Dave Ryan reports…
Levett Essex Leopards go into a week without a game looking to regroup after a weekend which saw disappointing results in both the League and National Cup.
The Big Cats went down to their first NBL Division Two loss of the campaign as a poor final period saw them lose 97-79 at Sussex Bears before they went out of the cup with a 93-65 loss against Thames Valley Cavaliers.
“We didn’t play well enough this weekend” said a clearly disappointed coach Thomas Baker. “We need to work on things over the next couple of weeks and show a big improvement when they go to Thames Valley.”
Saturday’s game saw Leopards shoot an incredible 24 more field goal attempts than the Bears, but converting only 32 percent of them as a 33-12 final period saw the home side chalk up the win.
Dougie Bennett led the Big Cats with 19 points and five assists while John Sodipo had seven rebounds and as many assists to go with his 14 points.
The teams shared 38 first period points, and a Jamie Hayes free-throw put his side 30-24 ahead three minutes into the second quarter.
But a Bud Johnston trey put Bears ahead by one at the midway stage of the period and a lay-up from Daren Mason – who led his team with 40 points and 16 rebounds – helped the hosts lead 45-38 going into the half-time break.
The visitors still trailed by seven after four third period minutes, but Shodip launched a 14-3 run capped by a Will Ashby basket to lead by a point with 3:34 on the clock.
Ruben Saiz Colon’s jump shot put the visitors 67-64 ahead at the final break but that was as good as it got for the Big Cats and Mason’s tip-in with two fourth period minutes gone gave Bears a lead they would never lose.
It was a similar tale the following day as Bennett opened with five points to put his side ahead, and Ashby put them 9-2 ahead before a 14-2 run put the big-spending Cavaliers into a lead they would never lose.
Bennett again led the Big Cats with 19 points, Ashby adding 12 points and four assists, while youngster Jordon George finished with ten points and four assists.
Having trailed by 13 points, Leopards looked to have made some inroads at the end of the first period with baskets from Bennett and George, but Kevin Moyo turned the ball over and Lartey converted to send his side into the first break 32-21 ahead.
The Big Cats played catch up for the rest of the game, trailing 54-40 at half-time and 73-51 at the final break before Cavaliers wrapped things up with a 21-14 fourth period.
