TSK continued to pour in the offensive production as they shared the ball and kept the tempo high for large parts of the 4th. Kestrels broke the 100 point mark for the third game in a row when Sam Turner converted on his trade mark hook shot and in turn pushed the lead into 30’s. Scarlett finished things off with another triple and TSK came away from the north east with a 77-112 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ empathic 37 point performance, whilst Elliot Dadds had 17 points and 8 assists and Chris Scarlett added 16 points. Herm Senor II also handed out an impressive 14 assists. Team Newcastle’s Eric Stafford led them with 24 points whilst Onyekachi Nzerem backed him up with 23.
Coach Matt Guymon added; “This was another fantastic offensive performance from our guys. I was really pleased with how we shared the ball & also the tempo we were able to play at. The challenge for us now is to sustain this level of performance and continue to build towards the playoffs.”
Kestrels now turn their focus to Bradford Dragons, who they’ll welcome to Places Leisure Eastleigh next Saturday at 7:30pm. A win will leave TSK just one victory away from claiming the NBL D1 league title.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988944/bs.html#ASFSK
KESTRELS MAKE IT 2 FROM 2 ON THEIR HOME DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
In game number two of the Team Solent Kestrels’ home double header, they played host to Barking Abbey Crusaders on Sunday lunch time. It was a quick turn around for both sides who had played late on Saturday evening, Kestrels coming off a 36 point win over Leicester Warriors whilst Crusaders picked up a huge win over Reading Rockets. The sides had met twice previously this season with Kestrels winning both match ups, the first in the Trophy early on in the season and again a few weeks later at Barking in NBL D1.
Kestrels jumped out to a 7-2 lead early on behind Americans Herm Senor II and Travis Charles, but Crusaders guard Jonathan Brown stroked a pair of triples, either side of a Tayo Oyefusi jump shot, to close the gap to just 1, 9-8. However another run for the hosts, this time to the tune of 6-0, forced a Barking timeout, 15-8 TSK in front. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout through Louie Kirkman and Robin Bedford for the visitors but Kestrels were in free scoring mode and had pushed the lead out to 13 with 3:45 to play in the quarter. TSK’s bench came into the game to close the period and they brought the scoring fire power to leave the hosts up 36-17 after one.
The opening spells of the 2nd were a stalemate as both sides struggled to score the ball, Kirkman broke the drought for the home side whilst Bedford made a pair at the line for Barking. Chris Feeney trimmed the Kestrels lead to 16 when he connected on a three and Coach Guymon would call for timeout to refocus his side with 5:19 left in the half. A 14-6 run post timeout for TSK saw them close the half with a 54-30 lead as Travis Charles was dominant from the mid range once again.
Kestrels quickly set about extending their lead in the 2nd half, as Kirkman and Senor II got the scoreboard ticking for the hosts and the advantage was out at 30 with just 3 minutes played. Kyle Carey scored 4 straight for Barking but Oyefusi replied with a triple of his own to restore the deficit. Chris Scarlett and Nick Lewis had their own three point shoot out to close the quarter and that meant Kestrels were now 82-43 to the good.
Barking’s big man duo of Nathaniel Powell and Theo Hughes opened the 4th quarter scoring for them but it was ultimately too little too late as the lead continued to balloon for Kestrels. Sam Turner came off the bench to add to his tally whilst Scarlett had his eye in from distance. Kestrels would run out 51 point winners, 110-59 to move within 3 wins of the NBL D1 title.
Team Solent Kestrels point guard Herm Senor II was the high point man with 23, 7 rebounds and 5 assists whilst Travis Charles had 18 on 80% shooting and Louie Kirkman added 16. For the second time in as many days TSK had 6 players in double figures. Barking were led by impressive young guard Jonathan Brown who had 16 points with Robin Bedford the only other player in double figures with 13.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides’ two wins; “This was a great performance from the guys to finish off our double header weekend, it was another game were we had a number of contributions from all of our guys. This is testament to our depth and will be key for our confidence moving forward.”
Kestrels will now turn their attention to a long trip north next weekend as they face Team Newcastle on Saturday knowing a win will tighten their grip on 1st place in NBL D1.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988794/
Kestrels jumped out to a 7-2 lead early on behind Americans Herm Senor II and Travis Charles, but Crusaders guard Jonathan Brown stroked a pair of triples, either side of a Tayo Oyefusi jump shot, to close the gap to just 1, 9-8. However another run for the hosts, this time to the tune of 6-0, forced a Barking timeout, 15-8 TSK in front. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout through Louie Kirkman and Robin Bedford for the visitors but Kestrels were in free scoring mode and had pushed the lead out to 13 with 3:45 to play in the quarter. TSK’s bench came into the game to close the period and they brought the scoring fire power to leave the hosts up 36-17 after one.
The opening spells of the 2nd were a stalemate as both sides struggled to score the ball, Kirkman broke the drought for the home side whilst Bedford made a pair at the line for Barking. Chris Feeney trimmed the Kestrels lead to 16 when he connected on a three and Coach Guymon would call for timeout to refocus his side with 5:19 left in the half. A 14-6 run post timeout for TSK saw them close the half with a 54-30 lead as Travis Charles was dominant from the mid range once again.
Kestrels quickly set about extending their lead in the 2nd half, as Kirkman and Senor II got the scoreboard ticking for the hosts and the advantage was out at 30 with just 3 minutes played. Kyle Carey scored 4 straight for Barking but Oyefusi replied with a triple of his own to restore the deficit. Chris Scarlett and Nick Lewis had their own three point shoot out to close the quarter and that meant Kestrels were now 82-43 to the good.
Barking’s big man duo of Nathaniel Powell and Theo Hughes opened the 4th quarter scoring for them but it was ultimately too little too late as the lead continued to balloon for Kestrels. Sam Turner came off the bench to add to his tally whilst Scarlett had his eye in from distance. Kestrels would run out 51 point winners, 110-59 to move within 3 wins of the NBL D1 title.
Team Solent Kestrels point guard Herm Senor II was the high point man with 23, 7 rebounds and 5 assists whilst Travis Charles had 18 on 80% shooting and Louie Kirkman added 16. For the second time in as many days TSK had 6 players in double figures. Barking were led by impressive young guard Jonathan Brown who had 16 points with Robin Bedford the only other player in double figures with 13.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides’ two wins; “This was a great performance from the guys to finish off our double header weekend, it was another game were we had a number of contributions from all of our guys. This is testament to our depth and will be key for our confidence moving forward.”
Kestrels will now turn their attention to a long trip north next weekend as they face Team Newcastle on Saturday knowing a win will tighten their grip on 1st place in NBL D1.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988794/
VICTORY FOR TSK AS THEY THRASH WARRIORS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels returned to Places Leisure Eastleigh this weekend for their final double header of the regular season, as they welcomed the in form Leicester Warriors on Saturday evening. Kestrels were in high spirits after two extremely accomplished performances last weekend, earned them two important wins, whilst the east midlands outfit came in off the back of a narrow 2 point loss at home to Essex that could prove costly in their playoff hunt. TSK were victorious when the sides met before Christmas, but it would take a late surge in the 4th to pull away for a 10 point win with Warriors pushing Kestrels all the way. Warriors were hit coming into this one as they lost one of the leagues most dominant forces since he joined them, in Raphell Thomas-Edwards, as well as Elhji Jabby and Lamin Willan missing out on Saturday nights clash.
It was a quick start for the hosts as they jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind 5 Elliot Dadds point and a Travis Charles flush. Despite Leicester’s Alex Wilson stroking a 3 in reply, Kestrels were able to push the lead out to 10 through the mid point of the quarter, as Herm Senor II found his scoring rhythm in transition. Warriors guard Carl Pearson scored 4 straight to stop the drought for the visitors but Sam Turner came off the bench for TSK to reply with 4 of his own, Kestrels up 19-9. A short 5-0 burst for Leicester to close the quarter however, left them just 5 points a drift of the hosts, 19-14.
A quick flurry of exchanged baskets got the 2nd quarter underway but a 13-3 run for TSK allowed them to balloon the lead to 15 at 32-17. The run capped off by a highlight alley-oop dunk between Herm Senor II and Nick Lewis on his return to the Kestrels line up. Warriors did however kick back into life and Pearson found his way to the rim to trim the gap to 12, sparking a Coach Guymon timeout. Post timeout the lead was right back at 18 when Chris Scarlett connected on a three ball, but yet again Warriors responded, and this time it would be sharp shooter Martyn Gayle with a three in reply. Gayle made his second three of the ball game with 2:26 left in the half to cut the deficit to 13 but Nick Lewis and Travis Charles ensured that the hosts lead was back at 17 before the half, 47-30.
A quick 6-2 run to open the half for TSK saw them push the lead over 20 for the first time, however Warriors were not to out done as that man Gayle hit a pair of jumpers to reduce the arrears once again. Charles and Pearson would have a brief coming together and both received questionable technical fouls as a result, however that seemed to spark Kestrels back into rhythm and when Tayo Oyefusi knocked down a three with 3:47 left in the 3rd, his side were now 63-39 to the good. It was a series of scores for both teams to finish the 3rd and Warriors were able to trim the gap to 17 behind American Taylor Johnson, but Sam Turner beat the 3rd quarter as he snagged an offensive board and put it back, Kestrels 69-50.
Any hopes of a come back for the visitors were dashed when Kestrels started the 4th on a 14-5 run as Louie Kirkman poured in the offensive production, pushing the lead to 83-55. Warriors guard Johnson did his best to keep the score board ticking over for them but with Kestrels now in free scoring mode there was little that could be done. A barrage of three’s late from Lewis and Josh Brown took Kestrels’ lead to 30 plus and Kirkman scored late on to take them over the 100 point mark. TSK winning 101-65.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis on his return with 21 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists whilst Herm Senor II had 16 points and 12 dimes and Travis Charles added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kestrels had no less than 6 players in double figures. Warriors American led the charge for them with a game high 23 points with Martyn Gayle and Carl Pearson chipping in 11 a piece.
“This was a difficult game as we had been preparing for a much different Warriors team in regards to personnel. I’m pleased we were able to adapt quickly and ultimately put in the convincing performance we needed against a gritty team.” Added TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988937/bs.html
It was a quick start for the hosts as they jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind 5 Elliot Dadds point and a Travis Charles flush. Despite Leicester’s Alex Wilson stroking a 3 in reply, Kestrels were able to push the lead out to 10 through the mid point of the quarter, as Herm Senor II found his scoring rhythm in transition. Warriors guard Carl Pearson scored 4 straight to stop the drought for the visitors but Sam Turner came off the bench for TSK to reply with 4 of his own, Kestrels up 19-9. A short 5-0 burst for Leicester to close the quarter however, left them just 5 points a drift of the hosts, 19-14.
A quick flurry of exchanged baskets got the 2nd quarter underway but a 13-3 run for TSK allowed them to balloon the lead to 15 at 32-17. The run capped off by a highlight alley-oop dunk between Herm Senor II and Nick Lewis on his return to the Kestrels line up. Warriors did however kick back into life and Pearson found his way to the rim to trim the gap to 12, sparking a Coach Guymon timeout. Post timeout the lead was right back at 18 when Chris Scarlett connected on a three ball, but yet again Warriors responded, and this time it would be sharp shooter Martyn Gayle with a three in reply. Gayle made his second three of the ball game with 2:26 left in the half to cut the deficit to 13 but Nick Lewis and Travis Charles ensured that the hosts lead was back at 17 before the half, 47-30.
A quick 6-2 run to open the half for TSK saw them push the lead over 20 for the first time, however Warriors were not to out done as that man Gayle hit a pair of jumpers to reduce the arrears once again. Charles and Pearson would have a brief coming together and both received questionable technical fouls as a result, however that seemed to spark Kestrels back into rhythm and when Tayo Oyefusi knocked down a three with 3:47 left in the 3rd, his side were now 63-39 to the good. It was a series of scores for both teams to finish the 3rd and Warriors were able to trim the gap to 17 behind American Taylor Johnson, but Sam Turner beat the 3rd quarter as he snagged an offensive board and put it back, Kestrels 69-50.
Any hopes of a come back for the visitors were dashed when Kestrels started the 4th on a 14-5 run as Louie Kirkman poured in the offensive production, pushing the lead to 83-55. Warriors guard Johnson did his best to keep the score board ticking over for them but with Kestrels now in free scoring mode there was little that could be done. A barrage of three’s late from Lewis and Josh Brown took Kestrels’ lead to 30 plus and Kirkman scored late on to take them over the 100 point mark. TSK winning 101-65.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis on his return with 21 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists whilst Herm Senor II had 16 points and 12 dimes and Travis Charles added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kestrels had no less than 6 players in double figures. Warriors American led the charge for them with a game high 23 points with Martyn Gayle and Carl Pearson chipping in 11 a piece.
“This was a difficult game as we had been preparing for a much different Warriors team in regards to personnel. I’m pleased we were able to adapt quickly and ultimately put in the convincing performance we needed against a gritty team.” Added TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988937/bs.html
KESTRELS AVENGE CUP FINAL DEFEAT WITH DOMINANT DISPLAY
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday evening saw Kestrels return to Places Leisure Eastleigh for the first time since 5th January after a number of rearranged fixtures and a long road schedule, where they would welcome Loughborough Riders. The sides met at the back end of January in the National Cup Final where Riders would stun TSK and secure the first piece of silverware up for grabs. Kestrels came in off the back of a late win at Rockets whilst Loughborough were pushed all the way by the in form Derby Trailblazers but would come away victorious.
Both sides set the tone early on and the game got underway a frenetic pace, with Herm Senor II making a pair of pull up jumpers whilst Riders U19 duo Hosana Kitenge and Niall Harris scored early for them. Kestrels pushed the lead at the 6 minute mark but Riders responded in timely fashion, this time behind Reis Pinnock and again Harris. However with the taste of cup final defeat still present Kestrels shifted through the gears and turned up the defensive pressure holding Riders scoreless for over 5 minutes. They were able to capitalise on a number of turnovers and missed shots from the visitors as Kestrels starting group plus Scarlett from the bench poured in 33 first quarter points to hold a 20 points lead after one.
With the hosts intentions very clear they set about building their lead further, as they opened the 2nd quarter on a 7-0 run, with Sam Turner and Josh Brown coming off the bench to pile on the pressure. Riders’ Tom Yome and Jonas Dieterich stroked a pair of triples and that would be enough to prompt Coach Guymon’s first timeout of the ball game with the score at 40-19 in favour of his side. Post timeout the sides traded baskets and that kept the lead out at 20+, all until Scarlett went back to back on a pair of 3 pointers, followed by a huge Travis Charles put back dunk that sent Places Leisure into an absolute frenzy, TSK 52-23 to the good. Riders were able to chip away at the deficit heading into the break as Niall Harris converted on an and-1 but Elliot Dadds stroked a 3 to settle Kestrels down and ensure they took a 24 point advantage into half time.
Herm Senor II opened the half with a 3 ball for the hosts, whilst the same duo of Harris and Kitenge got Riders on the scoreboard early. However neither team would score over the next 2 minutes and that would suit Kestrels much better than the visitors as that preserved their 23 point advantage. Charles broke the drought though and Elliot Dadds followed him up with a lay up of his own to replenish a 27 point deficit. Riders did finish the quarter on a 10-3 run to keep TSK within their sights but the hosts would still be up 21 heading into the 4th, 66-45.
Loughborough guard Alex Roberts hit a 3 ball to open the 4th and reduce the gap to 18 but much like the 4th, there was a scoring drought for both teams early on. Lucien Christofis broke the stalemate for Riders after 3 minutes as he split a pair at the free throw line and Charles hit a mid range jumper for the home side, to kick them back into life. A short flurry of scores for both sides followed but when Christofis was fouled on a 3 point attempt and made all of the following foul shots, Matt Guymon called for timeout to settle Kestrels down. Out of the timeout with TSK leading 71-57, Charles went to work to push the lead back to 16 with 4:21 remaining. Riders were not done though and continued to ride their momentum cutting the arrears to just 12 with 3:34 to play. A quick 6-0 run behind Charles and Dadds for TSK put any hopes of a Loughborough come back to bed, as they restored an 18 point lead. Riders would hit a 3 late to trim it to 16 but Kestrels ran out deserved 83-67 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led yet again by Travis Charles who posted 27 points and 15 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 17 points and 6 assists and Louie Kirkman chipped in 15 points. Eliott Dadds also handed out an impressive 13 assists. Loughborough Riders guard Reis Pinnock was the high point man for them with 17 whilst Niall Harris and Alex Roberts had 13 and 12 respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance; “I’m so proud of how we played today against an excellent Loughborough team. I know all the guys had the cup final disappointment at the front of their minds and it was very clear we wanted to make up for that performance. We were physical & focused on the defensive end which allowed us to play at the tempo we wanted offensively, which blew the game open early. In the 2nd half I felt we were tense on the offensive end, which allowed Loughborough to inch their way back into the game. During this spell our defence remained solid which stopped Loughborough getting the game to single digits.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988810/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attentions to yet another double header this coming weekend where they will play Leicester Warriors on Saturday @ Places Leisure Eastleigh at 8pm before returning back to the same venue on Sunday to host Barking Abbey at 12pm.
Both sides set the tone early on and the game got underway a frenetic pace, with Herm Senor II making a pair of pull up jumpers whilst Riders U19 duo Hosana Kitenge and Niall Harris scored early for them. Kestrels pushed the lead at the 6 minute mark but Riders responded in timely fashion, this time behind Reis Pinnock and again Harris. However with the taste of cup final defeat still present Kestrels shifted through the gears and turned up the defensive pressure holding Riders scoreless for over 5 minutes. They were able to capitalise on a number of turnovers and missed shots from the visitors as Kestrels starting group plus Scarlett from the bench poured in 33 first quarter points to hold a 20 points lead after one.
With the hosts intentions very clear they set about building their lead further, as they opened the 2nd quarter on a 7-0 run, with Sam Turner and Josh Brown coming off the bench to pile on the pressure. Riders’ Tom Yome and Jonas Dieterich stroked a pair of triples and that would be enough to prompt Coach Guymon’s first timeout of the ball game with the score at 40-19 in favour of his side. Post timeout the sides traded baskets and that kept the lead out at 20+, all until Scarlett went back to back on a pair of 3 pointers, followed by a huge Travis Charles put back dunk that sent Places Leisure into an absolute frenzy, TSK 52-23 to the good. Riders were able to chip away at the deficit heading into the break as Niall Harris converted on an and-1 but Elliot Dadds stroked a 3 to settle Kestrels down and ensure they took a 24 point advantage into half time.
Herm Senor II opened the half with a 3 ball for the hosts, whilst the same duo of Harris and Kitenge got Riders on the scoreboard early. However neither team would score over the next 2 minutes and that would suit Kestrels much better than the visitors as that preserved their 23 point advantage. Charles broke the drought though and Elliot Dadds followed him up with a lay up of his own to replenish a 27 point deficit. Riders did finish the quarter on a 10-3 run to keep TSK within their sights but the hosts would still be up 21 heading into the 4th, 66-45.
Loughborough guard Alex Roberts hit a 3 ball to open the 4th and reduce the gap to 18 but much like the 4th, there was a scoring drought for both teams early on. Lucien Christofis broke the stalemate for Riders after 3 minutes as he split a pair at the free throw line and Charles hit a mid range jumper for the home side, to kick them back into life. A short flurry of scores for both sides followed but when Christofis was fouled on a 3 point attempt and made all of the following foul shots, Matt Guymon called for timeout to settle Kestrels down. Out of the timeout with TSK leading 71-57, Charles went to work to push the lead back to 16 with 4:21 remaining. Riders were not done though and continued to ride their momentum cutting the arrears to just 12 with 3:34 to play. A quick 6-0 run behind Charles and Dadds for TSK put any hopes of a Loughborough come back to bed, as they restored an 18 point lead. Riders would hit a 3 late to trim it to 16 but Kestrels ran out deserved 83-67 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led yet again by Travis Charles who posted 27 points and 15 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 17 points and 6 assists and Louie Kirkman chipped in 15 points. Eliott Dadds also handed out an impressive 13 assists. Loughborough Riders guard Reis Pinnock was the high point man for them with 17 whilst Niall Harris and Alex Roberts had 13 and 12 respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was extremely pleased with his sides performance; “I’m so proud of how we played today against an excellent Loughborough team. I know all the guys had the cup final disappointment at the front of their minds and it was very clear we wanted to make up for that performance. We were physical & focused on the defensive end which allowed us to play at the tempo we wanted offensively, which blew the game open early. In the 2nd half I felt we were tense on the offensive end, which allowed Loughborough to inch their way back into the game. During this spell our defence remained solid which stopped Loughborough getting the game to single digits.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988810/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attentions to yet another double header this coming weekend where they will play Leicester Warriors on Saturday @ Places Leisure Eastleigh at 8pm before returning back to the same venue on Sunday to host Barking Abbey at 12pm.
TSK HOLD OFF LATE ROCKETS SURGE TO CLAIM IMPORTANT ROAD WIN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made the short journey across county to Berkshire late Saturday afternoon to face Reading Rockets, in game one of their important double header weekend. With the race for the NBL D1 title really hotting up Kestrels could ill afford to drop another game on the road with Loughborough looming on Sunday. Kestrels were victorious in the first meeting of the sides earlier in the season after a high scoring affair at Places Leisure Eastleigh. TSK came in off a solid bounce back performance last Sunday where they put 100 plus points on Hemel Storm whilst Rockets won in an over time thriller in Newcastle.
It was TSK who came out the blocks quicker as they set about building a 2-10 lead behind the trio of Elliot Dadds, Herm Senor II and Travis Charles, who all established themselves early to force a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts. An 11-2 run post timeout for Reading allowed them to get their noses in front at 13-12 after some sharpshooting from Danny Carter and Trae Pemberton from beyond the arc. The sides would trade baskets for the remainder of the period as AJ Carr scored 6 straight for Rockets whilst Charles and Senor II continued to tick the scoreboard over for TSK, 23-20 Reading after one.
Chris Scarlett did what he does best and momentarily tied things up with a 3, on the opening possession of the 2nd, however the hosts strung together a 7-0 run to take their first meaningful lead at 30-23. The lead got out to as many as 8 before Kestrels began to chip away at the deficit through the duo of Charles and Senor II once again. Tayo Oyefusi would split a pair at the line with 3 minutes until half time, that would see Kestrels tie the game at 34 and that served nicely as a shift in momentum for the visitors. Louie Kirkman scored 4 straight, either side of an Adrian O’Sullivan triple, before Oyefusi stroked a 3 to the end the half, TSK now up 39-43.
Rockets’ American, Pemberton would stroke 2 more 3’s in the first three minutes of the quarter as he edged his side in front 49-47 but Charles would get going from the mid range to immediately tie things up. The sides exchanged blows over the next few possessions with both teams offense’s really clicking, however a 9-0 run for Kestrels capped off by a Scarlett 3 ball, put them up 55-62 with a little over three minutes to play in the 3rd. Pemberton stopped the rot for the hosts but TSK kept the lead at 8 until Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo hit a jumper from deep as time expired in the period, Kestrels up 64-69.
The hosts got themselves within a possession early on in the 4th, but that was short lived as a 10-2 TSK run looked to have tipped the balance in their favour now up 11, 68-79 with 6:23 to play. Rockets showed they were not done and got the lead down to 5 behind Sydney Donaldson and again Pemberton but Kestrels continued to respond as Travis Charles could barely miss from the mid range and that man Chris Scarlett had his eye in from distance. A 6-0 run for the home town Rockets sparked a timeout for Matt Guymon to settle his side down with 2:37 to play, 79-84 TSK. Scarlett and O’Sullivan exchanged triples post timeout and the Irish guard trimmed it to just 4 on a made free throw with 1:25 to play. Scarlett however would stroke his third triple in a row to give Kestrels a 7 point cushion and day light between the sides. The hosts had other plans though and when Pemberton hit his 7th three, after an AJ Carr score, Kestrels lead was just 2 points with 20 seconds to play. Elliot Dadds would make 1 of 2 at the line after a crazy spell of missed opportunities for both teams and although Carr went 2 for 2 from the line with 2 seconds remaining, Kestrels would hold on for a vital 90-91 victory on the road.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who was in dominant fashion yet again with 29 points and 10 rebounds whilst Chris Scarlett went 6/7 from 3pt land posting 18 points and Herm Senor II chipped in a 15 point and 10 assist double double. Reading’s sharpshooter Trae Pemberton had 30 points to lead all scorers whilst Danny Carter added 14 points and 6 assists.
“This was a great win for us against a talented Reading team. We have struggled on the road the last few Saturdays, which made this a must win game. We had a number of players that stepped up at both ends of the floor and I’m proud of our guys that we were able to get over the line.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988925/bs.html
It was TSK who came out the blocks quicker as they set about building a 2-10 lead behind the trio of Elliot Dadds, Herm Senor II and Travis Charles, who all established themselves early to force a Coach Keane timeout for the hosts. An 11-2 run post timeout for Reading allowed them to get their noses in front at 13-12 after some sharpshooting from Danny Carter and Trae Pemberton from beyond the arc. The sides would trade baskets for the remainder of the period as AJ Carr scored 6 straight for Rockets whilst Charles and Senor II continued to tick the scoreboard over for TSK, 23-20 Reading after one.
Chris Scarlett did what he does best and momentarily tied things up with a 3, on the opening possession of the 2nd, however the hosts strung together a 7-0 run to take their first meaningful lead at 30-23. The lead got out to as many as 8 before Kestrels began to chip away at the deficit through the duo of Charles and Senor II once again. Tayo Oyefusi would split a pair at the line with 3 minutes until half time, that would see Kestrels tie the game at 34 and that served nicely as a shift in momentum for the visitors. Louie Kirkman scored 4 straight, either side of an Adrian O’Sullivan triple, before Oyefusi stroked a 3 to the end the half, TSK now up 39-43.
Rockets’ American, Pemberton would stroke 2 more 3’s in the first three minutes of the quarter as he edged his side in front 49-47 but Charles would get going from the mid range to immediately tie things up. The sides exchanged blows over the next few possessions with both teams offense’s really clicking, however a 9-0 run for Kestrels capped off by a Scarlett 3 ball, put them up 55-62 with a little over three minutes to play in the 3rd. Pemberton stopped the rot for the hosts but TSK kept the lead at 8 until Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo hit a jumper from deep as time expired in the period, Kestrels up 64-69.
The hosts got themselves within a possession early on in the 4th, but that was short lived as a 10-2 TSK run looked to have tipped the balance in their favour now up 11, 68-79 with 6:23 to play. Rockets showed they were not done and got the lead down to 5 behind Sydney Donaldson and again Pemberton but Kestrels continued to respond as Travis Charles could barely miss from the mid range and that man Chris Scarlett had his eye in from distance. A 6-0 run for the home town Rockets sparked a timeout for Matt Guymon to settle his side down with 2:37 to play, 79-84 TSK. Scarlett and O’Sullivan exchanged triples post timeout and the Irish guard trimmed it to just 4 on a made free throw with 1:25 to play. Scarlett however would stroke his third triple in a row to give Kestrels a 7 point cushion and day light between the sides. The hosts had other plans though and when Pemberton hit his 7th three, after an AJ Carr score, Kestrels lead was just 2 points with 20 seconds to play. Elliot Dadds would make 1 of 2 at the line after a crazy spell of missed opportunities for both teams and although Carr went 2 for 2 from the line with 2 seconds remaining, Kestrels would hold on for a vital 90-91 victory on the road.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who was in dominant fashion yet again with 29 points and 10 rebounds whilst Chris Scarlett went 6/7 from 3pt land posting 18 points and Herm Senor II chipped in a 15 point and 10 assist double double. Reading’s sharpshooter Trae Pemberton had 30 points to lead all scorers whilst Danny Carter added 14 points and 6 assists.
“This was a great win for us against a talented Reading team. We have struggled on the road the last few Saturdays, which made this a must win game. We had a number of players that stepped up at both ends of the floor and I’m proud of our guys that we were able to get over the line.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988925/bs.html
KESTRELS WEATHER STORM TO GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Sunday saw Team Solent Kestrels make the short trip around the M25 to Hemel Storm, in game number two of their road double header. Having come off the back of a disappointing loss at Derby the previous evening, Kestrels were keen to get themselves back in the win column and keep pace at the summit of NBL D1. Hemel had travelled north also as they faced a Bradford Dragons side struggling for form of late, where they held on late to win by 8. That came at the cost of influential point guard Bode Adeluola who tweaked a hamstring and would be unable to go on Sunday. Kestrels won convincingly the last time the sides met at Places Leisure Eastleigh earlier in the season but with recent roster changes, Storm were a very different side on Sunday.
Storm’s new American signing Trayvon Wright opened the scoring for the hosts with a tough turnaround jumper off the window, before an 8-0 Kestrels run behind a pair of Tayo Oyefusi three’s gave them an early advantage. Storm replied quickly though and edged in front after a pair of Blayne Freckleton free throws, sparking a spell of traded baskets for both teams. However another Oyefusi three ball kick started a 10-1 run for TSK who finished the quarter in control 16-23.
A 7-2 run for the home side helped them claw their way back to within a possession early in the 2nd, however Elliot Dadds and Chris Scarlett were on hand for Kestrels to restore an 8 point lead as they connected from deep. It was Kestrels turn for a run, to the tune of 8-0, as Travis Charles began his dominance inside to put the visitors up 14 with 4 minutes to play in the quarter. Levi Noel knocked down a free throw to bring Storm within 10 but a barrage of 3’s late from TSK gave them a 42-57 lead at the half time interval.
Now out of foul trouble, Herm Senor II got the scoring underway in the 2nd half with a pretty spin move and finish but it was Hemel who set about cutting the deficit, after Levi Noel stroked a triple before Wright brought Storm within 12. However, much like the first half Kestrels strung together another 8-0 run as Senor II got going, giving TSK a 49-69 lead. Storm closed the quarter on a 14-7 being carried by Wright to bring them within 13 heading into the 4th.
The sides traded baskets to open the 4th with neither side able to really take full control but the scoreboard favoured Kestrels who had already built a double digit deficit. A 6-0 run through the 5:30 minute point of the 4th was the run that ultimately killed any Storm hopes of a comeback, as Elliot Dadds sunk a three to extend the Kestrel advantage to 21. The lead got out to as many as 24 as Kestrels continued to pour it in from beyond the arc, eventually winning 81-101.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by a huge performance from Travis Charles as he posted 32 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists whilst Elliot Dadds had himself a ball game scoring 21 points and handing out 12 assists and Tayo Oyefusi chipping in 15 points and 10 boards. Hemel Storm were led by Trayvon Wright’s 32 points and 11 rebounds whilst Blayne Freckleton had 18.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides offensive display; “It was again great to see us bounce back from a disappointing performance in this manner, I felt like our energy and communication set the tone for us. It was also excellent to see us shoot the ball a lot better than we did against Derby, we look forward to building on this going into next weekends tough double header.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988917/bs.html
Kestrels will now turn their attention to a pivotal double header this coming weekend where they’ll travel to Reading Rockets on Saturday 5pm @ Rivermead Leisure Centre before returning home on Sunday to face National Cup Winners Loughborough Riders @ Places Leisure Eastleigh, 6pm tip off.
Storm’s new American signing Trayvon Wright opened the scoring for the hosts with a tough turnaround jumper off the window, before an 8-0 Kestrels run behind a pair of Tayo Oyefusi three’s gave them an early advantage. Storm replied quickly though and edged in front after a pair of Blayne Freckleton free throws, sparking a spell of traded baskets for both teams. However another Oyefusi three ball kick started a 10-1 run for TSK who finished the quarter in control 16-23.
A 7-2 run for the home side helped them claw their way back to within a possession early in the 2nd, however Elliot Dadds and Chris Scarlett were on hand for Kestrels to restore an 8 point lead as they connected from deep. It was Kestrels turn for a run, to the tune of 8-0, as Travis Charles began his dominance inside to put the visitors up 14 with 4 minutes to play in the quarter. Levi Noel knocked down a free throw to bring Storm within 10 but a barrage of 3’s late from TSK gave them a 42-57 lead at the half time interval.
Now out of foul trouble, Herm Senor II got the scoring underway in the 2nd half with a pretty spin move and finish but it was Hemel who set about cutting the deficit, after Levi Noel stroked a triple before Wright brought Storm within 12. However, much like the first half Kestrels strung together another 8-0 run as Senor II got going, giving TSK a 49-69 lead. Storm closed the quarter on a 14-7 being carried by Wright to bring them within 13 heading into the 4th.
The sides traded baskets to open the 4th with neither side able to really take full control but the scoreboard favoured Kestrels who had already built a double digit deficit. A 6-0 run through the 5:30 minute point of the 4th was the run that ultimately killed any Storm hopes of a comeback, as Elliot Dadds sunk a three to extend the Kestrel advantage to 21. The lead got out to as many as 24 as Kestrels continued to pour it in from beyond the arc, eventually winning 81-101.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by a huge performance from Travis Charles as he posted 32 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists whilst Elliot Dadds had himself a ball game scoring 21 points and handing out 12 assists and Tayo Oyefusi chipping in 15 points and 10 boards. Hemel Storm were led by Trayvon Wright’s 32 points and 11 rebounds whilst Blayne Freckleton had 18.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was very pleased with his sides offensive display; “It was again great to see us bounce back from a disappointing performance in this manner, I felt like our energy and communication set the tone for us. It was also excellent to see us shoot the ball a lot better than we did against Derby, we look forward to building on this going into next weekends tough double header.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988917/bs.html
Kestrels will now turn their attention to a pivotal double header this coming weekend where they’ll travel to Reading Rockets on Saturday 5pm @ Rivermead Leisure Centre before returning home on Sunday to face National Cup Winners Loughborough Riders @ Places Leisure Eastleigh, 6pm tip off.
TRAILBLAZERS PROVE TOO MUCH FOR TSK ON THE ROAD
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Saturday evening was the first game of a road double header for TSK this weekend as they traveled to East Midlands side, Derby Trailblazers. Kestrels were the first team to beat Derby in regular season play when they met at Places Leisure Eastleigh back in November, in a battle of the undefeated. However in an extremely competitive NBL D1 both sides have since suffered defeats but are both still firmly in the title race. Kestrels came in off the back of a very impressive performance, knocking off Team Newcastle, whilst Derby saw off Barking Abbey Crusaders.
Both teams looked to find their rhythm early offensively and establish themselves in the ball game, however it was Derby who had the better of the opening spells stringing together a 7-0 run giving them an 5-11 lead. The gap jumped out to 8 for the hosts momentarily, but an 8-0 run capped off by a Chris Scarlett jumper tied the game up at 15. Derby started to find their range from three as Tre-Shawn Wilford and Jake Wesselingh connected from deep but Elliot Dadds and Josh brown ticked the scoreboard over for the visitors, 19-23 Trailblazers after one.
A 7-0 run for the home side to start the 2nd, behind 5 more Wesselingh points, saw them push the lead out to 11 and TSK call for timeout. Malcolm Smith extended the advantage to 13 before Travis Charles set about reducing the arrears and when Scarlett connected on a jumper, the visitors had trimmed it to just 7, sparking a Coach Shaw timeout for Derby with 4:30 left in the half. Post timeout it was a battle of big men inside with Charles and Smith going blow for blow, taking the scoring load on for their respective sides, showing just why they are both arguably two of the best bigs in the league. TSK were down 33-40 heading into the half time break.
Derby’s recent new signing Isa Brandon got the scoring underway in the second half as he made his way to the hoop for two, before Americans Wilford and Smith extended the lead back to 13, timeout Kestrels. Charles converted on an and-1 opportunity post timeout but TSK were unable to slow down Derby as they continued to pour in the offensive fire power. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter, but it was the home town Trailblazers who finished the quarter the stronger and built a 15 point lead to take into the 4th.
Both teams would go scoreless to open the first two minutes of the final period and that would not help TSK’s attempts to shift the momentum, as Matt Ward-Hibbert finally broke the drought stroking a 3 ball. Derby pushed the lead to 20 on the next possession but that seemed to kick start Kestrels scoring charge. Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds found their way to the bucket but the hosts were not to be outdone keeping the scoreboard alive also. The lead got out to as many as 23 until a flurry of late triples from Kestrels guards reduced the gap to just 11, Derby clinching the win 74-85.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles 26 points and 8 rebounds whilst Elliot Dadds had 17 points and 9 rebounds and Herm Senor II chipped in 10 points, 12 assists and 9 steals. Derby’s American big man Malcolm Smith also had 26 points and 8 rebounds to lead them whilst Jake Wesselingh had 14 points.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was frustrated with his sides loss; “Tonight was a frustrating performance for us, having bounced back so well last Sunday. We allowed a number of Derby’s key personnel to get going and also failed to limit live ball turnovers, which ultimately cost us. Despite this, we were able to keep ourselves in the game for spells, but left ourselves with too much to do.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988909/bs.html
Both teams looked to find their rhythm early offensively and establish themselves in the ball game, however it was Derby who had the better of the opening spells stringing together a 7-0 run giving them an 5-11 lead. The gap jumped out to 8 for the hosts momentarily, but an 8-0 run capped off by a Chris Scarlett jumper tied the game up at 15. Derby started to find their range from three as Tre-Shawn Wilford and Jake Wesselingh connected from deep but Elliot Dadds and Josh brown ticked the scoreboard over for the visitors, 19-23 Trailblazers after one.
A 7-0 run for the home side to start the 2nd, behind 5 more Wesselingh points, saw them push the lead out to 11 and TSK call for timeout. Malcolm Smith extended the advantage to 13 before Travis Charles set about reducing the arrears and when Scarlett connected on a jumper, the visitors had trimmed it to just 7, sparking a Coach Shaw timeout for Derby with 4:30 left in the half. Post timeout it was a battle of big men inside with Charles and Smith going blow for blow, taking the scoring load on for their respective sides, showing just why they are both arguably two of the best bigs in the league. TSK were down 33-40 heading into the half time break.
Derby’s recent new signing Isa Brandon got the scoring underway in the second half as he made his way to the hoop for two, before Americans Wilford and Smith extended the lead back to 13, timeout Kestrels. Charles converted on an and-1 opportunity post timeout but TSK were unable to slow down Derby as they continued to pour in the offensive fire power. The sides traded baskets through the mid point of the quarter, but it was the home town Trailblazers who finished the quarter the stronger and built a 15 point lead to take into the 4th.
Both teams would go scoreless to open the first two minutes of the final period and that would not help TSK’s attempts to shift the momentum, as Matt Ward-Hibbert finally broke the drought stroking a 3 ball. Derby pushed the lead to 20 on the next possession but that seemed to kick start Kestrels scoring charge. Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds found their way to the bucket but the hosts were not to be outdone keeping the scoreboard alive also. The lead got out to as many as 23 until a flurry of late triples from Kestrels guards reduced the gap to just 11, Derby clinching the win 74-85.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles 26 points and 8 rebounds whilst Elliot Dadds had 17 points and 9 rebounds and Herm Senor II chipped in 10 points, 12 assists and 9 steals. Derby’s American big man Malcolm Smith also had 26 points and 8 rebounds to lead them whilst Jake Wesselingh had 14 points.
Head Coach Matt Guymon was frustrated with his sides loss; “Tonight was a frustrating performance for us, having bounced back so well last Sunday. We allowed a number of Derby’s key personnel to get going and also failed to limit live ball turnovers, which ultimately cost us. Despite this, we were able to keep ourselves in the game for spells, but left ourselves with too much to do.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988909/bs.html
KESTRELS BOUNCE BACK FROM DEFEAT IN EMPHATIC FASHION
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Kestrels returned home on Sunday to their temporary home court, St Mary’s Leisure Centre, as they welcomed Team Newcastle. It would be a quick turn around for both sides with Kestrels having lost out by just a point to Worthing on Saturday evening, whilst Newcastle lost by 2 in Leicester. TSK made the long journey to the North East early this season where they won comfortable in a National Cup match up between the two sides, so would be keen to get back in the win column on Sunday and keep pace at the summit of NBL D1.
Elliot Dadds came out gunning from three as he sparked a fast start for TSK, putting them 11-2 early on and showing no signs of a hangover from the Worthing loss. Newcastle weathered the fast start from the hosts however as the Urli brothers (Fran and Nikola) cut the deficit to 5, but another 7-2 run, this time behind Herm Senor II, saw Kestrels up 20-10. Tayo Oyefusi would connect on his second 3 of the opening quarter before Chris Scarlett came off the bench for the coast to coast lay up, Kestrels firmly in control after one, up 32-17.
It was an exchange of 3 pointers to start the 2nd, as Chris Scarlett connected on back to back attempts whilst Fran Urli and Mark Elderkin responded for the visitors. Kestrels pushed the lead out to 21 after another Dadds triple but again it would be Fran Urli who responded with another 3 of his own. Newcastle did rally however and they trimmed the gap to 14 through former CoLA forward Alei Wol. There would be a short break in play for the officials to clear up a short skirmish between Tayo Oyefusi and Onyekachi Nzerem, where the officials would take their time to manage no more than a coming together. This would kill the momentum of the quarter and the lead stayed at 14 heading into the half time interval, TSK up 53-39.
Kestrels guard Elliot Dadds picked up where he left off in the first half as he stroked a 3 to start the 3rd quarter before connecting on a pull up jumper. This would start a 17-2 run for the hosts to kill off any hope of a Team Newcastle fight back and put them up 70-41 with 5 minutes gone. Travis Charles would find his touch to score 6 unanswered whilst Louie Kirkman found himself a number of easy scoring opportunities. Kestrels lead would be at 29 heading into the final period, 74-45.
After limiting the visitors to just 6 points in the 3rd, Kestrels were keen to keep the defensive intensity at a consistent level throughout the 4th and that was certainly the case, holding Newcastle to just 11 points and 17 on the half. Newcastle were able to trim the gap to 24 early on but a Josh Brown triple eventually restored the 31 point deficit from the 3rd. The lead would get out to as many as 39, before Newcastle guard Ben Seipt threw down a dunk to finish the game leaving the advantage at 37 for TSK, as they bounced right back with a comprehensive 93-56 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 points and 6 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 17 points and 11 assists and Elliot Dadds chipped in 16. Team Newcastle had two players in double figures, Fran Urli leading with 16 and Ben Seipt following up with 15.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides efforts to respond to defeat so quickly; “This was a great way to bounce back for us. I loved the intensity we played at on the defensive end and thought the way we spaced the floor and shared the ball offensively was as good as it’s been all year.”
Box Score - https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988763/bs.html
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to a difficult road double header next weekend, where they will travel to face Derby Trailblazers on Saturday before taking on Hemel Storm on Sunday.
Elliot Dadds came out gunning from three as he sparked a fast start for TSK, putting them 11-2 early on and showing no signs of a hangover from the Worthing loss. Newcastle weathered the fast start from the hosts however as the Urli brothers (Fran and Nikola) cut the deficit to 5, but another 7-2 run, this time behind Herm Senor II, saw Kestrels up 20-10. Tayo Oyefusi would connect on his second 3 of the opening quarter before Chris Scarlett came off the bench for the coast to coast lay up, Kestrels firmly in control after one, up 32-17.
It was an exchange of 3 pointers to start the 2nd, as Chris Scarlett connected on back to back attempts whilst Fran Urli and Mark Elderkin responded for the visitors. Kestrels pushed the lead out to 21 after another Dadds triple but again it would be Fran Urli who responded with another 3 of his own. Newcastle did rally however and they trimmed the gap to 14 through former CoLA forward Alei Wol. There would be a short break in play for the officials to clear up a short skirmish between Tayo Oyefusi and Onyekachi Nzerem, where the officials would take their time to manage no more than a coming together. This would kill the momentum of the quarter and the lead stayed at 14 heading into the half time interval, TSK up 53-39.
Kestrels guard Elliot Dadds picked up where he left off in the first half as he stroked a 3 to start the 3rd quarter before connecting on a pull up jumper. This would start a 17-2 run for the hosts to kill off any hope of a Team Newcastle fight back and put them up 70-41 with 5 minutes gone. Travis Charles would find his touch to score 6 unanswered whilst Louie Kirkman found himself a number of easy scoring opportunities. Kestrels lead would be at 29 heading into the final period, 74-45.
After limiting the visitors to just 6 points in the 3rd, Kestrels were keen to keep the defensive intensity at a consistent level throughout the 4th and that was certainly the case, holding Newcastle to just 11 points and 17 on the half. Newcastle were able to trim the gap to 24 early on but a Josh Brown triple eventually restored the 31 point deficit from the 3rd. The lead would get out to as many as 39, before Newcastle guard Ben Seipt threw down a dunk to finish the game leaving the advantage at 37 for TSK, as they bounced right back with a comprehensive 93-56 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 26 points and 6 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 17 points and 11 assists and Elliot Dadds chipped in 16. Team Newcastle had two players in double figures, Fran Urli leading with 16 and Ben Seipt following up with 15.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides efforts to respond to defeat so quickly; “This was a great way to bounce back for us. I loved the intensity we played at on the defensive end and thought the way we spaced the floor and shared the ball offensively was as good as it’s been all year.”
Box Score - https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988763/bs.html
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to a difficult road double header next weekend, where they will travel to face Derby Trailblazers on Saturday before taking on Hemel Storm on Sunday.
TSK SUFFER 1 POINT LOSS ON THE ROAD IN WORTHING
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
It was a short trip across the south coast for TSK on Saturday evening, to Worthing Thunder, in a 1 vs. 2 battle at the summit of NBL D1. With plenty of basketball still left in the season this wouldn’t quite be a title decider but would be a crucial battle nonetheless. With the sides having taking a game off of each other already this season, with Thunder winning the Trophy match up before Kestrels taking a 10 point victory at Places Leisure, both teams would know what to expect coming into this one. Kestrels came in having won convincingly at both Manchester and Nottingham, whilst Thunder came from behind to claim the National Trophy in last weekends Final vs. Loughborough.
Kestrels started much the better of the sides with their trademark uptempo style causing Thunder problems early on. TSK would build a short 6-2 lead behind a pair of Herm Senor II lay ups. Whilst Worthing’s Brendan Okoronkwo made a trip to the line to stop the momentum, the visitors continued their early tear and found themselves up 14-4 through the mid point of the quarter, prompting an early timeout for the hosts. Ex Kestrels guard Jorge Ebanks stroked a 3 out of the timeout but Kestrels’ Travis Charles would start to exert his dominance inside scoring 4 straight, 18-7 TSK. The sides traded baskets until the 2 minute mark with Kestrels lead still at 9 points, however 7 straight points from Zaire Taylor to close the period brought Thunder to within 2, 24-22.
A 9-4 run to start the 2nd quarter allowed Thunder to take a slender 3 point lead as Ebanks got going in transition and Alex Owumi found his touch from distance. Kestrels big man Charles responded in a timely manner but it would be Thunder who took a 6 point lead at 36-30 to spark a Coach Guymon timeout. The adjustments post timeout saw the visiting Kestrels string a 13-3 run together to shift the balance and put them up 4 at 43-39 behind 6 Elliot Dadds points. However the game of runs continued as the hosts showed their experience and a 7-0 run for them, saw them up 3 at the half time break, 43-46.
The 3rd quarter was a very tense affair with the lead never reaching more than 5 points for Worthing. Both teams defensive intensity took over and forced each other into low percentage looks or turnovers. However Kestrels would tie things up through Tayo Oyefusi who stroked a line drive from 3 with just 3 minutes left in the period. Thunder rallied late though and Tom Ward, followed by Taylor helped to restore their 4 point deficit heading into the 4th, 56-60.
Kestrels tied things up in the opening two possessions of the half but the lead swung straight back to the hosts as they went back up 5, through Ebanks. That would be a common theme as Ebanks scored all 13 of the Thunder points in the final quarter. The lead got out to as many as 8 at 64-72 with just over 5 minutes to play but TSK did not panic and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Senor II sunk a pair at the line before Charles would follow suit before a Senor II lay up and finally an Elliot Dadds lay up tied it all up at 72 a piece with 1:07 to play. Ebanks split a pair of free throws on the next possession to give the hosts a one point lead and Kestrels would turn the ball over out of a timeout. With 12 seconds on the clock Herm Senor II stepped up and put his body on the line, as Alex Owumi mowed him down, he would be called for the offensive foul and TSK had a possession to win it. Out of the timeout Kestrels executed to get the match up they wanted but Zaire Taylor poked the ball lose and despite Okoronkwo missing both ensuing free throws with 4 seconds to play, a half court heave came up short, Thunder holding on for a 72-73 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 28 points, whilst Herm Senor II had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals and Elliot Dadds chipped in 12. Worthing’s Jorge Ebanks led for them with 24 points whilst Zaire Taylor had 19.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides 3rd league defeat this season; “I’m proud of how our guys battled back in the 4th, which showed a lot of character & toughness. Ultimately we had too many turnovers that lead to transitions scores for them and that proved to be the difference. The silver lining for us is that we have maintained the head2head against Worthing.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988904/bs.html
Kestrels started much the better of the sides with their trademark uptempo style causing Thunder problems early on. TSK would build a short 6-2 lead behind a pair of Herm Senor II lay ups. Whilst Worthing’s Brendan Okoronkwo made a trip to the line to stop the momentum, the visitors continued their early tear and found themselves up 14-4 through the mid point of the quarter, prompting an early timeout for the hosts. Ex Kestrels guard Jorge Ebanks stroked a 3 out of the timeout but Kestrels’ Travis Charles would start to exert his dominance inside scoring 4 straight, 18-7 TSK. The sides traded baskets until the 2 minute mark with Kestrels lead still at 9 points, however 7 straight points from Zaire Taylor to close the period brought Thunder to within 2, 24-22.
A 9-4 run to start the 2nd quarter allowed Thunder to take a slender 3 point lead as Ebanks got going in transition and Alex Owumi found his touch from distance. Kestrels big man Charles responded in a timely manner but it would be Thunder who took a 6 point lead at 36-30 to spark a Coach Guymon timeout. The adjustments post timeout saw the visiting Kestrels string a 13-3 run together to shift the balance and put them up 4 at 43-39 behind 6 Elliot Dadds points. However the game of runs continued as the hosts showed their experience and a 7-0 run for them, saw them up 3 at the half time break, 43-46.
The 3rd quarter was a very tense affair with the lead never reaching more than 5 points for Worthing. Both teams defensive intensity took over and forced each other into low percentage looks or turnovers. However Kestrels would tie things up through Tayo Oyefusi who stroked a line drive from 3 with just 3 minutes left in the period. Thunder rallied late though and Tom Ward, followed by Taylor helped to restore their 4 point deficit heading into the 4th, 56-60.
Kestrels tied things up in the opening two possessions of the half but the lead swung straight back to the hosts as they went back up 5, through Ebanks. That would be a common theme as Ebanks scored all 13 of the Thunder points in the final quarter. The lead got out to as many as 8 at 64-72 with just over 5 minutes to play but TSK did not panic and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Senor II sunk a pair at the line before Charles would follow suit before a Senor II lay up and finally an Elliot Dadds lay up tied it all up at 72 a piece with 1:07 to play. Ebanks split a pair of free throws on the next possession to give the hosts a one point lead and Kestrels would turn the ball over out of a timeout. With 12 seconds on the clock Herm Senor II stepped up and put his body on the line, as Alex Owumi mowed him down, he would be called for the offensive foul and TSK had a possession to win it. Out of the timeout Kestrels executed to get the match up they wanted but Zaire Taylor poked the ball lose and despite Okoronkwo missing both ensuing free throws with 4 seconds to play, a half court heave came up short, Thunder holding on for a 72-73 victory.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 28 points, whilst Herm Senor II had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals and Elliot Dadds chipped in 12. Worthing’s Jorge Ebanks led for them with 24 points whilst Zaire Taylor had 19.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides 3rd league defeat this season; “I’m proud of how our guys battled back in the 4th, which showed a lot of character & toughness. Ultimately we had too many turnovers that lead to transitions scores for them and that proved to be the difference. The silver lining for us is that we have maintained the head2head against Worthing.”
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988904/bs.html
KESTRELS DISPEL MAGIC ON THE ROAD IN THE NORTH WEST
Image Courtesy | Paul Watts
Team Solent Kestrels were back in action on Saturday evening and made the trip to the North West to face a struggling Manchester Magic side, in a top vs. bottom clash. It would be the second road game in as many weekends for TSK, as they came into this one off a convincing victory at Nottingham Hoods last Saturday. Magic however lost out narrowly to Barking Abbey and in a period of transition for the club are fighting a relegation battle at the foot of NBL D1. The two sides met previously in the early part of the season and it was the home town Kestrels who controlled proceedings from start to finish running out 89-49 winners.
Magic started the better of two sides as they showed their roster did not reflect their league record and reminded Kestrels of the scoring fire power they had amongst their ranks. Some sloppy play from the visitors also a factor, Manchester quickly built an 8 nothing lead behind 4 Richard Bell points. Louie Kirkman responded with 6 of Kestrels first 8 points and Travis Charles followed suit with a short jumper to tie the game up at 10. The lead changed hands several times over the following possessions with the teams trading baskets, as Ryan Lewis got going for the hosts before Herm Senor II found his rhythm. Magic would get up by as many as 5 at 16-21 before a pair of Senor II 3’s either side of a Jonathan Barnes jumper, closed the deficit to just 1 at the break, 22-23 Manchester.
Loick Pouale came off the bench for home side to cash in a pair of free throws before sharpshooter Chris Scarlett edged his side back in front, 27-26. Again the lead changed hands over the next 5 minutes of the quarter as both sides held a 1 point lead on a number of occasions. However the run was snapped when Kestrels strung together a 15-7 run to close the half, in large part through Charles and Tayo Oyefusi, giving them a 49-40 advantage at the break.
TSK briefly pushed the lead out to the largest of the game for them so far, at 13, as Elliot Dadds and Senor II converted lay up opportunities. However a quick 7-0 Magic run, showed just why they are a dangerous team on their home floor, trimming the gap to 6. Dadds would stroke a pull up 3 ball on the next possession but 4 quick Lewis points brought the hosts within touching distance at 56-51. This seemed to kick Kestrels into gear though and a 13-3 run would follow, as Charles and Senor II combined on several occasions to force a Manchester timeout, 69-54. Despite Magic going 1 for 2 at the line out of the timeout, Scarlett would connect on another triple and show a sign of things to come, as Kestrels strengthened their grip on the lead at 72-55
A 13-2 run to start the final period was ultimately the run that put the game out of reach for the hosts, Kirkman scoring 4 straight before Scarlett went back to back to back from distance to force a Magic timeout, 85-57 Kestrels. Young Jeremy Sochan checked in and got himself on the scoreboard right away before Sam Turner sunk a pair of free throws to keep the score ticking over. Turner would score another 4 straight either side of 4 Richard Bell points, as the bigs battled down low in the closing stages. Sochan would go coast to coast for the smooth finish plus the foul to put the icing on the cake for TSK as they ran out 97-69 winners and move to 13-2 at the summit of NBL D1.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 22 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II added 21 points and 9 assists and Chris Scarlett had 15 on 5-9 from three point land. Manchester forward Richard Bell had 23 points to lead all scorers to go along with 11 boards whilst Ryan Lewis had 20 points as the only other player in double figures for the hosts.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides performance on the road; “It took us a while to adjust to Manchester’s size as they were able to get a number of easy paint scores early on. We were fortunately able to regroup at half time, which saw us play with better defensive intensity and faster offensive pace. It was great for us to get a number of contributions across the board yet again.”
Kestrels will now take a break from the action next weekend as next Saturdays league match up with Loughborough Riders has been postponed due to Riders National Trophy Final game on Sunday. New date is yet to be confirmed. Kestrels are next in action Saturday 16th February 2019 on the road at Worthing Thunder.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988805/bs.html
Magic started the better of two sides as they showed their roster did not reflect their league record and reminded Kestrels of the scoring fire power they had amongst their ranks. Some sloppy play from the visitors also a factor, Manchester quickly built an 8 nothing lead behind 4 Richard Bell points. Louie Kirkman responded with 6 of Kestrels first 8 points and Travis Charles followed suit with a short jumper to tie the game up at 10. The lead changed hands several times over the following possessions with the teams trading baskets, as Ryan Lewis got going for the hosts before Herm Senor II found his rhythm. Magic would get up by as many as 5 at 16-21 before a pair of Senor II 3’s either side of a Jonathan Barnes jumper, closed the deficit to just 1 at the break, 22-23 Manchester.
Loick Pouale came off the bench for home side to cash in a pair of free throws before sharpshooter Chris Scarlett edged his side back in front, 27-26. Again the lead changed hands over the next 5 minutes of the quarter as both sides held a 1 point lead on a number of occasions. However the run was snapped when Kestrels strung together a 15-7 run to close the half, in large part through Charles and Tayo Oyefusi, giving them a 49-40 advantage at the break.
TSK briefly pushed the lead out to the largest of the game for them so far, at 13, as Elliot Dadds and Senor II converted lay up opportunities. However a quick 7-0 Magic run, showed just why they are a dangerous team on their home floor, trimming the gap to 6. Dadds would stroke a pull up 3 ball on the next possession but 4 quick Lewis points brought the hosts within touching distance at 56-51. This seemed to kick Kestrels into gear though and a 13-3 run would follow, as Charles and Senor II combined on several occasions to force a Manchester timeout, 69-54. Despite Magic going 1 for 2 at the line out of the timeout, Scarlett would connect on another triple and show a sign of things to come, as Kestrels strengthened their grip on the lead at 72-55
A 13-2 run to start the final period was ultimately the run that put the game out of reach for the hosts, Kirkman scoring 4 straight before Scarlett went back to back to back from distance to force a Magic timeout, 85-57 Kestrels. Young Jeremy Sochan checked in and got himself on the scoreboard right away before Sam Turner sunk a pair of free throws to keep the score ticking over. Turner would score another 4 straight either side of 4 Richard Bell points, as the bigs battled down low in the closing stages. Sochan would go coast to coast for the smooth finish plus the foul to put the icing on the cake for TSK as they ran out 97-69 winners and move to 13-2 at the summit of NBL D1.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 22 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II added 21 points and 9 assists and Chris Scarlett had 15 on 5-9 from three point land. Manchester forward Richard Bell had 23 points to lead all scorers to go along with 11 boards whilst Ryan Lewis had 20 points as the only other player in double figures for the hosts.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was pleased with his sides performance on the road; “It took us a while to adjust to Manchester’s size as they were able to get a number of easy paint scores early on. We were fortunately able to regroup at half time, which saw us play with better defensive intensity and faster offensive pace. It was great for us to get a number of contributions across the board yet again.”
Kestrels will now take a break from the action next weekend as next Saturdays league match up with Loughborough Riders has been postponed due to Riders National Trophy Final game on Sunday. New date is yet to be confirmed. Kestrels are next in action Saturday 16th February 2019 on the road at Worthing Thunder.
Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988805/bs.html
KESTRELS GET BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN WITH IMPRESSIVE ROAD WIN
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels were back in action on Saturday evening as they were looking to bounce back from cup final heart break last weekend. Kestrels hit the road to face another east midlands outfit, in the form of newly promoted Nottingham Hoods, who they’d previously beaten at Places Leisure Eastleigh early in the season. With the knock out competition over TSK would be keen to get back to winning ways and cement their spot at the summit of NBL D1.
The lead would swing back and forth early on as both teams were able to find ways to score, the hosts through big man duo Cole Welle and Andrej Slavik, while TSK guard Herm Senor II started how he attended to go on. A short 7-2 run for the visiting Kestrels gave them a 16-10 advantage at the 3 minute mark but that would be short lived, as NBL D1 veteran David ‘Tintin’ Watts came off the bench to score in close for the Hoods. The lead did balloon to as many as 9 through sharpshooting guard Chris Scarlett however the hosts weathered the onslaught yet again and were only down 5 after one, 23-18.
Josh Brown came off the bench and scored 5 quick points for TSK as the 2nd quarter got underway, whilst Watts continued to show his jump shooting prowess to keep things close at 28-26. A huge 17-0 run would follow for the league leading Kestrels, with a number of contributors across the board, capped off by a Sam Turner finish to blow the game wide open at 45-26. Nottingham guard Delaney Powell stopped the massive scoreless run for the hosts as he made a long pull up jumper but TSK would hold a 46-30 advantage at the break.
Hoods showed early signs of life in the third as Kieran Wright stroked a 3 ball, but Senor II bettered him with a pair of his own to put TSK up 21. Senor II would then catch fire as he scored 16 points in the first 5 minutes of the quarter, including 4 triples. With Kestrels now up 31 it was going to take something drastic from the home town Hoods to turn things around. Louie Kirkman would get in on the high scoring action as he scored 4 straight with 3 minutes left in the period. The sides traded 3 pointers to close the quarter but it would be the visitors who were firmly in control, 80-50.
The pace of the game slowed down dramatically in the 4th as the game was all but done before the quarter got going. A 9-2 Kestrels run to start the period chalked out any hope of a comeback from the hosts, as the deficit now sat at 37 with 4:54 to play. Hoods did respond with an 8-0 run of their own capped by a Euan James two handed flush but it was too little too late as TSK ran out 97-69 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American guard Herm Senor II’s 36 point explosion, on 14-19 from the field, whilst Travis Charles had 17 points and captain Louie Kirkman 12. The home town Hoods had three players also in double figures, David ‘Tintin’ Watts leading with 14 whilst Kieran Wright and Euan James added 12 and 10 respectively.
Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides bounce back performance; “I thought it was a brilliant performance from our guys and a great response after last weekends disappointment. Our ball movement and spacing was excellent as well as our defensive intensity for large spells of the game. We hope to build on this moving forward as we hit a tough run of games.”
Kestrels will hit the road again this coming Saturday to take on Manchester Magic in the north west at Manchester Basketball Centre, 6:30pm tip.
Full Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988798/bs.html
The lead would swing back and forth early on as both teams were able to find ways to score, the hosts through big man duo Cole Welle and Andrej Slavik, while TSK guard Herm Senor II started how he attended to go on. A short 7-2 run for the visiting Kestrels gave them a 16-10 advantage at the 3 minute mark but that would be short lived, as NBL D1 veteran David ‘Tintin’ Watts came off the bench to score in close for the Hoods. The lead did balloon to as many as 9 through sharpshooting guard Chris Scarlett however the hosts weathered the onslaught yet again and were only down 5 after one, 23-18.
Josh Brown came off the bench and scored 5 quick points for TSK as the 2nd quarter got underway, whilst Watts continued to show his jump shooting prowess to keep things close at 28-26. A huge 17-0 run would follow for the league leading Kestrels, with a number of contributors across the board, capped off by a Sam Turner finish to blow the game wide open at 45-26. Nottingham guard Delaney Powell stopped the massive scoreless run for the hosts as he made a long pull up jumper but TSK would hold a 46-30 advantage at the break.
Hoods showed early signs of life in the third as Kieran Wright stroked a 3 ball, but Senor II bettered him with a pair of his own to put TSK up 21. Senor II would then catch fire as he scored 16 points in the first 5 minutes of the quarter, including 4 triples. With Kestrels now up 31 it was going to take something drastic from the home town Hoods to turn things around. Louie Kirkman would get in on the high scoring action as he scored 4 straight with 3 minutes left in the period. The sides traded 3 pointers to close the quarter but it would be the visitors who were firmly in control, 80-50.
The pace of the game slowed down dramatically in the 4th as the game was all but done before the quarter got going. A 9-2 Kestrels run to start the period chalked out any hope of a comeback from the hosts, as the deficit now sat at 37 with 4:54 to play. Hoods did respond with an 8-0 run of their own capped by a Euan James two handed flush but it was too little too late as TSK ran out 97-69 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American guard Herm Senor II’s 36 point explosion, on 14-19 from the field, whilst Travis Charles had 17 points and captain Louie Kirkman 12. The home town Hoods had three players also in double figures, David ‘Tintin’ Watts leading with 14 whilst Kieran Wright and Euan James added 12 and 10 respectively.
Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides bounce back performance; “I thought it was a brilliant performance from our guys and a great response after last weekends disappointment. Our ball movement and spacing was excellent as well as our defensive intensity for large spells of the game. We hope to build on this moving forward as we hit a tough run of games.”
Kestrels will hit the road again this coming Saturday to take on Manchester Magic in the north west at Manchester Basketball Centre, 6:30pm tip.
Full Box Score; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988798/bs.html
CUP FINAL HEART BREAK FOR KESTRELS AS RIDERS TRIUMPH
Image Courtesy | Basketball England
Sunday afternoon at Essex University saw the stage set for the Final of the National Cup competition, between Loughborough Riders and Team Solent Kestrels. With the sides having navigated their way through 4 rounds prior they would both be keen to collect the first piece of Senior silverware on offer this season.
Loughborough had the better of the opening spells as GB U18 International, Hosana Kitenge, asserted his presence in the paint scoring 4 straight, followed by a Niall Harris break lay up. Kestrels took some time to come alive, but when they did, it was through their own inside presence Travis Charles, who opened his account with a pretty post move before Elliot Dadds’ driving finish in the lane followed up. Riders lead would get to no more than 5 through the quarter, as TSK kept themselves within touching distance and despite a thunderous dunk from Giannis Panaretakis for Loughborough, Kestrels’ Nick Lewis ensured the lead was just 3 at the end of 1, 14-17.
Scotland international Kyle Jimenez stroked a triple to start the 2nd but a huge 11-0 run for TSK, behind successful trips to the line from Charles and Herm Senor II, would see them in front 25-20, timeout Riders. The sides traded baskets for a number of possessions out of the timeout until Harris tied things up at 28 with 4 minutes to play in the half. With TSK in some minor foul trouble and in the penalty Riders used their momentum, taking advantage to build themselves a 4 point lead at the half 34-38.
It was a tense affair to begin the 2nd half and that showed in large part, as both teams were unable to convert going scoreless over the opening 2 minutes. Senor II eventually went 1 for 2 at the line and that would spark both teams into life. A brief 6-2 scoring run for Kestrels enabled them to tie the game back up at 41, after Charles went to work in the paint on his defender. That would be short lived however, when Lucien Christofis knocked down the first of his 4 three pointers in the quarter to push Riders ahead 41-44. TSK were able to stay within just 2 points with 3:30 minutes left in the period but when Christofis scored at the rim and Jimenez hit another 3 ball, Coach Guymon was forced into a timeout at the 3 minute mark, 45-52 Riders. An 11-0 run post timeout for Loughborough saw them blow the game wide open at 45-63 after another two Christofis triples, but Charles’ and-1 for TSK trimmed the gap to 15 at the quarter break.
Kestrels left themselves with it all to do heading into the final period and it wouldn’t get any easier when Greek forward Panaretakis, knocked down a 3 to start the quarter restoring Riders 18 point advantage. With Kestrels unable to get consistent stops Loughborough continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over and the lead would reach as many as 25. Frustrations boiled over for Nick Lewis who received his second technical foul and was therefore ejected from the ball game in an all round difficult half of basketball for TSK. The Kestrels bench were able to keep things respectable down the stretch but it was too little to late as Riders clinched the cup victory, 82-63.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American forward Travis Charles who had 24 points and 8 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 12 points and 6 rebounds in a below par performance. Loughborough were led by Lucien Christofis’ MVP performance as he had 24 points on 5-8 from distance, with Kyle Jimenez backing him up adding 14 points and Hosana Kitenge 10.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach commented; “It’s a disappointing way for us to end our cup run with a subpar performance, full credit to Loughborough for taking us out of our rhythm and imposing their game plan on the match up. We showed some positive spells in the first half after a slow start, however in the second half, too many lapses with our defensive communication and movement/spacing offensively allowed Riders to blow the game wide open. Thank you to everyone who made the journey to support the team and those that were able to do so from a far, we now look forward to getting ourselves back on track in NBL D1.”
Box Score - https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1083585/bs.html
Live Stream - https://www.facebook.com/NBLengland/
Kestrels are back in action next weekend as they travel to Nottingham Hoods in NBL D1. The next home action is against Loughborough Riders on Saturday 9th February 2019 at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 8pm tip.
Loughborough had the better of the opening spells as GB U18 International, Hosana Kitenge, asserted his presence in the paint scoring 4 straight, followed by a Niall Harris break lay up. Kestrels took some time to come alive, but when they did, it was through their own inside presence Travis Charles, who opened his account with a pretty post move before Elliot Dadds’ driving finish in the lane followed up. Riders lead would get to no more than 5 through the quarter, as TSK kept themselves within touching distance and despite a thunderous dunk from Giannis Panaretakis for Loughborough, Kestrels’ Nick Lewis ensured the lead was just 3 at the end of 1, 14-17.
Scotland international Kyle Jimenez stroked a triple to start the 2nd but a huge 11-0 run for TSK, behind successful trips to the line from Charles and Herm Senor II, would see them in front 25-20, timeout Riders. The sides traded baskets for a number of possessions out of the timeout until Harris tied things up at 28 with 4 minutes to play in the half. With TSK in some minor foul trouble and in the penalty Riders used their momentum, taking advantage to build themselves a 4 point lead at the half 34-38.
It was a tense affair to begin the 2nd half and that showed in large part, as both teams were unable to convert going scoreless over the opening 2 minutes. Senor II eventually went 1 for 2 at the line and that would spark both teams into life. A brief 6-2 scoring run for Kestrels enabled them to tie the game back up at 41, after Charles went to work in the paint on his defender. That would be short lived however, when Lucien Christofis knocked down the first of his 4 three pointers in the quarter to push Riders ahead 41-44. TSK were able to stay within just 2 points with 3:30 minutes left in the period but when Christofis scored at the rim and Jimenez hit another 3 ball, Coach Guymon was forced into a timeout at the 3 minute mark, 45-52 Riders. An 11-0 run post timeout for Loughborough saw them blow the game wide open at 45-63 after another two Christofis triples, but Charles’ and-1 for TSK trimmed the gap to 15 at the quarter break.
Kestrels left themselves with it all to do heading into the final period and it wouldn’t get any easier when Greek forward Panaretakis, knocked down a 3 to start the quarter restoring Riders 18 point advantage. With Kestrels unable to get consistent stops Loughborough continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over and the lead would reach as many as 25. Frustrations boiled over for Nick Lewis who received his second technical foul and was therefore ejected from the ball game in an all round difficult half of basketball for TSK. The Kestrels bench were able to keep things respectable down the stretch but it was too little to late as Riders clinched the cup victory, 82-63.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by American forward Travis Charles who had 24 points and 8 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 12 points and 6 rebounds in a below par performance. Loughborough were led by Lucien Christofis’ MVP performance as he had 24 points on 5-8 from distance, with Kyle Jimenez backing him up adding 14 points and Hosana Kitenge 10.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach commented; “It’s a disappointing way for us to end our cup run with a subpar performance, full credit to Loughborough for taking us out of our rhythm and imposing their game plan on the match up. We showed some positive spells in the first half after a slow start, however in the second half, too many lapses with our defensive communication and movement/spacing offensively allowed Riders to blow the game wide open. Thank you to everyone who made the journey to support the team and those that were able to do so from a far, we now look forward to getting ourselves back on track in NBL D1.”
Box Score - https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1083585/bs.html
Live Stream - https://www.facebook.com/NBLengland/
Kestrels are back in action next weekend as they travel to Nottingham Hoods in NBL D1. The next home action is against Loughborough Riders on Saturday 9th February 2019 at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 8pm tip.
KESTRELS SUFFER NARROW DEFEAT AT CAVALIERS
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Team Solent Kestrels made the short journey to Uxbridge College on Saturday evening to face Thames Valley Cavaliers for no less than the third time this season, after the sides had already met once in the league and once in National Cup. With TSK narrowly prevailing on both occasions this was always going to be a tough match up to knock off the free scoring Cavaliers for a third time. TSK came in off the back of a resounding 41 point demolition of Essex Leopards last Saturday, whilst Thames Valley lost out on the road to 2nd place Worthing Thunder in their first action post Christmas break.
Thames Valley big man Elliot Defreitas opened the scoring for the hosts with quick inside move but Kestrels Forward Tayo Oyefusi stroked a three ball to spark a 10-0 run for the visitors. A number of transition scores from guard duo Herm Senor II and Nick Lewis would prompt an early Cavaliers timeout, 10-2. The hosts had their own duo however, through Defreitas and Hakeem Sylla and when they strung 3 unanswered scores together, that would trigger a Coach Guymon timeout for the Kestrels. Post timeout TSK would settle back down and again find their rhythm on the offensive end behind 4 more Senor II points to extend the advantage to 10 at 18-8. The sides would exchange baskets to close out the first quarter, as Sylla scored on a phantom and-1 call, whilst Sam Turner and Elliot Dadds came off the bench to get on the scoreboard putting the visitors 24-17 to the good.
Again, the back and forth would continue to start the 2nd quarter as Turner connected on a jumper before Walid Mumuni and Fraser Glass contributed for the hosts off the bench. A 7-0 run for the Cavaliers brought them to within just a point, before Lewis would stop the rot for the visitors with a tough step back jumper. Thames Valley guard Prince Lartey scored 5 straight heading through the mid point of the quarter to give the hosts their first lead since the opening possession and that would prompt the 2nd Kestrels timeout, 32-34. The response was positive from TSK as they strung together a 9-2 run out of the timeout behind the guard duo of Lewis and Senor II yet again to build a 41-36 advantage with under 2 minutes to play. Sam Turner continued to contribute on the offensive end with Travis Charles in first half foul trouble but Thames Valley trimmed the deficit to 2 heading into he break, 43-41.
With American big man Travis Charles back in the game TSK started the 3rd quarter with an inside out approach and that paid dividends when Charles converted an and-1 to extend the lead to 6 at 53-47. The lead would stay at 2 possessions for long spells with Cavaliers talisman Martelle McLemore finding his range and Senor II continuing to wreak havoc on the Cavaliers guards. With just under two minutes to play in the period Sylla tied things up for the hosts, but again Senor II would ensure TSK held a slender 3 point advantage heading into the 4th, 64-61.
Lewis briefly extended the advantage to 5 to start the 4th, in what would be a tense affair that went down to the wire. However a 7-1 run for the hosts edged them in front 68-67 to spark a TSK timeout. The momentum begun to swing through the mid point of the quarter in favour of the hosts as they built a 6 point lead at 71-77 after Defreitas scored from a Kestrels turnover. The sides traded a pair of free throws but a Senor II lay up pulled trimmed the deficit to just 4 with 1:41 to play. After a number of missed opportunities from both sides Sylla snagged an offensive rebound and put it back for 2, as he restored his sides 6 point advantage with just over a minute to play. Louie Kirkman would go to the line to sink a pair of free throws with 26 second left cutting the lead to 4, before a turnover from the hosts gave Lewis the chance to score leaving the score at 79-81 with 7 seconds to play. Lartey stepped up and made two free throws to restore the 4 point lead for the hosts but Elliot Dadds was fouled on a 3 point attempt that fell agonisingly short. Dadds sunk all three to make it a 1 point game but Aidan Saunders stepped to the line and made 1 of 2 to ice the game, 82-84.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 25 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals whilst Nick Lewis chipped in 16 points and Travis Charles had a 14 point, 10 rebound double double. Hakeem Sylla led the way for Thames Valley with 24 points, whilst Elliot Defreitas backed him up with 19 points.
Coach Matt Guymon was frustrated as his side dropped one on the road; “It’s a disappointing loss for us because we could have done more to limit their offensive rebounds & deep post catches, which ultimately was the deciding factor in the game. Credit to TVC, who were able to punish us in these areas and grind out the win. We will now turn our attention and preparations towards the Cup Final next Sunday.”
Kestrels must dust themselves down very quickly as they prepare for their most important game of the season in the shape of a National Cup Final. They’ll travel to Essex University this coming Sunday as they take on Loughborough Riders at 3:30pm.
Remember you can get your tickets for both the game and the supporters coach here on the website or on these links here!
Supporters Coach Tickets - https://eshop.solent.ac.uk/product-catalogue/student-services/student-trips-and-clubs/student-trips/team-solent-kestrels-supporters-coach-for-national-cup-final-2019
Game Tickets - https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
Thames Valley big man Elliot Defreitas opened the scoring for the hosts with quick inside move but Kestrels Forward Tayo Oyefusi stroked a three ball to spark a 10-0 run for the visitors. A number of transition scores from guard duo Herm Senor II and Nick Lewis would prompt an early Cavaliers timeout, 10-2. The hosts had their own duo however, through Defreitas and Hakeem Sylla and when they strung 3 unanswered scores together, that would trigger a Coach Guymon timeout for the Kestrels. Post timeout TSK would settle back down and again find their rhythm on the offensive end behind 4 more Senor II points to extend the advantage to 10 at 18-8. The sides would exchange baskets to close out the first quarter, as Sylla scored on a phantom and-1 call, whilst Sam Turner and Elliot Dadds came off the bench to get on the scoreboard putting the visitors 24-17 to the good.
Again, the back and forth would continue to start the 2nd quarter as Turner connected on a jumper before Walid Mumuni and Fraser Glass contributed for the hosts off the bench. A 7-0 run for the Cavaliers brought them to within just a point, before Lewis would stop the rot for the visitors with a tough step back jumper. Thames Valley guard Prince Lartey scored 5 straight heading through the mid point of the quarter to give the hosts their first lead since the opening possession and that would prompt the 2nd Kestrels timeout, 32-34. The response was positive from TSK as they strung together a 9-2 run out of the timeout behind the guard duo of Lewis and Senor II yet again to build a 41-36 advantage with under 2 minutes to play. Sam Turner continued to contribute on the offensive end with Travis Charles in first half foul trouble but Thames Valley trimmed the deficit to 2 heading into he break, 43-41.
With American big man Travis Charles back in the game TSK started the 3rd quarter with an inside out approach and that paid dividends when Charles converted an and-1 to extend the lead to 6 at 53-47. The lead would stay at 2 possessions for long spells with Cavaliers talisman Martelle McLemore finding his range and Senor II continuing to wreak havoc on the Cavaliers guards. With just under two minutes to play in the period Sylla tied things up for the hosts, but again Senor II would ensure TSK held a slender 3 point advantage heading into the 4th, 64-61.
Lewis briefly extended the advantage to 5 to start the 4th, in what would be a tense affair that went down to the wire. However a 7-1 run for the hosts edged them in front 68-67 to spark a TSK timeout. The momentum begun to swing through the mid point of the quarter in favour of the hosts as they built a 6 point lead at 71-77 after Defreitas scored from a Kestrels turnover. The sides traded a pair of free throws but a Senor II lay up pulled trimmed the deficit to just 4 with 1:41 to play. After a number of missed opportunities from both sides Sylla snagged an offensive rebound and put it back for 2, as he restored his sides 6 point advantage with just over a minute to play. Louie Kirkman would go to the line to sink a pair of free throws with 26 second left cutting the lead to 4, before a turnover from the hosts gave Lewis the chance to score leaving the score at 79-81 with 7 seconds to play. Lartey stepped up and made two free throws to restore the 4 point lead for the hosts but Elliot Dadds was fouled on a 3 point attempt that fell agonisingly short. Dadds sunk all three to make it a 1 point game but Aidan Saunders stepped to the line and made 1 of 2 to ice the game, 82-84.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 25 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals whilst Nick Lewis chipped in 16 points and Travis Charles had a 14 point, 10 rebound double double. Hakeem Sylla led the way for Thames Valley with 24 points, whilst Elliot Defreitas backed him up with 19 points.
Coach Matt Guymon was frustrated as his side dropped one on the road; “It’s a disappointing loss for us because we could have done more to limit their offensive rebounds & deep post catches, which ultimately was the deciding factor in the game. Credit to TVC, who were able to punish us in these areas and grind out the win. We will now turn our attention and preparations towards the Cup Final next Sunday.”
Kestrels must dust themselves down very quickly as they prepare for their most important game of the season in the shape of a National Cup Final. They’ll travel to Essex University this coming Sunday as they take on Loughborough Riders at 3:30pm.
Remember you can get your tickets for both the game and the supporters coach here on the website or on these links here!
Supporters Coach Tickets - https://eshop.solent.ac.uk/product-catalogue/student-services/student-trips-and-clubs/student-trips/team-solent-kestrels-supporters-coach-for-national-cup-final-2019
Game Tickets - https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
TSK GET BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN WITH NEW YEAR OPENER
Image Courtesy | Luke Simcock
Saturday evening saw the return of NBL D1 basketball to Places Leisure Eastleigh for the first time in 6 weeks, as TSK kick started the new year by playing host to Essex Leopards, whom they knocked out of the National Cup just weeks before the break. After a short festive break, Kestrels would look to get back to winning ways as they suffered a shock last second defeat to Bradford Dragons, before losing out to BBL opposition Cheshire Phoenix by 11, just two days before Christmas. Essex on the other hand, would look to keep a run of good form alive from before the break as they’d won 3 out of 4 in the league behind the addition of new American swing man Asante Sandiford.
Herm Senor II showed quickly that any worries of the Christmas break rust wouldn’t be necessary, as he stroked a three ball to get Kestrels off the mark. Leopards big man Lee Hodges asserted himself in the paint early for the visitors and replied on the following possession however. The sides would exchange 3 pointers early on as Luke Mascall-Wright cashed in for the visitors before Nick Lewis knocked down one of his own, starting in place of the injured Elliot Dadds. The first meaningful run came midway through the 1st quarter and it was the hosts who capitalised on a number of transition opportunities, through Lewis and Senor II, to put them 18-9 to the good. Rory Winter would momentarily stop the slump for the Leopards with a triple but another 6 unanswered from TSK increased the deficit to 24-12. 15 Year Old Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to continue the offensive production for Kestrels as he found his way to the basket before Sandiford replied for the hosts to close the quarter, 27-16.
Kestrels big man Sam Turner increased the lead to 13 on the opening possession of the 2nd quarter after some nice work by Senor II to find him. The sides traded baskets in the early stages of the 2nd, Travis Charles finding his touch for the home side whilst Chuck Duru and Findlay Wood kept the scoreboard ticking for the Big Cats. Kestrels did however manage to break the back and forth and push the advantage to 17, capped off with a Travis Charles and-1, sparking an Essex timeout with 5 minutes to play in the half. Charles continued his scoring outburst post timeout as converted with some pretty work in the post but Mascall-Wright continued to show his sharpshooting ability from beyond the arc replying with 2 consecutive triples. Again the sides traded scores to close the half and the score stood at 50-33 heading into the break.
With Leopards influential scorer Sandiford out of the game on 4 fouls to start the 2nd half, Kestrels were able to capitalise and flew out the blocks on a 10-3 run, extending the gap to 24. Tayo Oyefusi reminded everyone of his scoring package and he would increase the lead to 31 as Leopards called for timeout. Kestrels front line continued to pour on the misery for Essex as Charles and Turner dominated inside to close the 3rd quarter with the lead now 79-49 to the hosts.
The final period started in sloppy fashion as both sides squandered chances to either extend or reduce the deficit early on. Sam Turner and Leopards’ Findlay Wood scored 4 each to get the scoring going and the lead stayed at 30 in large part over the first 5 minutes of the 4th. However Kestrels closed the game with a flurry of scores through Charles, Lewis and Oyefusi to cap off a comprehensive 41 point victory, 101-60.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Tayo Oyefusi’s 21 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, whilst Nick Lewis and Travis Charles also had 21 points a piece and Kestrels combined for a huge 32 assists as a team. Essex Leopards had 3 players with 11 points to lead their scoring charge, Findlay Wood, Lee Hodges and Luke Mascall-Wright whilst Hodges collected 15 boards.
“It was fantastic to be back at Places Leisure in front of our home fans after a month on the road to finish 2018. I felt a renewed sense of purpose & energy from the guys at both ends of the floor and that was reflected in the performance. Hopefully we can continue with this mentality to build some momentum over the next few weeks with some important games on the schedule.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988778/index.html
Kestrels now turn their attention to a tricky road match up at Thames Valley Cavaliers, who they have beaten narrowly on two occasions this season already. That game is next Saturday 12th January 2019, 6pm at Uxbridge College.
REMINDER; You can now buy your tickets for the final on Sunday 20th January 2019 at Essex University Sports Arena please follow the link to do so; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
All information for the supporters coach will be available this week on our social media platforms.
Herm Senor II showed quickly that any worries of the Christmas break rust wouldn’t be necessary, as he stroked a three ball to get Kestrels off the mark. Leopards big man Lee Hodges asserted himself in the paint early for the visitors and replied on the following possession however. The sides would exchange 3 pointers early on as Luke Mascall-Wright cashed in for the visitors before Nick Lewis knocked down one of his own, starting in place of the injured Elliot Dadds. The first meaningful run came midway through the 1st quarter and it was the hosts who capitalised on a number of transition opportunities, through Lewis and Senor II, to put them 18-9 to the good. Rory Winter would momentarily stop the slump for the Leopards with a triple but another 6 unanswered from TSK increased the deficit to 24-12. 15 Year Old Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to continue the offensive production for Kestrels as he found his way to the basket before Sandiford replied for the hosts to close the quarter, 27-16.
Kestrels big man Sam Turner increased the lead to 13 on the opening possession of the 2nd quarter after some nice work by Senor II to find him. The sides traded baskets in the early stages of the 2nd, Travis Charles finding his touch for the home side whilst Chuck Duru and Findlay Wood kept the scoreboard ticking for the Big Cats. Kestrels did however manage to break the back and forth and push the advantage to 17, capped off with a Travis Charles and-1, sparking an Essex timeout with 5 minutes to play in the half. Charles continued his scoring outburst post timeout as converted with some pretty work in the post but Mascall-Wright continued to show his sharpshooting ability from beyond the arc replying with 2 consecutive triples. Again the sides traded scores to close the half and the score stood at 50-33 heading into the break.
With Leopards influential scorer Sandiford out of the game on 4 fouls to start the 2nd half, Kestrels were able to capitalise and flew out the blocks on a 10-3 run, extending the gap to 24. Tayo Oyefusi reminded everyone of his scoring package and he would increase the lead to 31 as Leopards called for timeout. Kestrels front line continued to pour on the misery for Essex as Charles and Turner dominated inside to close the 3rd quarter with the lead now 79-49 to the hosts.
The final period started in sloppy fashion as both sides squandered chances to either extend or reduce the deficit early on. Sam Turner and Leopards’ Findlay Wood scored 4 each to get the scoring going and the lead stayed at 30 in large part over the first 5 minutes of the 4th. However Kestrels closed the game with a flurry of scores through Charles, Lewis and Oyefusi to cap off a comprehensive 41 point victory, 101-60.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Tayo Oyefusi’s 21 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, whilst Nick Lewis and Travis Charles also had 21 points a piece and Kestrels combined for a huge 32 assists as a team. Essex Leopards had 3 players with 11 points to lead their scoring charge, Findlay Wood, Lee Hodges and Luke Mascall-Wright whilst Hodges collected 15 boards.
“It was fantastic to be back at Places Leisure in front of our home fans after a month on the road to finish 2018. I felt a renewed sense of purpose & energy from the guys at both ends of the floor and that was reflected in the performance. Hopefully we can continue with this mentality to build some momentum over the next few weeks with some important games on the schedule.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988778/index.html
Kestrels now turn their attention to a tricky road match up at Thames Valley Cavaliers, who they have beaten narrowly on two occasions this season already. That game is next Saturday 12th January 2019, 6pm at Uxbridge College.
REMINDER; You can now buy your tickets for the final on Sunday 20th January 2019 at Essex University Sports Arena please follow the link to do so; https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/about/shop/tickets/
All information for the supporters coach will be available this week on our social media platforms.
KESTRELS RUN PHOENIX CLOSE IN BBL TROPHY DEBUT
Team Solent Kestrels made their BBL Trophy debut on Sunday afternoon, as they looked to head into the Christmas break on a high after suffering their first defeat of the regular season last time out. The long trip to the North West saw them match up with last years BBL Cup winners, Cheshire Phoenix at Ellesmere Port Sports Village. After matching up with BBL competition in pre season, TSK would be keen to measure their progress against top tier opposition once again.
Cheshire opened the game on a 10-4 scoring run as they had a balance scoring load with 4 of their starters scoring for them, whilst Travis Charles scored 4 quick ones for the visitors. Kestrels would be boosted by the reintroduction of Jon Averkamp back into the line up and he came off the bench to cut down the Phoenix advantage at 10-14. The hosts increased their lead to 8 behind Louis Sayers and PG Daniel Norl but TSK came firing back, closing the quarter on a 7-2 run after Chris Scarlett stroked a triple, 17-20 Cheshire after one.
Kestrels rode the momentum into the beginning of the 2nd period as Averkamp converted in close, before another Scarlett long bomb prompted a Coach Thomas timeout for the hosts, with the game tied at 22. Cheshire scored 4 straight, out of the timeout, which in turn saw Coach Guymon return the favour and call for his first timeout of the ball game. The teams exchanged blows for long spells of the second and whilst Phoenix led for the most part, they never moved ahead by any more than 5. An 11-5 run to close the half for TSK saw them lead by as many as 4 after an Averkamp and-1, however Momcilo Latinovic hit a tough step back triple to finish the half, leaving Kestrels up just 1, 39-38.
The lead changed hands a number of times as the 2nd half got going, firstly with Herm Senor II who connected on a tricky fade away and then Phoenix 7 footer CJ Gettys edged his side back in front 41-43. 5 straight Senor II points would give Kestrels a 3 point lead through the 7 minute mark of the 3rd but that sparked the home side into action, with a short 7-2 run to restore their lead 48-50. The first meaningful run, that opened up the biggest deficit of the half thus far, came through the mid way point of the period, as Phoenix strung together a 7-0 run behind successful back to back trips to the line putting them up 52-59. Again the sides traded baskets and the lead stayed at 7 heading into the 4th, 60-67.
Phoenix would push the lead to double digits to start the 4th of a Disraeli Lufadeju put back and despite Eliot Dadds and Louie Kirkman’s best efforts, the lead extended to 11 after a Norl trey ball. That would be capped off with an and-1 on the following possession which ballooned the lead to 14. Kestrels would claw it back to 11 behind Senor II but that was as close as they got, with the lead getting to as many as 15 down the stretch. Senor II scored the last 4 TSK points to keep the deficit at 11, Cheshire surviving and advancing to the quarter finals, 75-86.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 26 points, while Travis Charles added 22 and Jon Averkamp 7 points respectively. Cheshire’s Daniel Norl led the way for them with 20 points, with Sol Rolls-Tyson stepping up off the bench to add 17 as well as Momcilo Latinovic chipping in 17 too.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was really proud of how his side competed; “This was a great opportunity for us to bounce back and finish the calendar year on a high and I felt for large spells of the game we were able to play our style of basketball. We knew it was going to be tough against BBL level opposition however I thought we gave a great account of ourselves. Unfortunately a run at the back end of the 3rd and into 4th left us with too much to do down the stretch. The break has come at a great time for our guys to rest and recharge and we look forward to an exciting 2019 for our club.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1043654/bs.html
Kestrels are back in action in the new year on Saturday 5th January 2019 where they will play host to Essex Leopards back at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 7:30pm tip.
Cheshire opened the game on a 10-4 scoring run as they had a balance scoring load with 4 of their starters scoring for them, whilst Travis Charles scored 4 quick ones for the visitors. Kestrels would be boosted by the reintroduction of Jon Averkamp back into the line up and he came off the bench to cut down the Phoenix advantage at 10-14. The hosts increased their lead to 8 behind Louis Sayers and PG Daniel Norl but TSK came firing back, closing the quarter on a 7-2 run after Chris Scarlett stroked a triple, 17-20 Cheshire after one.
Kestrels rode the momentum into the beginning of the 2nd period as Averkamp converted in close, before another Scarlett long bomb prompted a Coach Thomas timeout for the hosts, with the game tied at 22. Cheshire scored 4 straight, out of the timeout, which in turn saw Coach Guymon return the favour and call for his first timeout of the ball game. The teams exchanged blows for long spells of the second and whilst Phoenix led for the most part, they never moved ahead by any more than 5. An 11-5 run to close the half for TSK saw them lead by as many as 4 after an Averkamp and-1, however Momcilo Latinovic hit a tough step back triple to finish the half, leaving Kestrels up just 1, 39-38.
The lead changed hands a number of times as the 2nd half got going, firstly with Herm Senor II who connected on a tricky fade away and then Phoenix 7 footer CJ Gettys edged his side back in front 41-43. 5 straight Senor II points would give Kestrels a 3 point lead through the 7 minute mark of the 3rd but that sparked the home side into action, with a short 7-2 run to restore their lead 48-50. The first meaningful run, that opened up the biggest deficit of the half thus far, came through the mid way point of the period, as Phoenix strung together a 7-0 run behind successful back to back trips to the line putting them up 52-59. Again the sides traded baskets and the lead stayed at 7 heading into the 4th, 60-67.
Phoenix would push the lead to double digits to start the 4th of a Disraeli Lufadeju put back and despite Eliot Dadds and Louie Kirkman’s best efforts, the lead extended to 11 after a Norl trey ball. That would be capped off with an and-1 on the following possession which ballooned the lead to 14. Kestrels would claw it back to 11 behind Senor II but that was as close as they got, with the lead getting to as many as 15 down the stretch. Senor II scored the last 4 TSK points to keep the deficit at 11, Cheshire surviving and advancing to the quarter finals, 75-86.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 26 points, while Travis Charles added 22 and Jon Averkamp 7 points respectively. Cheshire’s Daniel Norl led the way for them with 20 points, with Sol Rolls-Tyson stepping up off the bench to add 17 as well as Momcilo Latinovic chipping in 17 too.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was really proud of how his side competed; “This was a great opportunity for us to bounce back and finish the calendar year on a high and I felt for large spells of the game we were able to play our style of basketball. We knew it was going to be tough against BBL level opposition however I thought we gave a great account of ourselves. Unfortunately a run at the back end of the 3rd and into 4th left us with too much to do down the stretch. The break has come at a great time for our guys to rest and recharge and we look forward to an exciting 2019 for our club.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBL/1043654/bs.html
Kestrels are back in action in the new year on Saturday 5th January 2019 where they will play host to Essex Leopards back at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 7:30pm tip.
TSK LOSE UNBEATEN RECORD ON THE BUZZER IN BRADFORD
Image Courtesy | Alex Daniel Photography
It was a cold and wet trip north for Team Solent Kestrels in their final NBL D1 action before the Christmas break, where they would look to stay undefeated vs. Bradford Dragons. It was the first meeting between the sides this season and whilst Dragons enjoyed a fast start to the season, since losing American Drexler Clark to injury, they have struggled to find their rhythm. Kestrels came in on a high after booking their National Cup Final ticket last weekend and were looking to stay top of the tree at Christmas.
Bradford big man Allie Fullah came out aggressive attempting to impose himself from the low post as he scored 4 quick points, whilst Elliot Dadds found his range from distance for the visitors. Senor II would follow up a slower start than usual for Kestrels, with a pair of lay ups, to put TSK up 7-4. Bradford, despite being under manned with out big man Ricky Fetske, would continue to hunt the paint on drives and earned themselves 4 consecutive trips to foul line, converting all 8 attempts to go up 7-12 through the half way point of the quarter. Kestrels replied immediately however as Nick Lewis came into the game off the bench and a 6-0 run edged them back in front. The lead swung back again in favour of the hosts as this time Jermaine Laing sparked a 9-3 run for the Dragons, but timely scores from Nick Lewis and Sam Turner from the free throw line trimmed the gap to just 1 at 22-23 after the 1st.
Scoring would go back and forth to start the 2nd as both teams found their rhythm converting on a number of back to back possessions. A short 6-0 run from the hosts behind 4 Joaquin Calvo points gave them a 30-36 lead. However TSK would turn up the defensive intensity, forcing a number of Dragons turnovers with their full court press, allowing them a number of easy scores to go in front 39-36. The hosts rallied to close the half though and edged in front 39-41.
Dragons came flying out to start the second half as Rihards Sulcs scored 7 out of 10 straight points forcing a Coach Guymon timeout to make some adjustments. He would do just that as a 14-2 run post timeout for the visitors, behind Nick Lewis and Travis Charles, propelled them into a narrow 1 point lead with just 3 minutes to play in the quarter. The hosts weathered the onslaught from TSK and despite Charles extending the deficit from the line to 4, Bradford tied it up at 59 a piece to head into the final period.
The 4th started in tense fashion with both sides finding easy scoring opportunities early on, however another 10-0 run for the hosts, behind a pair of Andreas Lycoudis 3’s, gave them a 61-69 advantage with 6 minutes to play. Much in the fashion of the game though, another long scoring run from TSK, saw them tie the game up at 75 a piece capped by a Herm Senor II triple. Charles gave Kestrels the lead with just under 2 minutes to play but Lycoudis managed to get the shooters roll on a triple on the following possession. Senor II went one on one on the next trip down the floor and it was nothing but net on a floater to give TSK a 79-78 lead with 59 seconds to play. Nick Lewis would go down with cramp on Bradford’s next offensive possession and an after a scramble defensively Sulcs converted on a lay up to put Dragons up 1 with 47 seconds left. Charles restored the visitors advantage at 81-80 and after a 5 second call on Fullah, Kestrels would go to the line for 2 free throws, after Dragons had to foul. Senor II stepped up and sunk both, however Lycoudis would go coast to coast and kick out to Sulcs who’s heave from 3 went in with just 3 seconds left. Elliot Dadds would then received the inbound and in his steps was a judged to have committed a charge on Sulcs with the referee on the opposite baseline having spotted the infringement. With just a second left and last ditch attempt from Sulcs found the net and Bradford handed Kestrels their first loss of the season, 83-86.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis 25 points, whilst Herm Senor II had 19 points in just 15 minutes after being marred by foul trouble and Travis Charles chipped in 17. Bradford’s hero Rihard Sulcs had 30 points to lead them with Andreas Lycoudis backing him up with 18 points.
Coach Matt Guymon gave us his thoughts on his sides first loss in NBL D1 action this season; “We missed a great opportunity to keep our undefeated streak alive this weekend against an undermanned Bradford team. We have moved away from our identity as a defensive minded team that gets stops and plays at a relentless pace in transition. We need to reflect on the last 2-3 weeks and refocus over the D1 break. Full credit to Bradford who were excellent at both ends of the floor. Sulcs was brilliant all game and his final 3 possession carried them over the line.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988773/bs.html
TSK will now take a break from NBL D1 play over the Christmas break and are next in action in the league on Saturday 5th January 2018 vs. Essex Leopards at Places Leisure Eastleigh. However this Sunday presents the unique opportunity for TSK to match up with BBL opposition in the first round of the BBL Trophy on the road at Cheshire Phoenix.
For any travelling fans the game is Sunday, 5:30pm @ Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Cheshire.
Bradford big man Allie Fullah came out aggressive attempting to impose himself from the low post as he scored 4 quick points, whilst Elliot Dadds found his range from distance for the visitors. Senor II would follow up a slower start than usual for Kestrels, with a pair of lay ups, to put TSK up 7-4. Bradford, despite being under manned with out big man Ricky Fetske, would continue to hunt the paint on drives and earned themselves 4 consecutive trips to foul line, converting all 8 attempts to go up 7-12 through the half way point of the quarter. Kestrels replied immediately however as Nick Lewis came into the game off the bench and a 6-0 run edged them back in front. The lead swung back again in favour of the hosts as this time Jermaine Laing sparked a 9-3 run for the Dragons, but timely scores from Nick Lewis and Sam Turner from the free throw line trimmed the gap to just 1 at 22-23 after the 1st.
Scoring would go back and forth to start the 2nd as both teams found their rhythm converting on a number of back to back possessions. A short 6-0 run from the hosts behind 4 Joaquin Calvo points gave them a 30-36 lead. However TSK would turn up the defensive intensity, forcing a number of Dragons turnovers with their full court press, allowing them a number of easy scores to go in front 39-36. The hosts rallied to close the half though and edged in front 39-41.
Dragons came flying out to start the second half as Rihards Sulcs scored 7 out of 10 straight points forcing a Coach Guymon timeout to make some adjustments. He would do just that as a 14-2 run post timeout for the visitors, behind Nick Lewis and Travis Charles, propelled them into a narrow 1 point lead with just 3 minutes to play in the quarter. The hosts weathered the onslaught from TSK and despite Charles extending the deficit from the line to 4, Bradford tied it up at 59 a piece to head into the final period.
The 4th started in tense fashion with both sides finding easy scoring opportunities early on, however another 10-0 run for the hosts, behind a pair of Andreas Lycoudis 3’s, gave them a 61-69 advantage with 6 minutes to play. Much in the fashion of the game though, another long scoring run from TSK, saw them tie the game up at 75 a piece capped by a Herm Senor II triple. Charles gave Kestrels the lead with just under 2 minutes to play but Lycoudis managed to get the shooters roll on a triple on the following possession. Senor II went one on one on the next trip down the floor and it was nothing but net on a floater to give TSK a 79-78 lead with 59 seconds to play. Nick Lewis would go down with cramp on Bradford’s next offensive possession and an after a scramble defensively Sulcs converted on a lay up to put Dragons up 1 with 47 seconds left. Charles restored the visitors advantage at 81-80 and after a 5 second call on Fullah, Kestrels would go to the line for 2 free throws, after Dragons had to foul. Senor II stepped up and sunk both, however Lycoudis would go coast to coast and kick out to Sulcs who’s heave from 3 went in with just 3 seconds left. Elliot Dadds would then received the inbound and in his steps was a judged to have committed a charge on Sulcs with the referee on the opposite baseline having spotted the infringement. With just a second left and last ditch attempt from Sulcs found the net and Bradford handed Kestrels their first loss of the season, 83-86.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis 25 points, whilst Herm Senor II had 19 points in just 15 minutes after being marred by foul trouble and Travis Charles chipped in 17. Bradford’s hero Rihard Sulcs had 30 points to lead them with Andreas Lycoudis backing him up with 18 points.
Coach Matt Guymon gave us his thoughts on his sides first loss in NBL D1 action this season; “We missed a great opportunity to keep our undefeated streak alive this weekend against an undermanned Bradford team. We have moved away from our identity as a defensive minded team that gets stops and plays at a relentless pace in transition. We need to reflect on the last 2-3 weeks and refocus over the D1 break. Full credit to Bradford who were excellent at both ends of the floor. Sulcs was brilliant all game and his final 3 possession carried them over the line.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988773/bs.html
TSK will now take a break from NBL D1 play over the Christmas break and are next in action in the league on Saturday 5th January 2018 vs. Essex Leopards at Places Leisure Eastleigh. However this Sunday presents the unique opportunity for TSK to match up with BBL opposition in the first round of the BBL Trophy on the road at Cheshire Phoenix.
For any travelling fans the game is Sunday, 5:30pm @ Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Cheshire.
KESTRELS BOOK CUP FINAL TICKET AS THEY KNOCK OFF 'BIG CATS'
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Sunday afternoon in Brentwood, Essex was the setting for Team Solent Kestrels’ 2nd consecutive National Cup Semi Final appearance. Kestrels, having navigated their way past Bristol Hurricanes, Team Newcastle and Thames Valley Cavaliers, found themselves with the opportunity to match up with D1 returnees Essex Leopards, for the first time this season. Essex, who have been revitalised of late with the addition of American forward Asante Sandiford, knocked off Team Derby Spartans, Westminster Warriors, Nottingham Hoods and Manchester Magic on their way to the semi finals.
Travis Charles opened the TSK account on the opening possession of the game, however Essex big man Lee Hodges replied on the following possession with a score in close, to get his side on the board. It was a cagey start for both sides with the teams exchanging scores through their point guards Herm Senor II and Findlay Wood, until Kestrels strung a 9-2 run together to put them up 15-8 around the 6 minute mark. Again with the lead at 7, the sides traded baskets until Hodges scored 4 straight to trim the gap to 3. Senor II momentarily restored a 5 point advantage but TSK would then go scoreless over the final four minutes of the quarter, allowing Leopards to take a 21-22 lead into the quarter break.
Wood stroked a 3 off of some clinical ball movement from the hosts to start the 2nd quarter before Elliot Dadds scored 4 straight to tie the game up at 25. Leopards restored a 4 point gap again when Sam Newman went coast to coast for a two handed flush but again Kestrels came straight back behind a Tayo Oyefusi three ball and Senor II lay up. That would spark the start of a 13-0 run for the visitors as they turned up the defensive intensity allowing for a number of easy scores in transition. Essex did manage to stop the rot before the half and trimmed the Kestrels lead to 6 at 38-32.
Leopards showed their fight flying out of the blocks to start the half with a 10-0 run, behind 8 Luke Mascall-Wright points, prompting an early Coach Guymon timeout to settle his side down. American big man Charles, got Kestrels back on track post timeout with a quick score from the post but Essex forward Chuck Duru restored a 4 point advantage on the following possession. Kestrels trimmed the gap to 1 before both teams scoring dried up, over a scoreless 3 minute period on the back side of the 3rd quarter. However an 11-2 flurry late in the quarter saw Kestrels retake their 6 point lead they held at the break, as Chris Scarlett started to heat up from beyond the arc, 54-48 heading into the 4th.
Kestrels bench would swing the momentum to begin the final period as Josh Brown and Chris Scarlett scored 5 straight points, followed by Elliot Dadds and Nick Lewis scores. Leopards would take their second time out in as many minutes as Kestrels poured it on the lead now at 66-48 with 7 minutes to play. The sides would trade baskets over the ensuing possessions as Charles came back into the game for TSK whilst sharp shooting guard Andre Lavinier came off the bench for the shots to score 8 quick points. Leopards American Sandiford would trim the deficit to 12 with just 3:49 on the clock and Coach Guymon would call for time to settle his squad down. The home side would pull within 7 out of the timeout through a Mascall-Wright triple but that would be as close as they got with Charles and Lewis putting the game to bed in the closing minutes. Kestrels took the win 81-70 and advance to the National Cup final for the 2nd time in 3 seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 25 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists, whilst Herm Senor II 16 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and 6 steals and Elliot Dadds chipped in 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Essex were led by Luke Mascall-Wright’s 21 points while Asante Sandiford was the only other player in double figures for the hosts with 14.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach was delighted as his team reached the cup final and had this to say; “It’s fantastic for the club to make the cup final for the 2nd time in 3 years. Essex made life difficult for us today and we struggled at times to build a consistent rhythm offensively. We were able to show resilience throughout the game and I have to give credit to our bench who gave us an excellent spark to blow open the game in the 4th.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1064333/bs.html
TSK will now advance to the final where they’ll face Loughborough Riders, who came from behind late to beat Hemel Storm 90-89. The final will be held at the new Essex University Arena on Sunday 20th January 2019 at 3:30pm, all details on travel and tickets for the Kestrels Family will be on its way to you all shortly!
Travis Charles opened the TSK account on the opening possession of the game, however Essex big man Lee Hodges replied on the following possession with a score in close, to get his side on the board. It was a cagey start for both sides with the teams exchanging scores through their point guards Herm Senor II and Findlay Wood, until Kestrels strung a 9-2 run together to put them up 15-8 around the 6 minute mark. Again with the lead at 7, the sides traded baskets until Hodges scored 4 straight to trim the gap to 3. Senor II momentarily restored a 5 point advantage but TSK would then go scoreless over the final four minutes of the quarter, allowing Leopards to take a 21-22 lead into the quarter break.
Wood stroked a 3 off of some clinical ball movement from the hosts to start the 2nd quarter before Elliot Dadds scored 4 straight to tie the game up at 25. Leopards restored a 4 point gap again when Sam Newman went coast to coast for a two handed flush but again Kestrels came straight back behind a Tayo Oyefusi three ball and Senor II lay up. That would spark the start of a 13-0 run for the visitors as they turned up the defensive intensity allowing for a number of easy scores in transition. Essex did manage to stop the rot before the half and trimmed the Kestrels lead to 6 at 38-32.
Leopards showed their fight flying out of the blocks to start the half with a 10-0 run, behind 8 Luke Mascall-Wright points, prompting an early Coach Guymon timeout to settle his side down. American big man Charles, got Kestrels back on track post timeout with a quick score from the post but Essex forward Chuck Duru restored a 4 point advantage on the following possession. Kestrels trimmed the gap to 1 before both teams scoring dried up, over a scoreless 3 minute period on the back side of the 3rd quarter. However an 11-2 flurry late in the quarter saw Kestrels retake their 6 point lead they held at the break, as Chris Scarlett started to heat up from beyond the arc, 54-48 heading into the 4th.
Kestrels bench would swing the momentum to begin the final period as Josh Brown and Chris Scarlett scored 5 straight points, followed by Elliot Dadds and Nick Lewis scores. Leopards would take their second time out in as many minutes as Kestrels poured it on the lead now at 66-48 with 7 minutes to play. The sides would trade baskets over the ensuing possessions as Charles came back into the game for TSK whilst sharp shooting guard Andre Lavinier came off the bench for the shots to score 8 quick points. Leopards American Sandiford would trim the deficit to 12 with just 3:49 on the clock and Coach Guymon would call for time to settle his squad down. The home side would pull within 7 out of the timeout through a Mascall-Wright triple but that would be as close as they got with Charles and Lewis putting the game to bed in the closing minutes. Kestrels took the win 81-70 and advance to the National Cup final for the 2nd time in 3 seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ 25 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists, whilst Herm Senor II 16 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and 6 steals and Elliot Dadds chipped in 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Essex were led by Luke Mascall-Wright’s 21 points while Asante Sandiford was the only other player in double figures for the hosts with 14.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach was delighted as his team reached the cup final and had this to say; “It’s fantastic for the club to make the cup final for the 2nd time in 3 years. Essex made life difficult for us today and we struggled at times to build a consistent rhythm offensively. We were able to show resilience throughout the game and I have to give credit to our bench who gave us an excellent spark to blow open the game in the 4th.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1064333/bs.html
TSK will now advance to the final where they’ll face Loughborough Riders, who came from behind late to beat Hemel Storm 90-89. The final will be held at the new Essex University Arena on Sunday 20th January 2019 at 3:30pm, all details on travel and tickets for the Kestrels Family will be on its way to you all shortly!
TSK LEAVE IT LATE BUT MOVE TO 10-0 WITH WIN IN LEICESTER
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Team Solent Kestrels hit the road Saturday afternoon for the first of their 4 game road stand, after a long run of fixtures at Places Leisure Eastleigh, through the month of November. A run in fact that has been instrumental in the Kestrels’ unbeaten start to the NBL D1 season and Coach Matt Guymon’s side would be looking to extend that form at Leicester Warriors. Leicester’s 1-7 record in no way reflected their scoring fire power and this would pose a tough test for TSK. Warriors would also be buoyed by the addition of forward Raphell Thomas-Edwards, a former junior Warriors and England International, who has since played NCAA DI college basketball state side.
Neither side had the better of the play in the opening stages of the first quarter as they traded scores for large spells. Warriors found their range from beyond the arc through Jamal Lewis, whilst Kestrels found a number of scoring opportunities in close behind the pairing of Herm Senor II and Travis Charles. A 10-0 run for TSK, across the 4 minute mark of the quarter, gave them the first meaningful advantage at 19-12 to spark a Coach Karl Brown timeout for the hosts. Nick Lewis came off the bench to sink a pair of free throws for the visitors, before sharpshooting guard Martyn Gayle drained a three for the home side to leave the score at 21-15 TSK after one.
Elliot Dadds converted on a lay up early in the 2nd to increase the gap 8 but that was as big a lead as Kestrels would build in the first half. An 11-2 run from the East Midlands side behind two more Gayle three’s saw them edge in front 25-26 and Coach Guymon use his first timeout of the ball game. The lead changed hands several times post timeout with both teams finding ways to score the ball. However a 10-3 run to close out the half from the hosts duo of Gayle and Thomas-Edwards, saw them take 39-46 lead into the interval.
The hosts momentarily pushed the lead out to 12 after a quick 5 point swing to start the half, but Louie Kirkman and Elliot Dadds ensured the lead wouldn’t increase as they replied for TSK. Both sides traded baskets for long spells of the third and the lead would stay at around 8 or 9 in favour of the Warriors. That was until a frantic 10-0 run to close the period for Kestrels, behind 6 Dadds points, brought them within 1 heading into the 4th.
Kestrels would ride the momentum from the back end of the 3rd, as Travis Charles found his rhythm to put the visitors up 4. However an 8-2 run for the Warriors behind 5 Thomas-Edwards points saw them edge back in front by 2, with 4:57 to play. Leicester big man Jabby extended the lead to 4 out of a timeout but a 9-2 Kestrels run meant they were now in 77-74 to the good with less than 2 minutes to play. The hosts would then go scoreless over the final two minutes allowing Kestrels to close the game out from the free throw line, winning 84-74.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ huge stat line, 24 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, while Nick Lewis chipped in 23 points and Elliot Dadds had 14. Leicester Warriors guard Martyn Gayle led them with 22 points whilst Raphell Thomas-Edwards had 19 points on his season debut.
TSK Play caller Matt Guymon had this to say after his sides 10th victory in a row in league play; “Credit to Leicester as they were excellent at both ends of the floor today. We got ourselves in a hole in the 2nd quarter as we struggled to defend the 3 point line. I was proud of our guys and how they responded at the end of the 3rd to get us back in the game and also our composure late in the 4th to secure the win.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988755/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to a semi final match up with Essex Leopards next Sunday where they will look to book their spot in January’s final. 4pm tip off @ The Brentwood Centre, Essex.
Neither side had the better of the play in the opening stages of the first quarter as they traded scores for large spells. Warriors found their range from beyond the arc through Jamal Lewis, whilst Kestrels found a number of scoring opportunities in close behind the pairing of Herm Senor II and Travis Charles. A 10-0 run for TSK, across the 4 minute mark of the quarter, gave them the first meaningful advantage at 19-12 to spark a Coach Karl Brown timeout for the hosts. Nick Lewis came off the bench to sink a pair of free throws for the visitors, before sharpshooting guard Martyn Gayle drained a three for the home side to leave the score at 21-15 TSK after one.
Elliot Dadds converted on a lay up early in the 2nd to increase the gap 8 but that was as big a lead as Kestrels would build in the first half. An 11-2 run from the East Midlands side behind two more Gayle three’s saw them edge in front 25-26 and Coach Guymon use his first timeout of the ball game. The lead changed hands several times post timeout with both teams finding ways to score the ball. However a 10-3 run to close out the half from the hosts duo of Gayle and Thomas-Edwards, saw them take 39-46 lead into the interval.
The hosts momentarily pushed the lead out to 12 after a quick 5 point swing to start the half, but Louie Kirkman and Elliot Dadds ensured the lead wouldn’t increase as they replied for TSK. Both sides traded baskets for long spells of the third and the lead would stay at around 8 or 9 in favour of the Warriors. That was until a frantic 10-0 run to close the period for Kestrels, behind 6 Dadds points, brought them within 1 heading into the 4th.
Kestrels would ride the momentum from the back end of the 3rd, as Travis Charles found his rhythm to put the visitors up 4. However an 8-2 run for the Warriors behind 5 Thomas-Edwards points saw them edge back in front by 2, with 4:57 to play. Leicester big man Jabby extended the lead to 4 out of a timeout but a 9-2 Kestrels run meant they were now in 77-74 to the good with less than 2 minutes to play. The hosts would then go scoreless over the final two minutes allowing Kestrels to close the game out from the free throw line, winning 84-74.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles’ huge stat line, 24 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, while Nick Lewis chipped in 23 points and Elliot Dadds had 14. Leicester Warriors guard Martyn Gayle led them with 22 points whilst Raphell Thomas-Edwards had 19 points on his season debut.
TSK Play caller Matt Guymon had this to say after his sides 10th victory in a row in league play; “Credit to Leicester as they were excellent at both ends of the floor today. We got ourselves in a hole in the 2nd quarter as we struggled to defend the 3 point line. I was proud of our guys and how they responded at the end of the 3rd to get us back in the game and also our composure late in the 4th to secure the win.”
You can check out the full box score here; https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988755/bs.html#ASFSK
Kestrels will now turn their attentions to a semi final match up with Essex Leopards next Sunday where they will look to book their spot in January’s final. 4pm tip off @ The Brentwood Centre, Essex.
KESTRELS GROUND ROCKETS TO KEEP WIN STREAK
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Saturday evening saw Team Solent Kestrels welcome local Berkshire outfit, Reading Rockets to Places Leisure Eastleigh in NBL D1 action. It would be another chance for TSK to put their unbeaten streak on the line with it currently standing at 8, as they sit at the summit of Division 1. Rockets came into the action fresh off a weekend break and a 4-2 record on the season so far, whilst Kestrels defeated Hemel Storm last time out despite not playing their basketball. With the local rivalry between the sides this match up is always a tense affair.
The sides traded scores in the early parts of this one as AJ Carr established himself for the visitors whilst Travis Charles and Herm Senor II got going for TSK. The sides would be locked at 11 a piece through the mid point of the first quarter. A 7-0 run for Kestrels with 5 Louie Kirkman points, meant the hosts would take the first meaningful lead up 16-11. Rockets were not done for the quarter though and they managed to string together a 9-2 run to close the period, behind Sydney Donaldson and Trae Pemberton’s jump shooting, 18-20 to the visitors.
Reading started the 2nd with a renewed energy and another 9-2 run behind a balanced scoring attack, pushed them out to the biggest lead of the game at 20-29, sparking a Coach Guymon timeout. Travis Charles would score 8 straight points out of the timeout for the home team and bring them right back within striking distance. Herm Senor II converted on a drive to the hoop to put his side up 34-31 and cap off a huge 14-2 run for the hosts, with 2:30 to play in the half. Carr and Irish guard O’Sullivan would stop the run, as Rockets momentarily retook the lead, but Charles scored again and that would tie the game at 38 heading into the break.
Senor II would set the tone for the 2nd half on the opening possession as he got the and-1 opportunity to go, followed by Charles who knocked down the short jumper. Carr and O’Sullivan replied for the visitors to bring them back within 1, but a 7-0 run behind 4 Senor II points increased the Kestrels advantage to 8. Danny Carter came off the bench for Reading to reduce the gap to 4 but that would be short lived, as Sam Turner and Nick Lewis came off the Kestrels bench to restore a 9 point deficit. There were a flurry of scores to close to period but Lewis’ lay up would leave the score at 62-52, heading into the 4th.
Neither team managed to take control early in the 4th quarter as they both scored at will but the lead was still stood at 8 just 3 minutes in. Donaldson sunk three back to back three’s for the Rockets to bring them back within 5, but Senor II replied with one of his own and when Kirkman scored in transition, Kestrels were back up 9 with a little over 4 minutes to play. Rockets sharpshooter Pemberton got in on the act from beyond the arc, as he went back to back, either side of an Elliot Dadds jumper, trimming it to 75-70. Senor II hit a three ball, before Lewis navigated his way to the rim to put TSK up 10 with 1:47 to play. Kestrels were able to ice the game from the line as Reading fouled to stop the clock late, holding on to win 86-75. TSK improving to 9-0 and tightening their grip on top spot in NBL D1.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had 27 points, while Herm Senor II had 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds and Tayo Oyefusi continued to do everything his team needed to win with 16 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 block. Reading’s American forward AJ Carr had 23 points to pace them, with Sydney Donaldson and Trae Pemberton posting 17 and 16 points respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides 9th straight victory in regular season play; “I think we started the game very flat on the defensive end which is unusual for us. This allowed Reading to find a rhythm & their confidence early in the game. I’m proud of how we responded in the 3rd quarter defending much better & playing at our tempo which allowed us to control the game down the stretch.”
Kestrels will now take the show on the road for the month of December with 4 games in a row on the road including a National Cup Semi Final vs. Essex Leopards and a BBL Trophy 1st round tie with Cheshire Phoenix. Next weekend sees TSK travel to Leicester Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
The sides traded scores in the early parts of this one as AJ Carr established himself for the visitors whilst Travis Charles and Herm Senor II got going for TSK. The sides would be locked at 11 a piece through the mid point of the first quarter. A 7-0 run for Kestrels with 5 Louie Kirkman points, meant the hosts would take the first meaningful lead up 16-11. Rockets were not done for the quarter though and they managed to string together a 9-2 run to close the period, behind Sydney Donaldson and Trae Pemberton’s jump shooting, 18-20 to the visitors.
Reading started the 2nd with a renewed energy and another 9-2 run behind a balanced scoring attack, pushed them out to the biggest lead of the game at 20-29, sparking a Coach Guymon timeout. Travis Charles would score 8 straight points out of the timeout for the home team and bring them right back within striking distance. Herm Senor II converted on a drive to the hoop to put his side up 34-31 and cap off a huge 14-2 run for the hosts, with 2:30 to play in the half. Carr and Irish guard O’Sullivan would stop the run, as Rockets momentarily retook the lead, but Charles scored again and that would tie the game at 38 heading into the break.
Senor II would set the tone for the 2nd half on the opening possession as he got the and-1 opportunity to go, followed by Charles who knocked down the short jumper. Carr and O’Sullivan replied for the visitors to bring them back within 1, but a 7-0 run behind 4 Senor II points increased the Kestrels advantage to 8. Danny Carter came off the bench for Reading to reduce the gap to 4 but that would be short lived, as Sam Turner and Nick Lewis came off the Kestrels bench to restore a 9 point deficit. There were a flurry of scores to close to period but Lewis’ lay up would leave the score at 62-52, heading into the 4th.
Neither team managed to take control early in the 4th quarter as they both scored at will but the lead was still stood at 8 just 3 minutes in. Donaldson sunk three back to back three’s for the Rockets to bring them back within 5, but Senor II replied with one of his own and when Kirkman scored in transition, Kestrels were back up 9 with a little over 4 minutes to play. Rockets sharpshooter Pemberton got in on the act from beyond the arc, as he went back to back, either side of an Elliot Dadds jumper, trimming it to 75-70. Senor II hit a three ball, before Lewis navigated his way to the rim to put TSK up 10 with 1:47 to play. Kestrels were able to ice the game from the line as Reading fouled to stop the clock late, holding on to win 86-75. TSK improving to 9-0 and tightening their grip on top spot in NBL D1.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Travis Charles who had 27 points, while Herm Senor II had 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds and Tayo Oyefusi continued to do everything his team needed to win with 16 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 block. Reading’s American forward AJ Carr had 23 points to pace them, with Sydney Donaldson and Trae Pemberton posting 17 and 16 points respectively.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides 9th straight victory in regular season play; “I think we started the game very flat on the defensive end which is unusual for us. This allowed Reading to find a rhythm & their confidence early in the game. I’m proud of how we responded in the 3rd quarter defending much better & playing at our tempo which allowed us to control the game down the stretch.”
Kestrels will now take the show on the road for the month of December with 4 games in a row on the road including a National Cup Semi Final vs. Essex Leopards and a BBL Trophy 1st round tie with Cheshire Phoenix. Next weekend sees TSK travel to Leicester Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
TSK BOOK SEMI FINAL TICKET WITH WIN OVER TVC
Image Courtesy | Paul Watts
Sunday afternoon at Uxbridge College was the stage for TSK’s National Cup Quarter Final show down with Thames Valley Cavaliers. Kestrels were looking to book their spot in the semi final stage of the competition, for the 2nd consecutive season, with their second win of the year over Cavaliers. The sides met on the opening night of NBL D1 action at Places Leisure Eastleigh and it would take some late game Herm Senor II heroics for Kestrels to clinch the win. TSK came in off the back of a shut out victory over Hemel Storm on Saturday evening, whilst Thames Valley slipped to a defeat, to an improving Team Newcastle side 92-85.
Kestrels started the better of the sides with two quick scores from Herm Senor II and Louie Kirkman, whilst Cavaliers split a pair free throws, through Hakeem Sylla, to get on the scoreboard. As expected it would be a cagey affair and neither side were able to establish control early on. TSK took a 4 point lead after Elliot Dadds connected on a three ball, but that would be short lived, as Aiden Saunders replied with a three of his own for the hosts. Cavaliers American guard, Martelle McLemore, would score 9 of his sides next 13 points to edge them in front 19-21. Although Nick Lewis came off the bench to restore the visitors lead, Thames Valley scored the final 5 points of the quarter to go in 22-26 to the good after one.
It would be a back and forth start to the second quarter and that favoured Thames Valley as they got up by as many as 9 points early on. A short 7-2 run for TSK in response prompted a TVC timeout but they would weather the run immediately as Prince Lartey found his way to the basket. An 11-0 run with just 3 minutes left in the quarter behind Travis Charles and Elliot Dadds meant Kestrels had flipped the script and taken a 46-40 lead. Despite a short response from the Cavaliers, Kestrels went into the break up 1, 49-48.
The lead changed hands several times in the early goings of the 2nd half as Senor II found his scoring rhythm for TSK whilst Sylla continued to cause problems for Kestrels inside. Foul trouble for TSK big man Charles, meant he would have to sit out for the 3rd quarter and Sylla took full advantage. The first meaningful run would come with 4 minutes left in the period, as Nick Lewis and Herm Senor sparked an 11-3 burst to push TSK in front 70-62. Lartey would however beat the buzzer to ensure the lead was just 6 heading into the 4th.
Lewis hit a three to open the 4th and Charles came back into the fold to put Kestrels up by double digits at 11, prompting a TVC timeout. The sides traded scores over the ensuing possessions and Louie Kirkman extended the visitors lead to 12 when he scored in close, with a little over 5 minutes to play. The game looked to be out of sight and Kestrels all but home and dry when, with 1:33 on the clock, Elliot Dadds stroked a 3 ball to put his side up 88-76. However Walid Mumuni clanked in a 3 followed by a Sylla alley-oop to reduce the arrears to 7 with 53 second left. Kirkman split a pair of free throws, then TVC would hit back to back to 3’s to bring them within 2 with 23 seconds to play. Dadds would however step to line on two occasions to ice the game and despite a late Sylla lay up, Kestrels held on for a 93-89 victory. The win securing their 2nd National Cup Semi Final appearance in as many seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II who had 23 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds whilst Travis Charles had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Elliot Dadds capped off a fine weekend with 20 points. Thames Valley big man Hakeem Sylla led them with 21 points while American guard Martelle McLemore had 18 points.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his teams gritty performance; “I felt this game was spoilt by the referee’s lack of man management/consistency, meaning a number of key players for both teams had to sit out extended minutes. I thought we responded well in the 2nd half and we were able to just do enough down the stretch to grind out the win.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1054806/bs.html#ASFSK
TSK will now await the semi final draw where they will face one of Essex Leopards, Hemel Storm or Loughborough Riders on the weekend of the 8/9th December 2018.
Kestrels started the better of the sides with two quick scores from Herm Senor II and Louie Kirkman, whilst Cavaliers split a pair free throws, through Hakeem Sylla, to get on the scoreboard. As expected it would be a cagey affair and neither side were able to establish control early on. TSK took a 4 point lead after Elliot Dadds connected on a three ball, but that would be short lived, as Aiden Saunders replied with a three of his own for the hosts. Cavaliers American guard, Martelle McLemore, would score 9 of his sides next 13 points to edge them in front 19-21. Although Nick Lewis came off the bench to restore the visitors lead, Thames Valley scored the final 5 points of the quarter to go in 22-26 to the good after one.
It would be a back and forth start to the second quarter and that favoured Thames Valley as they got up by as many as 9 points early on. A short 7-2 run for TSK in response prompted a TVC timeout but they would weather the run immediately as Prince Lartey found his way to the basket. An 11-0 run with just 3 minutes left in the quarter behind Travis Charles and Elliot Dadds meant Kestrels had flipped the script and taken a 46-40 lead. Despite a short response from the Cavaliers, Kestrels went into the break up 1, 49-48.
The lead changed hands several times in the early goings of the 2nd half as Senor II found his scoring rhythm for TSK whilst Sylla continued to cause problems for Kestrels inside. Foul trouble for TSK big man Charles, meant he would have to sit out for the 3rd quarter and Sylla took full advantage. The first meaningful run would come with 4 minutes left in the period, as Nick Lewis and Herm Senor sparked an 11-3 burst to push TSK in front 70-62. Lartey would however beat the buzzer to ensure the lead was just 6 heading into the 4th.
Lewis hit a three to open the 4th and Charles came back into the fold to put Kestrels up by double digits at 11, prompting a TVC timeout. The sides traded scores over the ensuing possessions and Louie Kirkman extended the visitors lead to 12 when he scored in close, with a little over 5 minutes to play. The game looked to be out of sight and Kestrels all but home and dry when, with 1:33 on the clock, Elliot Dadds stroked a 3 ball to put his side up 88-76. However Walid Mumuni clanked in a 3 followed by a Sylla alley-oop to reduce the arrears to 7 with 53 second left. Kirkman split a pair of free throws, then TVC would hit back to back to 3’s to bring them within 2 with 23 seconds to play. Dadds would however step to line on two occasions to ice the game and despite a late Sylla lay up, Kestrels held on for a 93-89 victory. The win securing their 2nd National Cup Semi Final appearance in as many seasons.
Team Solent Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II who had 23 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds whilst Travis Charles had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Elliot Dadds capped off a fine weekend with 20 points. Thames Valley big man Hakeem Sylla led them with 21 points while American guard Martelle McLemore had 18 points.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his teams gritty performance; “I felt this game was spoilt by the referee’s lack of man management/consistency, meaning a number of key players for both teams had to sit out extended minutes. I thought we responded well in the 2nd half and we were able to just do enough down the stretch to grind out the win.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/1054806/bs.html#ASFSK
TSK will now await the semi final draw where they will face one of Essex Leopards, Hemel Storm or Loughborough Riders on the weekend of the 8/9th December 2018.
KESTRELS WEATHER STORM TO KEEP UNBEATEN STREAK ALIVE
Image Courtesy | Paul Watts
Saturday evening saw Team Solent Kestrels back at Places Leisure Eastleigh for yet another home game in November, as they welcomed Hemel Storm to the south coast. TSK came in off the back of an impressive performance last time out as they served Derby Trailblazers their first loss of the season, whilst Hemel came in off the back of a loss on the road at Reading. With Hemel’s offensive fire power and hunger for a victory and TSK’s fantastic defensive record this one would be a clash of opposing styles.
TSK had the better of the opening possessions and they found themselves up 6-0 early on after a Louie Kirkman spin move bobbled in. Tom Adorian got one to go off the glass to get Storm’s offensive production started and Bode Adeluola brought them back to within 1, at 7-6. However a 9-2 run for the hosts capped off by Nick Lewis coming off the bench to score at will, prompted the visitors first timeout of the game. Hemel’s dry spell continued post timeout as the lead increased to 21-8 behind an Elliot Dadds triple, they did manage to to get back on the score board before the quarter was up. TSK were in control after one, up 23-12.
Hemel showed why they are one of the leagues top scorers as they came racing out the blocks in the 2nd quarter with an 8-2 run to trim the deficit to just 5, at 25-20. Coach Guymon would call for a timeout to settle his side down, and it did just that. Kestrels found their scoring rhythm again behind Jon Averkamp and another Elliot Dadds three ball. The lead got to as many as 9 before Hemel rallied and when former Team Northumbria guard, Blayne Freckleton, stroked a trademark three they were within 5. Nick Lewis replied with 5 points of his own including a tough turnaround jumper over a heavy contest, before Levi Noel left the visitors within 8 at the half, 37-29.
Tayo Oyefusi cashed in from beyond the arc as Kestrels started the 2nd half in dominant fashion, before Louie Kirkman cleaned up a Senor II miss, to put the hosts up 42-29. Kestrels would continue to extend the lead this time through Dadds and a Senor II lay up, however Levi Noel and Freckleton ensured that TSK would not go out of sight as Storm hit back. Adeluola reduced the deficit to just 6 points at 46-40 mid way through the third quarter but that would be as close as they would get for the quarter. The sides traded baskets to close the period, as Chris Scarlett converted on a baseline drive for two, restoring a double digit lead for TSK at 54-44.
Hemel started the 4th with plenty of fight and sparked a 6-0 run early on to bring them with 4. However a 7-2 run in reply for the home team Kestrels, behind a Louie Kirkman and-1, meant they would retake a 9 point lead with 5 minutes left. A massive 17-6 swing to close the game out for TSK saw them run out 76-56 winners and keep their undefeated streak alive, moving them to 8-0 on the regular season.
Kestrels were led by Elliot Dadds who had 22 points on 8-12 shooting, he was backed up by Nick Lewis’ 13 points and Herm Senor’s 12. Hemel Storm forward Leome Francis had 14 points off the bench whilst Bode Adeluola chipped in 12 and Levi Noel had 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon gave his thoughts on another win for his side; “I thought our defensive focus was great tonight. Hemel are one of the higher scoring teams in the league, so to hold them to 58, shows how locked in our guys were. We still need to be more clinical on the offensive end, but this will come as the new guys become moe integrated into the system.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988743/bs.html
TSK had the better of the opening possessions and they found themselves up 6-0 early on after a Louie Kirkman spin move bobbled in. Tom Adorian got one to go off the glass to get Storm’s offensive production started and Bode Adeluola brought them back to within 1, at 7-6. However a 9-2 run for the hosts capped off by Nick Lewis coming off the bench to score at will, prompted the visitors first timeout of the game. Hemel’s dry spell continued post timeout as the lead increased to 21-8 behind an Elliot Dadds triple, they did manage to to get back on the score board before the quarter was up. TSK were in control after one, up 23-12.
Hemel showed why they are one of the leagues top scorers as they came racing out the blocks in the 2nd quarter with an 8-2 run to trim the deficit to just 5, at 25-20. Coach Guymon would call for a timeout to settle his side down, and it did just that. Kestrels found their scoring rhythm again behind Jon Averkamp and another Elliot Dadds three ball. The lead got to as many as 9 before Hemel rallied and when former Team Northumbria guard, Blayne Freckleton, stroked a trademark three they were within 5. Nick Lewis replied with 5 points of his own including a tough turnaround jumper over a heavy contest, before Levi Noel left the visitors within 8 at the half, 37-29.
Tayo Oyefusi cashed in from beyond the arc as Kestrels started the 2nd half in dominant fashion, before Louie Kirkman cleaned up a Senor II miss, to put the hosts up 42-29. Kestrels would continue to extend the lead this time through Dadds and a Senor II lay up, however Levi Noel and Freckleton ensured that TSK would not go out of sight as Storm hit back. Adeluola reduced the deficit to just 6 points at 46-40 mid way through the third quarter but that would be as close as they would get for the quarter. The sides traded baskets to close the period, as Chris Scarlett converted on a baseline drive for two, restoring a double digit lead for TSK at 54-44.
Hemel started the 4th with plenty of fight and sparked a 6-0 run early on to bring them with 4. However a 7-2 run in reply for the home team Kestrels, behind a Louie Kirkman and-1, meant they would retake a 9 point lead with 5 minutes left. A massive 17-6 swing to close the game out for TSK saw them run out 76-56 winners and keep their undefeated streak alive, moving them to 8-0 on the regular season.
Kestrels were led by Elliot Dadds who had 22 points on 8-12 shooting, he was backed up by Nick Lewis’ 13 points and Herm Senor’s 12. Hemel Storm forward Leome Francis had 14 points off the bench whilst Bode Adeluola chipped in 12 and Levi Noel had 10.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon gave his thoughts on another win for his side; “I thought our defensive focus was great tonight. Hemel are one of the higher scoring teams in the league, so to hold them to 58, shows how locked in our guys were. We still need to be more clinical on the offensive end, but this will come as the new guys become moe integrated into the system.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988743/bs.html
TSK KEEP TOP SPOT AND STAY UNDEFEATED AFTER WIN OVER DERBY
Saturday saw the battle of the undefeated for the second consecutive weekend at Places Leisure Eastleigh, Team Solent Kestrels welcomed Derby Trailblazers as both teams put their winning streaks on the line. Kestrels came in full of confidence as they saw off a very talented Worthing team last time out, to take top spot in NBL D1. Whilst Derby were also in good spirits as their trip east last weekend resulted in two victories, over Essex and Barking Abbey respectively. Adding to the excitement for the home fans was a chance to see both new signings in the line up together for the first time, after both featuring separately last weekend.
It was Kestrels new big man Travis Charles who got things underway with a jumper early on but Derby’s American duo of Malcolm Smith (previously of Team Northumbria) and Tre-Shawn Wilford replied instantly to put them up 2-4 with two minutes played. The East Midlands outfit had the better of the opening possessions and when Kayne King converted his first lay up, he would give the visitors a 3-8 advantage. TSK would rally to tie things up at 10, after an Elliot Dadds 3 pointer and Charles would edge them in front on the next possession after Herm Senor II found him for the easy two. The lead would swing back and forth a number of times before the hosts managed to take a 21-18 lead into the quarter break.
Nick Lewis came off the bench and got things going for TSK in the 2nd quarter, as he sparked a 6-1 run to put the home side up 27-19 and prompt a Coach Shaw timeout for Derby. Whilst the Trailblazers’ Jake Wesselingh hit a three out of the timeout another run from TSK, this time to the tune of 8-2, resulted in a second timeout for the visitors with the score 35-24. A 10-0 run post timeout put Kestrels up by 21 after some fantastic sharp shooting from Nick Lewis, who scored 8 of the 10. Derby did however show why they are undefeated this point, as they weathered the storm and trimmed the deficit to head into the break with Kestrels now leading 50-35.
Smith opened the 2nd half with a quick score for Derby to reduce the arrears to 13. However a 15-0 run followed for TSK and put them firmly back in the driving seat up 65-37, as Senor II and Charles would get going. Wesselingh again stopped the rot for the Trailblazers as he connected from beyond the arc before Elliot Dadds split a pair of free throws. Much like the first half, Derby would again string together a 10-0 run to finish the quarter, behind 7 Wilford points and head into the 4th down just 16, after being behind by as many as 28.
Derby youngster Luke Ptak trimmed the gap to 14 early in the fourth but that would be as close as they would get, as TSK ramped up the intensity and effectively killed the game with a 13-2 run. Louie Kirkman and Charles poured in the points and continued to build the lead for Kestrels, who held the visitors to just 6 points in the final period. Kestrels eventually ran out 89-56 winners keeping their undefeated start to the season alive, moving to 7-0 at the summit of NBL D1.
TSK were led by Nick Lewis’ 21 points, whilst Louie Kirkman and Travis Charles had 16 points each in a very balance scoring load for the hosts. Derby were led by American Malcolm Smith’s 16 points with Tre-Shawn Wilford and Kayne King the only others in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon praised his sides performance; “This was an excellent performance from our guys, especially on the defensive end. Holding the highest scoring team in the league to 56 is a huge statement. We shot the ball very well from 3pt range tonight which I think saved us at times offensively. We now need to focus on our execution over the next few weeks & continue to integrate our new additions.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988730/bs.html
League leading Team Solent Kestrels now turn their attention to another double header weekend that will see them welcome high scoring Hemel Storm to Places Leisure Eastleigh next Saturday evening, 8pm tip off. Before they make the short journey to Thames Valley Cavaliers in the National Cup Quarter Finals on Sunday, 3pm tip off at Uxbridge College.
It was Kestrels new big man Travis Charles who got things underway with a jumper early on but Derby’s American duo of Malcolm Smith (previously of Team Northumbria) and Tre-Shawn Wilford replied instantly to put them up 2-4 with two minutes played. The East Midlands outfit had the better of the opening possessions and when Kayne King converted his first lay up, he would give the visitors a 3-8 advantage. TSK would rally to tie things up at 10, after an Elliot Dadds 3 pointer and Charles would edge them in front on the next possession after Herm Senor II found him for the easy two. The lead would swing back and forth a number of times before the hosts managed to take a 21-18 lead into the quarter break.
Nick Lewis came off the bench and got things going for TSK in the 2nd quarter, as he sparked a 6-1 run to put the home side up 27-19 and prompt a Coach Shaw timeout for Derby. Whilst the Trailblazers’ Jake Wesselingh hit a three out of the timeout another run from TSK, this time to the tune of 8-2, resulted in a second timeout for the visitors with the score 35-24. A 10-0 run post timeout put Kestrels up by 21 after some fantastic sharp shooting from Nick Lewis, who scored 8 of the 10. Derby did however show why they are undefeated this point, as they weathered the storm and trimmed the deficit to head into the break with Kestrels now leading 50-35.
Smith opened the 2nd half with a quick score for Derby to reduce the arrears to 13. However a 15-0 run followed for TSK and put them firmly back in the driving seat up 65-37, as Senor II and Charles would get going. Wesselingh again stopped the rot for the Trailblazers as he connected from beyond the arc before Elliot Dadds split a pair of free throws. Much like the first half, Derby would again string together a 10-0 run to finish the quarter, behind 7 Wilford points and head into the 4th down just 16, after being behind by as many as 28.
Derby youngster Luke Ptak trimmed the gap to 14 early in the fourth but that would be as close as they would get, as TSK ramped up the intensity and effectively killed the game with a 13-2 run. Louie Kirkman and Charles poured in the points and continued to build the lead for Kestrels, who held the visitors to just 6 points in the final period. Kestrels eventually ran out 89-56 winners keeping their undefeated start to the season alive, moving to 7-0 at the summit of NBL D1.
TSK were led by Nick Lewis’ 21 points, whilst Louie Kirkman and Travis Charles had 16 points each in a very balance scoring load for the hosts. Derby were led by American Malcolm Smith’s 16 points with Tre-Shawn Wilford and Kayne King the only others in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon praised his sides performance; “This was an excellent performance from our guys, especially on the defensive end. Holding the highest scoring team in the league to 56 is a huge statement. We shot the ball very well from 3pt range tonight which I think saved us at times offensively. We now need to focus on our execution over the next few weeks & continue to integrate our new additions.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988730/bs.html
League leading Team Solent Kestrels now turn their attention to another double header weekend that will see them welcome high scoring Hemel Storm to Places Leisure Eastleigh next Saturday evening, 8pm tip off. Before they make the short journey to Thames Valley Cavaliers in the National Cup Quarter Finals on Sunday, 3pm tip off at Uxbridge College.
KESTRELS VICTORIOUS IN BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED
Sunday lunch time saw game number two of double header weekend for TSK as they welcomed local south coast side Worthing Thunder to Places Leisure Eastleigh, in a match up of two undefeated sides in NBL D1 action. TSK came in off the back of a convincing win on Saturday evening over Manchester Magic, whilst Worthing had made the long trip to Bradford on Saturday where they came away with a 14 point victory over the Yorkshire outfit. With 40 minutes of basketball already in both sides legs, this would be a battle of mental and physical toughness. The game would see TSK new signing Travis Charles make his debut in front of the home crowd and the 6’6 forward would be keen to stamp his mark early on in his rookie season. Also adding to the intrigue of this match up, would be the controversial ruling around Nick Lewis not being able to feature against his previous team; there will be full details of that coming soon.
Kestrels came storming out of the gates in this one as Herm Senor II punished Worthing’s trade mark gambling defence with back to back scores and Louie Kirkman also added 4 quick points to force an early Thunder timeout. The visitors made some adjustments post time out and got themselves off the mark behind Alex Owumi and Tom Ward. Thunder pulled within two as Ward scored 5 unanswered but an 10-1 run to close the quarter behind some more sharp shooting from Senor II and Chris Scarlett, left TSK 24-13 to the good, after one.
The visitors trimmed the gap to just 5 early on in the 2nd, but Tayo Oyefusi restored order as he stroked a 3 ball to put Kestrels up 27-18 around the 7 minutes mark. Thunder then kicked into gear and a 14-2 run with a number of guys hitting the 3 ball would see them edge in front 29-32. Zaire Taylor would extend the lead to 5 at the line but Louie Kirkman weathered the onslaught as he converted on an and-1 to bring Kestrels back to within 2 with just 2 minutes left in the half. Worthing rallied and managed to string together a 7-2 run to close the half and pushed their advantage to 7 at the break, up 34-41.
Former Kestrels Guard, Jorge Ebanks, started the 2nd half with a triple to briefly extend the gap to double figures at 10. However, a quick 11-0 run for the hosts behind Senor II and Travis Charles saw them edge in front by 1 with only 3 minutes played in the half. Thunder quelled the fast start from TSK and managed to score 5 straight in reply to retake a 4 point lead through the mid point of the period. Kestrels edged back in front through Charles who converted on an and-1 opportunity but Brendan Okoronkwo tied proceedings back up at 51. TSK finished the quarter on an 8-1 to regain control of the ball game and take a 59-52 lead into the 4th quarter.
A quick 4-0 run for the hosts put them up 11 early on in the final period, but Okoronkwo pulled his side back within 5 with 4:30 on the clock, after his three pointer was good. Not to be out done though, Kestrels sharpshooter, Chris Scarlett, connected on a tough contested 3 on the next possession, to leave the game nicely poised for the final 4 minutes. With Kestrels up 69-61, Owumi made a pair of free throws to close the gap to 6 but a monumental offensive tip in from Elliot Dadds gave Kestrels back their 8 point advantage heading into the final 2 minutes. The final two minutes belonged to the hosts as they dominated defensively, forcing Worthing into poor shots and turnovers, resulting in a Senor II coast to coast lay up plus the foul to put this one out of reach with Kestrels 77-65. Despite Okoronkwo knocking down a jumper late, Kestrels held on to pick up the 77-67 victory and move to 6-0 in NBL D1.
TSK were led by Herm Senor II’s 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, whilst Louie Kirkman had 19 points and 5 rebounds and debutant Travis Charles added 18 points and 8 rebounds. Also a special mention to Tayo Oyefusi who had 20 rebounds in the ball game. Worthing Thunder’s Brendan Okoronkwo was their high point man with 15 points whilst Alex Owumi and Tom Ward had 14 and 11 points respectively.
Matt Guymon, Kestrels Head Coach was in jubilant spirits as he commended his sides efforts; “This was a resilient performance from our guys. After starting well, we got ourselves into a hole in the 2nd quarter as our pace slowed and we struggled to attack their match-up zone. The 2nd half we were focused defensively & guarded their key personnel well, this allowed us to play at a faster tempo and ultimately control the game.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988731/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attentions to another undefeated side in Derby Trailblazers, they will match up this coming Saturday 10th November 2018 at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 7:30pm.
Kestrels came storming out of the gates in this one as Herm Senor II punished Worthing’s trade mark gambling defence with back to back scores and Louie Kirkman also added 4 quick points to force an early Thunder timeout. The visitors made some adjustments post time out and got themselves off the mark behind Alex Owumi and Tom Ward. Thunder pulled within two as Ward scored 5 unanswered but an 10-1 run to close the quarter behind some more sharp shooting from Senor II and Chris Scarlett, left TSK 24-13 to the good, after one.
The visitors trimmed the gap to just 5 early on in the 2nd, but Tayo Oyefusi restored order as he stroked a 3 ball to put Kestrels up 27-18 around the 7 minutes mark. Thunder then kicked into gear and a 14-2 run with a number of guys hitting the 3 ball would see them edge in front 29-32. Zaire Taylor would extend the lead to 5 at the line but Louie Kirkman weathered the onslaught as he converted on an and-1 to bring Kestrels back to within 2 with just 2 minutes left in the half. Worthing rallied and managed to string together a 7-2 run to close the half and pushed their advantage to 7 at the break, up 34-41.
Former Kestrels Guard, Jorge Ebanks, started the 2nd half with a triple to briefly extend the gap to double figures at 10. However, a quick 11-0 run for the hosts behind Senor II and Travis Charles saw them edge in front by 1 with only 3 minutes played in the half. Thunder quelled the fast start from TSK and managed to score 5 straight in reply to retake a 4 point lead through the mid point of the period. Kestrels edged back in front through Charles who converted on an and-1 opportunity but Brendan Okoronkwo tied proceedings back up at 51. TSK finished the quarter on an 8-1 to regain control of the ball game and take a 59-52 lead into the 4th quarter.
A quick 4-0 run for the hosts put them up 11 early on in the final period, but Okoronkwo pulled his side back within 5 with 4:30 on the clock, after his three pointer was good. Not to be out done though, Kestrels sharpshooter, Chris Scarlett, connected on a tough contested 3 on the next possession, to leave the game nicely poised for the final 4 minutes. With Kestrels up 69-61, Owumi made a pair of free throws to close the gap to 6 but a monumental offensive tip in from Elliot Dadds gave Kestrels back their 8 point advantage heading into the final 2 minutes. The final two minutes belonged to the hosts as they dominated defensively, forcing Worthing into poor shots and turnovers, resulting in a Senor II coast to coast lay up plus the foul to put this one out of reach with Kestrels 77-65. Despite Okoronkwo knocking down a jumper late, Kestrels held on to pick up the 77-67 victory and move to 6-0 in NBL D1.
TSK were led by Herm Senor II’s 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, whilst Louie Kirkman had 19 points and 5 rebounds and debutant Travis Charles added 18 points and 8 rebounds. Also a special mention to Tayo Oyefusi who had 20 rebounds in the ball game. Worthing Thunder’s Brendan Okoronkwo was their high point man with 15 points whilst Alex Owumi and Tom Ward had 14 and 11 points respectively.
Matt Guymon, Kestrels Head Coach was in jubilant spirits as he commended his sides efforts; “This was a resilient performance from our guys. After starting well, we got ourselves into a hole in the 2nd quarter as our pace slowed and we struggled to attack their match-up zone. The 2nd half we were focused defensively & guarded their key personnel well, this allowed us to play at a faster tempo and ultimately control the game.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988731/bs.html
Kestrels now turn their attentions to another undefeated side in Derby Trailblazers, they will match up this coming Saturday 10th November 2018 at Places Leisure Eastleigh, 7:30pm.
HUGE WIN FOR TSK AS THEY STAY UNDEFEATED VS. MAGIC
Image Courtesy | Paul Watts
Team Solent Kestrels played host to a young Manchester Magic side at Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday evening. Kestrels we’re looking to keep their undefeated start to the NBL D1 season alive whilst Magic would be hoping to emulate their cup form of last weekend, and get their first victory on the board in league play. It would be also be an opportunity for TSK new signing, Nick Lewis to make his home debut and he definitely did not disappoint the home fans.
Kestrels started the contest much the better side and Jon Averkamp connected from beyond the arc to open the hosts account early on. In fact Kestrels dominant start meant they would find themselves 11-0 to the good with just under 4 minutes played, with American duo Averkamp and Herm Senor II carrying the scoring load. Magic got off the mark through the mid point of the quarter behind their own American big man and Andre Gayle knocked down his first triple to trim the gap to just 7. However a 10-4 run to close the quarter, after some impressive individual play from Nick Lewis off the bench allowed Kestrels to sit firmly in control after one up, 22-9.
Lewis would open the 2nd quarter on an 11-0 run of his own, finding a variety of ways to score the ball for the home side, before Sam Turner capped off a fine fast break for TSK to push the lead to 35-9. Magic captain Josh Houghton weather the storm out of a timeout followed by another Gayle three ball and whilst the visitors did their best to get back in the ball game, they were unable to slow down the scoring fire power of the Kestrels. 44-23 the score at the break.
The teams traded baskets in the early goings of the third quarter and Manchester showed there was still some life left in them as big man Jonathan Barnes scored on back to back possessions. Houghton did trim the deficit to 19 when he connected in a fall away jump shot but Kestrels rallied behind their strong guard play and pushed the advantage back to 23. Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to show why he is deserving of valuable minutes at this level and got himself on the score sheet almost immediately. Lewis and Magic’s Gayle traded 3 balls to close the quarter before Louie Kirkman scored with just seconds left to increase the gap to 26 at, 64-38 after 3.
Magic would give their younger players the opportunity to play extended minutes in the final period but TSK’s very own youngster Sochan scored 7 straight points including an alley-oop, on a dime from Averkamp, to send the home crowd wild and extend the lead to 30. This would all be in the midst of a 16-3 run to open up the 4th and by the time the 5 minute mark came about Kestrels had ballooned the deficit to 39, 80-41. Despite Manchester’s best efforts, Kestrels experience would see them cruise to victory and see the game out down the stretch, 89-49 victory for the hosts.
Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis who posted 31 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds on his home debut, while Jon Averkamp had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and big man Sam Turner had 10 points off the bench. Magic were led by guard Andre Gayle who had 16 points with Jonathan Barnes and Saul May adding 9 a piece.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon praised his sides professional performance; “Tonight was a clinical performance from our guys at both ends of the floor. It was great that everyone got to contribute, which really shows our depth this season. Our defensive energy and execution was excellent in large part and that really fuelled us.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988719/
Kestrels started the contest much the better side and Jon Averkamp connected from beyond the arc to open the hosts account early on. In fact Kestrels dominant start meant they would find themselves 11-0 to the good with just under 4 minutes played, with American duo Averkamp and Herm Senor II carrying the scoring load. Magic got off the mark through the mid point of the quarter behind their own American big man and Andre Gayle knocked down his first triple to trim the gap to just 7. However a 10-4 run to close the quarter, after some impressive individual play from Nick Lewis off the bench allowed Kestrels to sit firmly in control after one up, 22-9.
Lewis would open the 2nd quarter on an 11-0 run of his own, finding a variety of ways to score the ball for the home side, before Sam Turner capped off a fine fast break for TSK to push the lead to 35-9. Magic captain Josh Houghton weather the storm out of a timeout followed by another Gayle three ball and whilst the visitors did their best to get back in the ball game, they were unable to slow down the scoring fire power of the Kestrels. 44-23 the score at the break.
The teams traded baskets in the early goings of the third quarter and Manchester showed there was still some life left in them as big man Jonathan Barnes scored on back to back possessions. Houghton did trim the deficit to 19 when he connected in a fall away jump shot but Kestrels rallied behind their strong guard play and pushed the advantage back to 23. Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to show why he is deserving of valuable minutes at this level and got himself on the score sheet almost immediately. Lewis and Magic’s Gayle traded 3 balls to close the quarter before Louie Kirkman scored with just seconds left to increase the gap to 26 at, 64-38 after 3.
Magic would give their younger players the opportunity to play extended minutes in the final period but TSK’s very own youngster Sochan scored 7 straight points including an alley-oop, on a dime from Averkamp, to send the home crowd wild and extend the lead to 30. This would all be in the midst of a 16-3 run to open up the 4th and by the time the 5 minute mark came about Kestrels had ballooned the deficit to 39, 80-41. Despite Manchester’s best efforts, Kestrels experience would see them cruise to victory and see the game out down the stretch, 89-49 victory for the hosts.
Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis who posted 31 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds on his home debut, while Jon Averkamp had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and big man Sam Turner had 10 points off the bench. Magic were led by guard Andre Gayle who had 16 points with Jonathan Barnes and Saul May adding 9 a piece.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon praised his sides professional performance; “Tonight was a clinical performance from our guys at both ends of the floor. It was great that everyone got to contribute, which really shows our depth this season. Our defensive energy and execution was excellent in large part and that really fuelled us.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988719/
KESTRELS BOOK QUARTER FINAL SPOT AFTER CUP WIN IN NEWCASTLE
Image Courtesy | Joe Pinchin
After picking up a hard fought victory at Loughborough on Saturday evening, TSK continued their journey North on Sunday to face Team Newcastle for a spot in the National Cup Quarter Finals. Whilst Kestrels played on Saturday evening, Team Newcastle faced Worthing Thunder on the south coast and had to make the journey back through the night for a 2pm Sunday tip off.
Kestrels started the better of the two sides as Jon Averkamp got to the line for a pair followed by an Elliot Dadds triple. Averkamp and Louie Kirkman scored back to back mid way through the first quarter and that put the visitors up 15-9. However some sharpshooting from the hosts kept them right within striking distance and after 4 three’s in the quarter they would cut the Kestrels lead to just 2 at 21-19 after one.
Chris Scarlett came off the bench to get in on the three point shooting act going back to back to start the 2nd, but Fuentes for Newcastle ensured that their hot start from beyond the arc continued in reply. A 7-0 run for the hosts gave them the boost they needed and reduced the deficit to just 2 but a Coach Guymon timeout would steady the ship and Kestrels would blow the game open with a 14-2 run behind 6 Averkamp points leaving them 45-31 to the good. Herm Senor II capped off the half with a 3 ball to leave the TSK with a 48-34 lead.
Both teams exchanged blows early in the second half, as they both found success from beyond the arc, through Dadds and Hanson respectively and the lead stayed at 14 for much of the opening stages. A 9-0 for TSK however ballooned their lead to 21 at 64-43 capped off with a Nick Lewis three ball. Lewis scored Kestrels final 7 points of the quarter as Kestrels held an 18 point advantage heading into the 4th.
A 10-1 run to get the 4th underway for the visitors ultimately put this one out of site, as they got up 78-51. Jeremy Sochan scored 8 straight points as Kestrels continued to find the their way to the basket, despite Newcastle’s best efforts. TSK eventually ran out 94-68 winners and booked their spot in the Quarter Finals of the National Cup, where they will travel to Thames Valley Cavaliers on Sunday 18th November 2018.
Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis’ 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists whilst 5 other players featured in double figures including Louie Kirkman double double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Newcastle’s Onyekachi Nzerem had 28 points and David Hanson backed him up with 20 points.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It was great to secure back to back wins this weekend. Newcastle were missing a number of key guys, so credit to them for competing the way they did under very difficult circumstances. We look forward to moving on and playing Thames Valley Cavaliers in the quarter finals.”
TSK will now turn their attentions to another double header weekend, as they welcome Manchester Magic to Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday evening, 8pm. Followed by Worthing Thunder on Sunday lunch time, 12:30pm.
Kestrels started the better of the two sides as Jon Averkamp got to the line for a pair followed by an Elliot Dadds triple. Averkamp and Louie Kirkman scored back to back mid way through the first quarter and that put the visitors up 15-9. However some sharpshooting from the hosts kept them right within striking distance and after 4 three’s in the quarter they would cut the Kestrels lead to just 2 at 21-19 after one.
Chris Scarlett came off the bench to get in on the three point shooting act going back to back to start the 2nd, but Fuentes for Newcastle ensured that their hot start from beyond the arc continued in reply. A 7-0 run for the hosts gave them the boost they needed and reduced the deficit to just 2 but a Coach Guymon timeout would steady the ship and Kestrels would blow the game open with a 14-2 run behind 6 Averkamp points leaving them 45-31 to the good. Herm Senor II capped off the half with a 3 ball to leave the TSK with a 48-34 lead.
Both teams exchanged blows early in the second half, as they both found success from beyond the arc, through Dadds and Hanson respectively and the lead stayed at 14 for much of the opening stages. A 9-0 for TSK however ballooned their lead to 21 at 64-43 capped off with a Nick Lewis three ball. Lewis scored Kestrels final 7 points of the quarter as Kestrels held an 18 point advantage heading into the 4th.
A 10-1 run to get the 4th underway for the visitors ultimately put this one out of site, as they got up 78-51. Jeremy Sochan scored 8 straight points as Kestrels continued to find the their way to the basket, despite Newcastle’s best efforts. TSK eventually ran out 94-68 winners and booked their spot in the Quarter Finals of the National Cup, where they will travel to Thames Valley Cavaliers on Sunday 18th November 2018.
Kestrels were led by Nick Lewis’ 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists whilst 5 other players featured in double figures including Louie Kirkman double double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Newcastle’s Onyekachi Nzerem had 28 points and David Hanson backed him up with 20 points.
Kestrels Head Coach Matt Guymon added; “It was great to secure back to back wins this weekend. Newcastle were missing a number of key guys, so credit to them for competing the way they did under very difficult circumstances. We look forward to moving on and playing Thames Valley Cavaliers in the quarter finals.”
TSK will now turn their attentions to another double header weekend, as they welcome Manchester Magic to Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday evening, 8pm. Followed by Worthing Thunder on Sunday lunch time, 12:30pm.
ROAD VICTORY FOR TSK AS THEY OUTLAST RIDERS
Image Courtesy | Joe Pinchin
Team Solent Kestrels hit the road on Saturday to the East Midlands where they would match up with last years NBL D1 champions Loughborough Riders in the first game of their road double header. TSK came in off the back of a convincing win over Nottingham Hoods at Places Leisure Eastleigh last time out, whilst Loughborough saw off Essex Leopards in a high scoring affair.
The game started in typical fashion between the two well coached sides, with the trading of baskets, Jon Averkamp opening the Kestrels account while Jonas Dieterich’s jumper got the hosts on the scoreboard. The lead changed hands several times, until the Riders managed to build a slight 5 points lead at 10-15 after Alex Roberts connected on a triple. A 6-0 run in reply however, saw TSK edge back in front when Herm Senor II got to the hoop for the score in close. It ended all square at 19 at the end of one as both sides missed on a number of attempts in the final minutes of the quarter.
Kestrels opened the 2nd quarter with an 8-0 scoring run as debutant Nick Lewis got his first TSK points with the hoop and the harm. Riders showed some respite as they trimmed the deficit to 4 but that would be short lived as another meaningful run from the visitors, capped off by Tayo Oyefusi free throws, left them up 11 with just under 4 minutes until the break. Herm Senor II and Sam Turner combined to increase the gap to 13 but after Loughborough’s Kyle Jimenez sunk a pair of free throws, Kestrels went into the half up 43-32.
The hosts came out of the half time break with a renewed focus and a 10-4 run in their favour brought them to within 5 at 47-42. Kestrels regrouped almost immediately and responded with a 6-0 run to restore the advantage and force a Coach Jarram timeout for the Riders. Post timeout TSK took their biggest lead of the game at 18, after Lewis and Senor II stroked a three ball each. In a period of runs, Loughborough would not be done as Thomas Yome and Kyle Jimenez combined to string an 8-0 stint together to pull their side back within 10 points heading into the 4th, 67-57 TSK.
American big man, Averkamp, opened proceedings in 4th but would be matched by a Reis Pinnock lay up on the ensuing possession. Riders would momentarily pull to within 8 behind Giannis Panaretakis, but 6 consecutive Kestrels points restored a 14 point gap for the visitors forcing a timeout for the home team. Again swinging the balance of play Riders responded with a short 5-0 run behind Roberts and Niall Harris prompting a Kestrels timeout with the score at 75-66 with 3:53 left in the ball game. The teams traded baskets of the timeout before back to back scores from Elliot Dadds and Louie Kirkman put TSK out of sight 81-68 with less than 2 minutes left. Lucien Christofis stroked a three ball to bring it to 10 but a Coach Jarram Technical, where Senor II made the free throw, followed by a Nick Lewis score wrapped up the victory for Kestrels, 84-71.
Kestrels were led by Jon Averkamp’s 28 points and 8 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 19 points and 7 assists, with captain Louie Kirkman adding 11 on his return to the side. Loughborough’s Alex Roberts and Niall Harris had 13 points a piece to lead their balanced attack.
Matt Guymon, TSK’s Head Coach gave us his thoughts on the win; “It was great to finally pick up a win at Loughborough. I thought we were very good for spells but our game control allowed the Riders to keep the pressure on us until the final minutes. I’m pleased with how this group is coming together and it’s great to see so many guys contributing at both ends of the floor.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988714/
The game started in typical fashion between the two well coached sides, with the trading of baskets, Jon Averkamp opening the Kestrels account while Jonas Dieterich’s jumper got the hosts on the scoreboard. The lead changed hands several times, until the Riders managed to build a slight 5 points lead at 10-15 after Alex Roberts connected on a triple. A 6-0 run in reply however, saw TSK edge back in front when Herm Senor II got to the hoop for the score in close. It ended all square at 19 at the end of one as both sides missed on a number of attempts in the final minutes of the quarter.
Kestrels opened the 2nd quarter with an 8-0 scoring run as debutant Nick Lewis got his first TSK points with the hoop and the harm. Riders showed some respite as they trimmed the deficit to 4 but that would be short lived as another meaningful run from the visitors, capped off by Tayo Oyefusi free throws, left them up 11 with just under 4 minutes until the break. Herm Senor II and Sam Turner combined to increase the gap to 13 but after Loughborough’s Kyle Jimenez sunk a pair of free throws, Kestrels went into the half up 43-32.
The hosts came out of the half time break with a renewed focus and a 10-4 run in their favour brought them to within 5 at 47-42. Kestrels regrouped almost immediately and responded with a 6-0 run to restore the advantage and force a Coach Jarram timeout for the Riders. Post timeout TSK took their biggest lead of the game at 18, after Lewis and Senor II stroked a three ball each. In a period of runs, Loughborough would not be done as Thomas Yome and Kyle Jimenez combined to string an 8-0 stint together to pull their side back within 10 points heading into the 4th, 67-57 TSK.
American big man, Averkamp, opened proceedings in 4th but would be matched by a Reis Pinnock lay up on the ensuing possession. Riders would momentarily pull to within 8 behind Giannis Panaretakis, but 6 consecutive Kestrels points restored a 14 point gap for the visitors forcing a timeout for the home team. Again swinging the balance of play Riders responded with a short 5-0 run behind Roberts and Niall Harris prompting a Kestrels timeout with the score at 75-66 with 3:53 left in the ball game. The teams traded baskets of the timeout before back to back scores from Elliot Dadds and Louie Kirkman put TSK out of sight 81-68 with less than 2 minutes left. Lucien Christofis stroked a three ball to bring it to 10 but a Coach Jarram Technical, where Senor II made the free throw, followed by a Nick Lewis score wrapped up the victory for Kestrels, 84-71.
Kestrels were led by Jon Averkamp’s 28 points and 8 rebounds whilst Herm Senor II had 19 points and 7 assists, with captain Louie Kirkman adding 11 on his return to the side. Loughborough’s Alex Roberts and Niall Harris had 13 points a piece to lead their balanced attack.
Matt Guymon, TSK’s Head Coach gave us his thoughts on the win; “It was great to finally pick up a win at Loughborough. I thought we were very good for spells but our game control allowed the Riders to keep the pressure on us until the final minutes. I’m pleased with how this group is coming together and it’s great to see so many guys contributing at both ends of the floor.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988714/
KESTRELS MOVE TO 3-0 AFTER DOMINATE DISPLAY OVER HOODS
Image Courtesy | Kelsi Laird
Team Solent Kestrels continued their NBL D1 campaign on Saturday evening when they welcomed newly promoted Nottingham McDonalds Hoods to Place Leisure Eastleigh. TSK came in off the back of two wins on a double header weekend last time out whilst Hoods comfortably defeated D1 returnees Essex Leopards. With both teams missing influential starters it would be a battle of strength in numbers for the victorious side.
Kestrels started on a 4-0 run however whilst they held Hoods scoreless over the first 4 minutes of action, struggled to find convert on a number of high percentage looks. Out of an early TO the visitors did get off the mark behind American big man Cole Welle. However a 7-0 run followed for TSK behind back to back Jon Averkamp dunks which put the home town side up 11-2 with 4 minutes left in the 1st. A short response saw the East Midlands outfit cut the gap to 7 but but Brandon Holloway and Chris Scarlett came in off the bench to leave Kestrels up 17-8 after 1.
The hosts pushed the deficit to 14 early on in the 2nd quarter after another Scarlett triple, but an almost 3 minute scoreless spell for both sides meant the lead stayed at 14 mid way through the period. There would be some respite for the Hoods as they trimmed the gap to just 7 points at 26-19 after Delaney Powell connected from beyond the arc but would all be short lived as Tayo Oyefusi replied on the next possession. 15 year old TSK prospect Jeremy Sochan came into the game with 3 minutes to play in the half and almost instantly got himself on the scoresheet after sinking a pair at the charity stripe to increase the deficit to 12. The teams traded baskets to close the half which meant Kestrels went into the break 35-26 to the good.
An 11-0 run to get things going in the 2nd half jumped the Kestrels lead out to 20 and a clear shift in momentum for the hosts. The Kestrels starting group really ramping up the defensive intensity leading to several transition scores for Elliot Dadds, Herm Senor II and Scarlett. Powell stopped the rot for the travelling Hoods but the game would continue to move further out of reach as Elliot Dadds converted on an and-1 opportunity to increase the gap to 23, at 53-30. Scarlett scored 5 more points to close the period and Kestrels were well and truly in charge 58-34.
Kestrels would jump out to as much as a 28 point lead in stages of the final period, despite Hoods hitting from beyond the arc through Aaron Maher and Cole Welle continuing to score, Kestrels were in control for the final 10 minutes. The exclamation point was Sochan going coast to coast for a two handed flush with the 15 year old hot shot sending the TSK crowd into a frenzy down the stretch. Kestrels move to 3-0 in NBL D1 finishing up 74-50 victors.
TSK were led by Herm Senor II’s 20 points and 11 assists, while Jon Averkamp posted 14 points and 11 rebounds of his own. Chris Scarlett added 13 points in his first start of the season. Hoods guard Luke Mitchell had 11 points for the visitors whilst American big man, Cole Welle, had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Matt Guymon, Kestrels Head coach commented this on his sides performance; “I’m so proud of how our guys locked in defensively and really stuck together for 40 minutes tonight. We will continue to focus on our offensive execution, but overall I felt this was a big step in the right direction for the group. Without our captain, Louie Kirkman who welcomed the birth of his new born daughter, guys stepped up with key contributions across the board.”
TSK now turn their attention to a very tricky road double header as they travel to Loughborough Student Riders on Saturday afternoon in NBL D1 action before heading further north on Sunday as they look to advance to the next round of the National Cup vs. Team Newcastle University.
Kestrels started on a 4-0 run however whilst they held Hoods scoreless over the first 4 minutes of action, struggled to find convert on a number of high percentage looks. Out of an early TO the visitors did get off the mark behind American big man Cole Welle. However a 7-0 run followed for TSK behind back to back Jon Averkamp dunks which put the home town side up 11-2 with 4 minutes left in the 1st. A short response saw the East Midlands outfit cut the gap to 7 but but Brandon Holloway and Chris Scarlett came in off the bench to leave Kestrels up 17-8 after 1.
The hosts pushed the deficit to 14 early on in the 2nd quarter after another Scarlett triple, but an almost 3 minute scoreless spell for both sides meant the lead stayed at 14 mid way through the period. There would be some respite for the Hoods as they trimmed the gap to just 7 points at 26-19 after Delaney Powell connected from beyond the arc but would all be short lived as Tayo Oyefusi replied on the next possession. 15 year old TSK prospect Jeremy Sochan came into the game with 3 minutes to play in the half and almost instantly got himself on the scoresheet after sinking a pair at the charity stripe to increase the deficit to 12. The teams traded baskets to close the half which meant Kestrels went into the break 35-26 to the good.
An 11-0 run to get things going in the 2nd half jumped the Kestrels lead out to 20 and a clear shift in momentum for the hosts. The Kestrels starting group really ramping up the defensive intensity leading to several transition scores for Elliot Dadds, Herm Senor II and Scarlett. Powell stopped the rot for the travelling Hoods but the game would continue to move further out of reach as Elliot Dadds converted on an and-1 opportunity to increase the gap to 23, at 53-30. Scarlett scored 5 more points to close the period and Kestrels were well and truly in charge 58-34.
Kestrels would jump out to as much as a 28 point lead in stages of the final period, despite Hoods hitting from beyond the arc through Aaron Maher and Cole Welle continuing to score, Kestrels were in control for the final 10 minutes. The exclamation point was Sochan going coast to coast for a two handed flush with the 15 year old hot shot sending the TSK crowd into a frenzy down the stretch. Kestrels move to 3-0 in NBL D1 finishing up 74-50 victors.
TSK were led by Herm Senor II’s 20 points and 11 assists, while Jon Averkamp posted 14 points and 11 rebounds of his own. Chris Scarlett added 13 points in his first start of the season. Hoods guard Luke Mitchell had 11 points for the visitors whilst American big man, Cole Welle, had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Matt Guymon, Kestrels Head coach commented this on his sides performance; “I’m so proud of how our guys locked in defensively and really stuck together for 40 minutes tonight. We will continue to focus on our offensive execution, but overall I felt this was a big step in the right direction for the group. Without our captain, Louie Kirkman who welcomed the birth of his new born daughter, guys stepped up with key contributions across the board.”
TSK now turn their attention to a very tricky road double header as they travel to Loughborough Student Riders on Saturday afternoon in NBL D1 action before heading further north on Sunday as they look to advance to the next round of the National Cup vs. Team Newcastle University.
TSK ADVANCE TO THE 4TH ROUND AFTER LATE SCARE
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Team Solent Kestrels kicked off their National Cup campaign with a third round tie on Sunday evening at Places Leisure Eastleigh when they played host to Bristol Hurricanes. The Hurricanes a Division 4 side, would have a heavy Lithuanian presence in their line up and were certainly ready for an upset. Kestrels came into Sundays match up fresh off a 22 points victory over Barking Abbey Crusaders on the road.
The game started in sluggish fashion with the visitors having the better of the opening play finding themselves top 5-7 after Paplovuchinas stroked a three pointer. Peter Turay came off the bench to edge Kestrels back in front at 11-10 and back to back Elliot Dadds scores pushed the hosts in front by 5. Chris Scarlett also came off the bench to keep the scoreboard ticking over and he scored 5 points to close the quarter with TSK in front 20-14.
Scarlett continued his sharpshooting to begin the 2nd quarter giving TSK their biggest lead yet at 9 but Hurricanes stand out guard Kosarevas scored on back to back drives to leave his side down 23-18. The sides traded baskets for much of the 2nd period with Kestrels increasing the lead to 8 but Hurricanes continuing to hand around with short runs to keep them within touching distance. TSK led at the break 38-34.
Hurricanes pulled within 1 point early on in the second half prompting a Kestrels timeout and a 12-4 run out of the TO restored the advantage for the hosts behind Sam Turner and Herm Senor II. Back to back triples from the visitors pulled them with 6 and despite traded blows to finish the quarter the gap would remain that way heading into the 4th, TSK 60-54 to the good.
An 8-2 run for Bristol meant this one was going down to the wire with the sides tied at 62 with just 6 minutes left in the ball game and an upset very much on the cards. However some poor decision making from the visitors left them in the penalty with over 4 minutes to play as Kirkman and Turner capitalised on this. Kestrels showed the quality and professionalism down the stretch to close the game out behind Herm Senor II who scored 6 straight to put the D4 outfit out of sight, Kestrels advancing with a 79-69 victory.
TSK were led by Louie Kirkman’s 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals, whilst Elliot Dadds had 16 and Herm Senor II had 15 points , 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Hurricanes were led by Kosarevas who had 21 points but was later ejected for a double technical and back court duo Andriekus and Armonas had 16 and 12 respectively.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach commented this on his sides performance; “It was a tough game for us today against a very talented D4 team. I thought for the most part we were very solid defensively, but we now need to refocus on our ball movement/spacing/execution offensively so that we are able to create higher percentage scoring options. I am pleased we are able to advance in the cup and secure 2 wins this weekend.”
Kestrels now advance to the fourth round where they will face Team Newcastle University on the road on Sunday 28th October 2018. However in the mean time the team will turn their attentions to next Saturday evening when they will play host to another NBL D1 new comer in Nottingham Hoods at Places Leisure Centre, 7:30pm tip off.
The game started in sluggish fashion with the visitors having the better of the opening play finding themselves top 5-7 after Paplovuchinas stroked a three pointer. Peter Turay came off the bench to edge Kestrels back in front at 11-10 and back to back Elliot Dadds scores pushed the hosts in front by 5. Chris Scarlett also came off the bench to keep the scoreboard ticking over and he scored 5 points to close the quarter with TSK in front 20-14.
Scarlett continued his sharpshooting to begin the 2nd quarter giving TSK their biggest lead yet at 9 but Hurricanes stand out guard Kosarevas scored on back to back drives to leave his side down 23-18. The sides traded baskets for much of the 2nd period with Kestrels increasing the lead to 8 but Hurricanes continuing to hand around with short runs to keep them within touching distance. TSK led at the break 38-34.
Hurricanes pulled within 1 point early on in the second half prompting a Kestrels timeout and a 12-4 run out of the TO restored the advantage for the hosts behind Sam Turner and Herm Senor II. Back to back triples from the visitors pulled them with 6 and despite traded blows to finish the quarter the gap would remain that way heading into the 4th, TSK 60-54 to the good.
An 8-2 run for Bristol meant this one was going down to the wire with the sides tied at 62 with just 6 minutes left in the ball game and an upset very much on the cards. However some poor decision making from the visitors left them in the penalty with over 4 minutes to play as Kirkman and Turner capitalised on this. Kestrels showed the quality and professionalism down the stretch to close the game out behind Herm Senor II who scored 6 straight to put the D4 outfit out of sight, Kestrels advancing with a 79-69 victory.
TSK were led by Louie Kirkman’s 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals, whilst Elliot Dadds had 16 and Herm Senor II had 15 points , 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Hurricanes were led by Kosarevas who had 21 points but was later ejected for a double technical and back court duo Andriekus and Armonas had 16 and 12 respectively.
Matt Guymon, TSK Head Coach commented this on his sides performance; “It was a tough game for us today against a very talented D4 team. I thought for the most part we were very solid defensively, but we now need to refocus on our ball movement/spacing/execution offensively so that we are able to create higher percentage scoring options. I am pleased we are able to advance in the cup and secure 2 wins this weekend.”
Kestrels now advance to the fourth round where they will face Team Newcastle University on the road on Sunday 28th October 2018. However in the mean time the team will turn their attentions to next Saturday evening when they will play host to another NBL D1 new comer in Nottingham Hoods at Places Leisure Centre, 7:30pm tip off.
KESTRELS VICTORIOUS AFTER HUGE 4TH QUARTER
Image Courtesy | Graham Hodges
Team Solent Kestrels made the trip to East London on Saturday lunch time to face Barking Abbey Crusaders in their first road action of the regular season. With the sides having already met once this season in the National Trophy both teams would be familiar with one another heading into this one. TSK came out on top at Places Leisure Eastleigh two weekends previous, however with Barking picking up a win behind a massive performance from star guard Ade Adebayo Saturdays contest was set to be a much closer affair.
Adebayo opened the scoring from the line for the hosts followed by a Jonathan Brown lay up, to give them quick 0-3 lead after some sloppy Kestrels play. Elliot Dadds and Herm Senor II found scores in transition to lift TSK however and give the visitors a 13-7 lead midway through the quarter. Crusaders closed the gap to just 2 when Robin Bedford came off the bench to hit a pull up jumper but Senor II stroked a 3 ball on the following possession and Kestrels big man Sam Turner went to 1 for 2 at the line to close the quarter, 19-13 TSK.
It was a battle of guard play early on in the 2nd, as Brown converted a lay up to start the period for Crusaders whilst Chris Scarlett and Tautvydas Mieliauskas traded triples. TSK new signing Brandon Holloway also got in on the guard show as he sliced through the Barking zone for a floater in the paint. The home side strung together a 7-2 run to pull them to within 1 and prompt a Coach Guymon timeout, however post timeout it would get worse before it got better as another 7 unanswered points saw Barking’s lead stretch to 6 up 26-32. Senor II scored 4 straight to close the deficit to just 2 points, before some strange refereeing decisions saw the sides living at the free throw line to close the half tied up at 34.
A very slow start to the third quarter with both teams struggling to score meant neither side scoring in the opening three minutes, however it was Jonathan St. Hiliare who stroked a 3 ball to break the deadlock for the hosts. A 7-1 TSK run capped off by a steal and coast to coast lay up by Senor II triggered a Crusaders timeout with the score 41-38 in favour of the visitors. It was Barking’s turn to string a run together to the tune of 6-0 in response to put them 41-44 to the good and after the teams traded baskets to close the quarter Crusaders edged in front 45-48.
Kestrels would fly out of the gate to begin the final period and put together a game changing 14-2 run as a huge shift in momentum left them up 59-50 heading into a Barking timeout. Scottish guard Chris Feeney would stop the run momentarily as he scored out of the timeout but Senor II scored 4 straight and pushed the lead to double figures forcing Coach Lloyd Gardner to use his third and final timeout. Another massive unanswered 10-0 run would ultimately kill the game off for the Kestrels as Jon Averkamp and Elliot Dadds cashed in from beyond the arc. After a massive 34 point haul in the 4th quarter TSK ran out 79-57 winners as the final scoreline did not match up with just how close this one was.
TSK were led by guard duo Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds who had 29 points and 26 points respectively, Senor II also dishing out 7 assists whilst Dadds snagged 13 rebounds. Barking Abbey guard Robin Bedford was their high point man with 12 points whilst Jonathan Brown and Theo Hughes had 9 each.
“Firstly credit to Barking who did a great job defensively for a large majority of the game. We struggled to find any scoring rhythm for 3 quarters but I was pleased with how our guys responded in the 4th defensively to spark a run that ultimately blew the game open for us. We are looking forward to getting back on the floor at home tomorrow in the cup.”
TSK take on Bristol Hurricanes at Places Leisure Eastleigh in the third round of the National Cup at 6pm on Sunday, come down and bring the noise!
Check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988705/
Adebayo opened the scoring from the line for the hosts followed by a Jonathan Brown lay up, to give them quick 0-3 lead after some sloppy Kestrels play. Elliot Dadds and Herm Senor II found scores in transition to lift TSK however and give the visitors a 13-7 lead midway through the quarter. Crusaders closed the gap to just 2 when Robin Bedford came off the bench to hit a pull up jumper but Senor II stroked a 3 ball on the following possession and Kestrels big man Sam Turner went to 1 for 2 at the line to close the quarter, 19-13 TSK.
It was a battle of guard play early on in the 2nd, as Brown converted a lay up to start the period for Crusaders whilst Chris Scarlett and Tautvydas Mieliauskas traded triples. TSK new signing Brandon Holloway also got in on the guard show as he sliced through the Barking zone for a floater in the paint. The home side strung together a 7-2 run to pull them to within 1 and prompt a Coach Guymon timeout, however post timeout it would get worse before it got better as another 7 unanswered points saw Barking’s lead stretch to 6 up 26-32. Senor II scored 4 straight to close the deficit to just 2 points, before some strange refereeing decisions saw the sides living at the free throw line to close the half tied up at 34.
A very slow start to the third quarter with both teams struggling to score meant neither side scoring in the opening three minutes, however it was Jonathan St. Hiliare who stroked a 3 ball to break the deadlock for the hosts. A 7-1 TSK run capped off by a steal and coast to coast lay up by Senor II triggered a Crusaders timeout with the score 41-38 in favour of the visitors. It was Barking’s turn to string a run together to the tune of 6-0 in response to put them 41-44 to the good and after the teams traded baskets to close the quarter Crusaders edged in front 45-48.
Kestrels would fly out of the gate to begin the final period and put together a game changing 14-2 run as a huge shift in momentum left them up 59-50 heading into a Barking timeout. Scottish guard Chris Feeney would stop the run momentarily as he scored out of the timeout but Senor II scored 4 straight and pushed the lead to double figures forcing Coach Lloyd Gardner to use his third and final timeout. Another massive unanswered 10-0 run would ultimately kill the game off for the Kestrels as Jon Averkamp and Elliot Dadds cashed in from beyond the arc. After a massive 34 point haul in the 4th quarter TSK ran out 79-57 winners as the final scoreline did not match up with just how close this one was.
TSK were led by guard duo Herm Senor II and Elliot Dadds who had 29 points and 26 points respectively, Senor II also dishing out 7 assists whilst Dadds snagged 13 rebounds. Barking Abbey guard Robin Bedford was their high point man with 12 points whilst Jonathan Brown and Theo Hughes had 9 each.
“Firstly credit to Barking who did a great job defensively for a large majority of the game. We struggled to find any scoring rhythm for 3 quarters but I was pleased with how our guys responded in the 4th defensively to spark a run that ultimately blew the game open for us. We are looking forward to getting back on the floor at home tomorrow in the cup.”
TSK take on Bristol Hurricanes at Places Leisure Eastleigh in the third round of the National Cup at 6pm on Sunday, come down and bring the noise!
Check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988705/
SENOR II SINKS CAVALIERS AS TSK PICK UP OPENING NIGHT WIN
Herm Senor II hit the game winning floater with 1.3 seconds left | Image Courtesy Mirror Box Studios
Saturday evening saw the curtain raised on Team Solent Kestrels’ NBL D1 season, as they welcomed newly promoted Thames Valley Cavaliers to Places Leisure Eastleigh. TSK split their games last weekend in the National Trophy defeating Barking Abbey before losing out on the road to Worthing Thunder. Cavaliers came into the match up off the back of a home defeat to local rivals Reading Rockets.
Elliot Dadds opened the scoring for the hosts in what was an extremely closely contested opening stanza with neither side really taking full control. Kestrels strung together a 7-0 run to take a 12-7 lead through the mid-point of the period but Cavaliers tied things up shortly after. The visitors American Martelle McLemore got his eye in as he scored his sides last 7 points of the quarter but a Herm Senor II lay up just before time expired edged TSK in front 20-19 after one.
The 2nd quarter was a period of two halves, as Thames Valley established the first meaningful lead of the game behind a 14-2 run with Hakeem Sylla and Walid Mumuni coming off the bench to get on the scoresheet. With Kestrels down 11 a change of tempo was needed to claw their way back into the game before the half and a Senor II 3 pointer would spark just that. Josh Brown and Elliot Dadds continued the barrage of threes and when Jon Averkamp converted inside to tie the game at 35, Cavaliers called for timeout with their lead wiped out completely just one minute before the break. TSK did edge in front out of the timeout however Andre Baptiste knocked down a triple to see Cavaliers take a 37-38 lead into the half time interval.
A 9-3 run to start the half for the home town Kestrels meant they would hold a slender 5 point advantage through the early part of the 3rd quarter and despite McLemore’s best efforts TSK would build the lead behind Sam Turner and Senor II to 8 and force a Cavaliers timeout. The sides then traded baskets to close out the third with Kestrels now up 56-51 heading into the final period.
Chris Scarlett opened the 4th with a three ball that sent the home crowd into a frenzy but a 6-0 run in reply from the Cavs behind strong play from Baptiste pulled them to within 2. Averkamp scored 4 straight as Senor II continued to find him around the basket but with McLemore heating up once more Cavaliers were still within 1 point with just 4 minutes to play. Prince Lartey edged the visitors in front 65-66 but Averkamp replied out of the ensuing timeout to restore the lead. Both teams came up with scores on their next possessions leaving the game tied at 69. Baptiste had a chance to put his team ahead but came up short, enter Herm Senor II… He let time wind wind down and with 1.3 seconds left connected with a floater to put TSK up 71-69. McLemore would get a good look at a chance to win the game but his shot fell short and Kestrels picked up their first win of the season.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 23 points, 9 assist and 6 rebounds, Jon Averkamp backed him up with 16 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Elliot Dadds had 12 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Cavaliers American Martelle McLemore had an impressive 27 points and 7 rebounds whilst Andre Baptiste was the only other player in double figures with 13.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides grit to tough out the win; “I’m so proud of the guys to grind this one out against a talented Thames Valley team. Herm will deservedly take the headlines following his big shot late, but this truly was a team performance with so many guys contributing at critical times at both ends of the floor.”
Kestrels will turn their attention to Barking Abbey Crusaders next Saturday on the road before returning home to Places Leisure Eastleigh on Sunday to take on Bristol Hurricanes in the National Cup (6pm tip off).
Box Score; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988698/bs.html
Elliot Dadds opened the scoring for the hosts in what was an extremely closely contested opening stanza with neither side really taking full control. Kestrels strung together a 7-0 run to take a 12-7 lead through the mid-point of the period but Cavaliers tied things up shortly after. The visitors American Martelle McLemore got his eye in as he scored his sides last 7 points of the quarter but a Herm Senor II lay up just before time expired edged TSK in front 20-19 after one.
The 2nd quarter was a period of two halves, as Thames Valley established the first meaningful lead of the game behind a 14-2 run with Hakeem Sylla and Walid Mumuni coming off the bench to get on the scoresheet. With Kestrels down 11 a change of tempo was needed to claw their way back into the game before the half and a Senor II 3 pointer would spark just that. Josh Brown and Elliot Dadds continued the barrage of threes and when Jon Averkamp converted inside to tie the game at 35, Cavaliers called for timeout with their lead wiped out completely just one minute before the break. TSK did edge in front out of the timeout however Andre Baptiste knocked down a triple to see Cavaliers take a 37-38 lead into the half time interval.
A 9-3 run to start the half for the home town Kestrels meant they would hold a slender 5 point advantage through the early part of the 3rd quarter and despite McLemore’s best efforts TSK would build the lead behind Sam Turner and Senor II to 8 and force a Cavaliers timeout. The sides then traded baskets to close out the third with Kestrels now up 56-51 heading into the final period.
Chris Scarlett opened the 4th with a three ball that sent the home crowd into a frenzy but a 6-0 run in reply from the Cavs behind strong play from Baptiste pulled them to within 2. Averkamp scored 4 straight as Senor II continued to find him around the basket but with McLemore heating up once more Cavaliers were still within 1 point with just 4 minutes to play. Prince Lartey edged the visitors in front 65-66 but Averkamp replied out of the ensuing timeout to restore the lead. Both teams came up with scores on their next possessions leaving the game tied at 69. Baptiste had a chance to put his team ahead but came up short, enter Herm Senor II… He let time wind wind down and with 1.3 seconds left connected with a floater to put TSK up 71-69. McLemore would get a good look at a chance to win the game but his shot fell short and Kestrels picked up their first win of the season.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 23 points, 9 assist and 6 rebounds, Jon Averkamp backed him up with 16 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Elliot Dadds had 12 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Cavaliers American Martelle McLemore had an impressive 27 points and 7 rebounds whilst Andre Baptiste was the only other player in double figures with 13.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon was proud of his sides grit to tough out the win; “I’m so proud of the guys to grind this one out against a talented Thames Valley team. Herm will deservedly take the headlines following his big shot late, but this truly was a team performance with so many guys contributing at critical times at both ends of the floor.”
Kestrels will turn their attention to Barking Abbey Crusaders next Saturday on the road before returning home to Places Leisure Eastleigh on Sunday to take on Bristol Hurricanes in the National Cup (6pm tip off).
Box Score; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/988698/bs.html
KESTRELS OPEN TROPHY DEFENCE WITH A BIG WIN OVER CRUSADERS
Image Courtesy | Mirror Box Studios
Team Solent Kestrels got their season underway on Saturday evening as they welcomed Barking Abbey Crusaders to Places Leisure Eastleigh in the National Trophy competition. TSK won the competition last season and would start their defence with a double header, vs. Barking and then on the road at south coast rivals Worthing Thunder on Sunday.
The hosts flew out of the gate with a quick 6-0 run led by American duo Herm Senor II and Jon Averkamp forcing Crusaders into a quick timeout to make some early adjustments. Theo Hughes answered out of the TO for the visitors to get them off the mark but Averkamp responded instantly with another 4 of his own to put TSK up 10-2 just 4 minutes in. The visitors managed to trim the deficit to just 4 at 15-11 after guard Ade Adebayo got his scoring tally of the mark, however Sam Turner came off the bench for Kestrels to score back to back baskets with his side now up 23-15. Crusaders closed the quarter on a 7-2 run to reduce the gap to 3, 23-20.
Both sides traded baskets in the early goings of the second quarter as Turner continued to finish well around the hoop for the home team. A 12-3 run for TSK through the mid point of the period force Crusaders Head Coach Lloyd Gardner into his second timeout with the score out at 39-27. Another 6 unanswered points post TO including 4 more from Averkamp pushed Kestrels to their biggest lead of the half at 18. The visitors did show some resolve as they trimmed the deficit to 15 before the half time interval, Kestrels leading 47-32.
Barking Abbey guard Mieliauskas brought them to within 14 points early in the 2nd half, but Averkamp scored the 11 of his sides first 13 points of the period to balloon the advantage to 61-35. Tayo Oyefusi and James Chute got in on the scoring act as TSK put themselves firmly in the driving seat heading into the 4th quarter up 68-48.
Sharp shooter Chris Scarlett opened the fourth quarter action with three triples in and amongst an Elliot Dadds lay up to push the lead to 29. Adebayo continued to be a handful for the hosts but his efforts would be extinguished as Itchen College big man Peter Turay checked in and got himself straight on the scoreboard with a bucket inside. Kestrels extended the lead further to close the game out, running out 95-60 winners to set up a win and advance game with Worthing Thunder.
TSK were led by Jon Averkamp’s 28 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II had an 11 point/10 assist double double and Chris Scarlett had 12 points off the bench. Barking Abbey’s young line up was spearheaded by Ade Adebayo’s 19 points and 5 rebounds whilst Nathaniel Powell had 9 points and 7 boards.
Matt Guymon, TSK’s Head Coach commented this on his sides victory; “I was proud of how we started our trophy campaign. Our guys were locked in defensively & that led to us being able to play in transition. I thought we had a number of standout performances but it was great to see Jon Averkamp showing his full versatility offensively. We need to recover quickly as we have a tough test tomorrow on the road.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/973330/bs.html#ASFSK
The hosts flew out of the gate with a quick 6-0 run led by American duo Herm Senor II and Jon Averkamp forcing Crusaders into a quick timeout to make some early adjustments. Theo Hughes answered out of the TO for the visitors to get them off the mark but Averkamp responded instantly with another 4 of his own to put TSK up 10-2 just 4 minutes in. The visitors managed to trim the deficit to just 4 at 15-11 after guard Ade Adebayo got his scoring tally of the mark, however Sam Turner came off the bench for Kestrels to score back to back baskets with his side now up 23-15. Crusaders closed the quarter on a 7-2 run to reduce the gap to 3, 23-20.
Both sides traded baskets in the early goings of the second quarter as Turner continued to finish well around the hoop for the home team. A 12-3 run for TSK through the mid point of the period force Crusaders Head Coach Lloyd Gardner into his second timeout with the score out at 39-27. Another 6 unanswered points post TO including 4 more from Averkamp pushed Kestrels to their biggest lead of the half at 18. The visitors did show some resolve as they trimmed the deficit to 15 before the half time interval, Kestrels leading 47-32.
Barking Abbey guard Mieliauskas brought them to within 14 points early in the 2nd half, but Averkamp scored the 11 of his sides first 13 points of the period to balloon the advantage to 61-35. Tayo Oyefusi and James Chute got in on the scoring act as TSK put themselves firmly in the driving seat heading into the 4th quarter up 68-48.
Sharp shooter Chris Scarlett opened the fourth quarter action with three triples in and amongst an Elliot Dadds lay up to push the lead to 29. Adebayo continued to be a handful for the hosts but his efforts would be extinguished as Itchen College big man Peter Turay checked in and got himself straight on the scoreboard with a bucket inside. Kestrels extended the lead further to close the game out, running out 95-60 winners to set up a win and advance game with Worthing Thunder.
TSK were led by Jon Averkamp’s 28 points and 8 rebounds, whilst Herm Senor II had an 11 point/10 assist double double and Chris Scarlett had 12 points off the bench. Barking Abbey’s young line up was spearheaded by Ade Adebayo’s 19 points and 5 rebounds whilst Nathaniel Powell had 9 points and 7 boards.
Matt Guymon, TSK’s Head Coach commented this on his sides victory; “I was proud of how we started our trophy campaign. Our guys were locked in defensively & that led to us being able to play in transition. I thought we had a number of standout performances but it was great to see Jon Averkamp showing his full versatility offensively. We need to recover quickly as we have a tough test tomorrow on the road.”
You can check out the full box score here; http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/BBE/973330/bs.html#ASFSK
BACK TO WINNING WAYS FOR TSK IN FINAL PRE SEASON TEST
IMAGE COURTESY | DAMIAN PUDNER
Saturday saw TSK take to the floor for their final pre season preparations as they welcomed NBL Division 2 outfit London Greenhouse Pioneers to Places Leisure Eastleigh. It would serve as a final test before next weekends double header National Trophy action vs. Barking Abbey Crusaders and Worthing Thunder respectively. With the Kestrels facing BBL opposition in their last two outings Pioneers would pose a different kind of match up for the hosts.
Pioneers would open the scoring early through forward Hufschlag, however this served as a wake up for TSK who found second gear pretty quickly stringing together a 12-3 run behind Herm Senor II’s play in transition. Elliot Dadds got in on the scoring act when he converted on a pretty left hand drive, right hand finish before James Chute came off the bench and knocked down a turn around jumper to increase the lead to 17-7. The visiting D2 side showed just why they are one of the stronger outfits in their division as they hit back to back three balls followed by a trip to the line from guard Lazzarotto to bring his side within 2. Ben Maranan went 2 for 2 at the line to close out the quarter with Kestrels up 19-15.
Senor II and Chris Scarlett kicked started the 2nd quarter with a scoring barrage knocking down 3’s and scoring at ease in the open court prompting a Greenhouse timeout with the hosts back in front 26-17. Despite a quick score from Hufschlag out of the timeout it was much of the same from TSK with another Scarlett 3 ball and Jon Averkamp scoring in the paint. Kestrels extended the lead to 17 which triggered another Coach Krneta timeout for the visitors with just 3 minutes left in the half. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout before a 9-4 run to close the half from the hosts meant they held a commanding 52-31 advantage going into the break.
With the scoreline not being a priority for both sides, the second half allowed for each of the sides to try different line up combinations as well as tweak tactical elements on both ends of the floors. Senor II took full advantage scoring the first 10 points of the half for TSK capped off with a pretty and-1. Ben Maranan and big man Sam Turner came off the bench to get in on the scoring act whilst the quarter was capped off with another Senor three ball, Kestrels up 71-44 after 3.
The 4th saw the game slow down, especially for the visitors, playing most of their ball in the half court, with Kestrels limiting them to just 12 points in the period. Scoring didn’t dry up for TSK however with Turner and Senor continuing to extend the lead early on, whilst Maranan got to the line before cashing in from distance to push the lead to over 30. An 8-0 run to close the game meant Kestrels would run out 92-56 winners on the night.
The hosts were led by Herm Senor II’s 31 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Whilst Ben Maranan, James Chute and Jon Averkamp all had 11 a piece. London Greenhouse’s Hufschlag led the way with 16 points and guard Mango chipped in 12 points.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides final pre season performance; “It was great to be back at Places Leisure for our final pre season game against a well coached London Greenhouse Pioneers Team. After a positive week of practice we were able to see improvement in a number of the areas we were focusing on, which will hopefully give us some momentum going into the first week of the season. Pre season has provided us with the opportunity to test ourselves against a range of opposition and were excited to get going next weekend.”
With pre season in the books, it’s time for the games to begin for real now!
Team Solent Kestrels begin their campaign next Saturday 29th September 2018 at Places Leisure Eastleigh when they welcome Barking Abbey Crusaders in the National Trophy, 7:30pm tip off. Come down and make some noise as we start our defence of the trophy…
Pioneers would open the scoring early through forward Hufschlag, however this served as a wake up for TSK who found second gear pretty quickly stringing together a 12-3 run behind Herm Senor II’s play in transition. Elliot Dadds got in on the scoring act when he converted on a pretty left hand drive, right hand finish before James Chute came off the bench and knocked down a turn around jumper to increase the lead to 17-7. The visiting D2 side showed just why they are one of the stronger outfits in their division as they hit back to back three balls followed by a trip to the line from guard Lazzarotto to bring his side within 2. Ben Maranan went 2 for 2 at the line to close out the quarter with Kestrels up 19-15.
Senor II and Chris Scarlett kicked started the 2nd quarter with a scoring barrage knocking down 3’s and scoring at ease in the open court prompting a Greenhouse timeout with the hosts back in front 26-17. Despite a quick score from Hufschlag out of the timeout it was much of the same from TSK with another Scarlett 3 ball and Jon Averkamp scoring in the paint. Kestrels extended the lead to 17 which triggered another Coach Krneta timeout for the visitors with just 3 minutes left in the half. The sides traded baskets out of the timeout before a 9-4 run to close the half from the hosts meant they held a commanding 52-31 advantage going into the break.
With the scoreline not being a priority for both sides, the second half allowed for each of the sides to try different line up combinations as well as tweak tactical elements on both ends of the floors. Senor II took full advantage scoring the first 10 points of the half for TSK capped off with a pretty and-1. Ben Maranan and big man Sam Turner came off the bench to get in on the scoring act whilst the quarter was capped off with another Senor three ball, Kestrels up 71-44 after 3.
The 4th saw the game slow down, especially for the visitors, playing most of their ball in the half court, with Kestrels limiting them to just 12 points in the period. Scoring didn’t dry up for TSK however with Turner and Senor continuing to extend the lead early on, whilst Maranan got to the line before cashing in from distance to push the lead to over 30. An 8-0 run to close the game meant Kestrels would run out 92-56 winners on the night.
The hosts were led by Herm Senor II’s 31 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Whilst Ben Maranan, James Chute and Jon Averkamp all had 11 a piece. London Greenhouse’s Hufschlag led the way with 16 points and guard Mango chipped in 12 points.
TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon had this to say on his sides final pre season performance; “It was great to be back at Places Leisure for our final pre season game against a well coached London Greenhouse Pioneers Team. After a positive week of practice we were able to see improvement in a number of the areas we were focusing on, which will hopefully give us some momentum going into the first week of the season. Pre season has provided us with the opportunity to test ourselves against a range of opposition and were excited to get going next weekend.”
With pre season in the books, it’s time for the games to begin for real now!
Team Solent Kestrels begin their campaign next Saturday 29th September 2018 at Places Leisure Eastleigh when they welcome Barking Abbey Crusaders in the National Trophy, 7:30pm tip off. Come down and make some noise as we start our defence of the trophy…
KESTRELS RUN OUT OF STEAM AT BBL RAIDERS IN PRE SEASON
IMAGE COURTESY | DAMIAN PUDNER
Pre season match up number three for TSK, saw them make the long journey down to the South West this past Friday evening to face more BBL opposition, Plymouth Raiders. With a new Head Coach at the helm and a revamped roster, it would provide another stern test for Coach Guymon’s Kestrels as they continue preparation for the new NBL season.
After a slight delay to the action with referee’s held up en route, Kestrels stormed out of the blocks early with Tayo Oyefusi connecting on a corner three ball before Jon Averkamp led the break with a one handed finish. Raiders looked to exert their height advantage in the paint early with Zak Wells and American forward Javis Howard going to work. Another Oyefusi three pointer would start an 11-0 run for TSK mid way through the first quarter and would be capped off by a Herm Senor II triple of his own, the score now at 18-7. Raiders Estonian forward Jarvelainen stopped the rot from beyond the arc, but the Kestrels would hold on to the lead heading into the quarter break up 20-13.
The second was a slower affair, at least for TSK as Jarvelainen continued to shoot the ball well and get to the line for the hosts to trim the deficit. Ben Maranan came in off the bench for the visiting Kestrels to stroke a three but Raiders fought their way back and levelled the scores at 23. The sides would trade baskets to close the half out with Plymouth edging in front now up 29-31.
Jon Averkamp tied up the game with a put back to get things underway for TSK in the 2nd half, followed by a Louie Kirkman steal and dish for an easy two for Senor II. However Josh Wilcher replied instantly for the home team as he scooped to the hoop for an and-1. Raiders attempts to build some momentum behind influential playmaker Donte Nicholas were short lived as back to back triples from Kestrels kept things touch tight through the mid point of the quarter. However an 18-4 run to close out the quarter behind Jarvelainen and Nicholas strong play saw the hosts now in control 47-61 heading into the final period.
The final quarter would be a difficult one for TSK and much the same story as the Flyers match up the previous week. Raiders turned up the pressure defensively and Kestrels did not have much left in the tank to reduce the arrears. Plymouth would run out 59-85 winners in an extremely valuable exercise for both squads.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists whilst Jon Averkamp added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Tayo Oyefusi chipped in 8 points and 10 rebounds. Plymouth’s American guard Donte Nicholas poured in 24 points and 10 rebounds whilst Joonas Jarvelainen had 22 points and 7 rebounds in as many minutes.
Matt Guymon TSK’s play caller added; “We had another great start, playing fast & getting stops defensively which allowed us to push the ball consistently in transition. We continued to show some excellent spells at both ends throughout the first half against tough BBL opposition but it was a similar story to last week in the second half as we were not able to respond to their runs. The tactical elements I have no concerns that we will get figured out. The challenge for us right now is the lack of fight/toughness when adversity hits us, this is something we will be working to resolve quickly.”
Team Solent Kestrels have their final pre season fixture this weekend as they play host to London Greenhouse Pioneers who are in NBL Division 2, at Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday 22nd September. Tip off is 7pm and entry is FREE so come on down and check out the new look TSK before the first meaningful action of the season on the 29th.
After a slight delay to the action with referee’s held up en route, Kestrels stormed out of the blocks early with Tayo Oyefusi connecting on a corner three ball before Jon Averkamp led the break with a one handed finish. Raiders looked to exert their height advantage in the paint early with Zak Wells and American forward Javis Howard going to work. Another Oyefusi three pointer would start an 11-0 run for TSK mid way through the first quarter and would be capped off by a Herm Senor II triple of his own, the score now at 18-7. Raiders Estonian forward Jarvelainen stopped the rot from beyond the arc, but the Kestrels would hold on to the lead heading into the quarter break up 20-13.
The second was a slower affair, at least for TSK as Jarvelainen continued to shoot the ball well and get to the line for the hosts to trim the deficit. Ben Maranan came in off the bench for the visiting Kestrels to stroke a three but Raiders fought their way back and levelled the scores at 23. The sides would trade baskets to close the half out with Plymouth edging in front now up 29-31.
Jon Averkamp tied up the game with a put back to get things underway for TSK in the 2nd half, followed by a Louie Kirkman steal and dish for an easy two for Senor II. However Josh Wilcher replied instantly for the home team as he scooped to the hoop for an and-1. Raiders attempts to build some momentum behind influential playmaker Donte Nicholas were short lived as back to back triples from Kestrels kept things touch tight through the mid point of the quarter. However an 18-4 run to close out the quarter behind Jarvelainen and Nicholas strong play saw the hosts now in control 47-61 heading into the final period.
The final quarter would be a difficult one for TSK and much the same story as the Flyers match up the previous week. Raiders turned up the pressure defensively and Kestrels did not have much left in the tank to reduce the arrears. Plymouth would run out 59-85 winners in an extremely valuable exercise for both squads.
Kestrels were led by Herm Senor II’s 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists whilst Jon Averkamp added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Tayo Oyefusi chipped in 8 points and 10 rebounds. Plymouth’s American guard Donte Nicholas poured in 24 points and 10 rebounds whilst Joonas Jarvelainen had 22 points and 7 rebounds in as many minutes.
Matt Guymon TSK’s play caller added; “We had another great start, playing fast & getting stops defensively which allowed us to push the ball consistently in transition. We continued to show some excellent spells at both ends throughout the first half against tough BBL opposition but it was a similar story to last week in the second half as we were not able to respond to their runs. The tactical elements I have no concerns that we will get figured out. The challenge for us right now is the lack of fight/toughness when adversity hits us, this is something we will be working to resolve quickly.”
Team Solent Kestrels have their final pre season fixture this weekend as they play host to London Greenhouse Pioneers who are in NBL Division 2, at Places Leisure Eastleigh on Saturday 22nd September. Tip off is 7pm and entry is FREE so come on down and check out the new look TSK before the first meaningful action of the season on the 29th.
KESTRELS UNABLE TO GROUND FLYERS IN PRE SEASON ACTION
Image Courtesy | Bristol Flyers
After an exciting start to pre season last weekend, Kestrels turned their attention to a much more difficult proposition, as they travelled west to continue with preparations for the new season against BBL side, Bristol Flyers. Like TSK, Flyers matched up with Team USA Select in their first pre season outing and comfortably came out on top. With Bristol having now established themselves as a top 8 side in the BBL this was always going to be tough test for the Kestrels.
The first quarter started at a lightening pace and both sides were looking to set their stool up early, with Elliot Dadds opening the scoring on a pull up jumper whilst Flyers big man Daniel Edozie showed his soft touch with a nice post move. With the opening exchanges continuing Kestrels floor general Herm Senor II and Flyers wing Justin Gray traded tough finishes as TSK edged in front. The teams would be tied up through the mid point of the first before another pull up from Gray narrowly put Bristol ahead, but yet again Senor II responded with a three ball to restore Kestrels lead at 13-12. Ben Maranan came in off the bench for TSK to score 5 quick points to close the quarter out and put his side up 21-17 after one.
Kestrels extended their advantage to 5 in the opening minute of the second quarter after some great ball movement found James Chute wide open for a corner triple. Flyers big man Marcus Delpeche came off the bench to score 6 straight but Josh Brown would get the steal and go coast to coast for the visitors to restore a 4 point advantage 3 minutes into the second. Former Kestrels guard Jordan Nicholls sliced to the hoop to reduce the gap to just 2 points but that man Brown would cash in again, this time for a corner trey ball to put TSK up 32-27. A short 5-0 run for the hosts would tie the game up at 32 and prompt a coach Guymon timeout with 4 minutes left in the half. Flyers would shift gear to close the half out on a 16-5 run including scores from American point guard Jalan McCloud and Gray leaving Kestrels trailing 37-48 at the half.
Jon Averkamp opened the scoring for TSK in the 2nd half from the free throw line but Flyers would continue to exert their dominance on the glass with a put back and 1 to reply. The sides traded baskets in the early knockings of the second half before a corner three ball from Gray put Flyers out to their biggest lead of the game at 59-42 sparking a Coach Guymon TO. Kestrels would respond out of the timeout through Averkamp and Elliot Dadds as the latter got into the paint for a pair of scores at the rim to reduce the gap to 12. However the TSK run would be short lived after several transition scores from the hosts they went into the third quarter break now up 69-51.
The fourth quarter was a slow burner for both sides with both teams giving playing opportunities to their roster and coaching staff using the quarter to tinker with line ups. Kestrels struggled to find any rhythm offensively and Flyers capitalised keeping the tempo high and running out 85-56 winners.
“It was a great test for us to play against a top BBL team in Bristol. I thought we started with great energy and played how we wanted to in transition. As the game went into the 2nd half we weren’t able to match Bristol’s physicality, especially on the boards. We will review the performance and get back to work this week as we continue with our pre season preparations.” Commented TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon.
Elliot Dadds and Herm Senor II were the high point men for TSK with 10 points a piece, Dadds also chipped in 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, whilst Senor II had 3 boards, 3 assists and 1 steal. Newcomer James Chute had himself 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal also.
Flyers were led by Marcus Delpeche’s 19 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Justin Gray had 14 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
Kestrels will continue their pre season preparations with another road trip to BBL opposition this Friday evening, as they make the trip down to the south west to take on Plymouth Raiders.
The first quarter started at a lightening pace and both sides were looking to set their stool up early, with Elliot Dadds opening the scoring on a pull up jumper whilst Flyers big man Daniel Edozie showed his soft touch with a nice post move. With the opening exchanges continuing Kestrels floor general Herm Senor II and Flyers wing Justin Gray traded tough finishes as TSK edged in front. The teams would be tied up through the mid point of the first before another pull up from Gray narrowly put Bristol ahead, but yet again Senor II responded with a three ball to restore Kestrels lead at 13-12. Ben Maranan came in off the bench for TSK to score 5 quick points to close the quarter out and put his side up 21-17 after one.
Kestrels extended their advantage to 5 in the opening minute of the second quarter after some great ball movement found James Chute wide open for a corner triple. Flyers big man Marcus Delpeche came off the bench to score 6 straight but Josh Brown would get the steal and go coast to coast for the visitors to restore a 4 point advantage 3 minutes into the second. Former Kestrels guard Jordan Nicholls sliced to the hoop to reduce the gap to just 2 points but that man Brown would cash in again, this time for a corner trey ball to put TSK up 32-27. A short 5-0 run for the hosts would tie the game up at 32 and prompt a coach Guymon timeout with 4 minutes left in the half. Flyers would shift gear to close the half out on a 16-5 run including scores from American point guard Jalan McCloud and Gray leaving Kestrels trailing 37-48 at the half.
Jon Averkamp opened the scoring for TSK in the 2nd half from the free throw line but Flyers would continue to exert their dominance on the glass with a put back and 1 to reply. The sides traded baskets in the early knockings of the second half before a corner three ball from Gray put Flyers out to their biggest lead of the game at 59-42 sparking a Coach Guymon TO. Kestrels would respond out of the timeout through Averkamp and Elliot Dadds as the latter got into the paint for a pair of scores at the rim to reduce the gap to 12. However the TSK run would be short lived after several transition scores from the hosts they went into the third quarter break now up 69-51.
The fourth quarter was a slow burner for both sides with both teams giving playing opportunities to their roster and coaching staff using the quarter to tinker with line ups. Kestrels struggled to find any rhythm offensively and Flyers capitalised keeping the tempo high and running out 85-56 winners.
“It was a great test for us to play against a top BBL team in Bristol. I thought we started with great energy and played how we wanted to in transition. As the game went into the 2nd half we weren’t able to match Bristol’s physicality, especially on the boards. We will review the performance and get back to work this week as we continue with our pre season preparations.” Commented TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon.
Elliot Dadds and Herm Senor II were the high point men for TSK with 10 points a piece, Dadds also chipped in 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, whilst Senor II had 3 boards, 3 assists and 1 steal. Newcomer James Chute had himself 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal also.
Flyers were led by Marcus Delpeche’s 19 points and 6 rebounds, whilst Justin Gray had 14 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
Kestrels will continue their pre season preparations with another road trip to BBL opposition this Friday evening, as they make the trip down to the south west to take on Plymouth Raiders.
