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Baker Ready for Nottingham Test

Dave Ryan reports…

As his team prepare to face league leaders Nottingham Hoods at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday evening (7pm), Levett Essex Leopards’ coach Thomas Baker knows what they have to do if they are to take a key victory.

“We have to be ready to play Hoods next week if we are to continue the quest for promotion” he said. “We didn’t start well against them when they came to Brentwood in September, but we have to control things from tip to buzzer.

“Titles or promotion won’t be won on Saturday, but it’s a big game for us, and we need to be on top form for the whole 40 minutes.”

Hoods suffered their first defeat against Division Two opposition this season when they went down 99-86 against Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still top the table with an 11-1 record, and the battle for the two promotion spots looks to between the Big Cats, Hoods and Cavaliers.

With the Big Cats still to play Hoods twice and Cavaliers once, their destiny is in their own hands.

While Leopards have yet to visit Nottingham in the league, they did host the midlands side in the National Trophy group stage in September, with the Hoods running out 79-73 winners.

Tickets for the game are available online at www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk, as well as on the door. The Big Cats are also staging their popular pre-game coaching session for under 16s, with booking available through their website.

The Big Cats made it five wins on the bounce on Sunday as they travelled to Derbyshire Arrows and returned with an 81-69 victory.

Captain Dougie Bennett led the way for the visitors with 27 points in 24 minutes despite limping out of the action with a knee injury in the fourth period.

Jerrel Layne came off the bench for the Big Cats to finish with 21 points while James Hayes finished with ten points and Shaq Lewis nine as Leopards survived being out-rebounded 32-25 to record their seventh win in nine games.

Coach Baker was delighted with the win:  “It was another strong performance from us” he said “We battled hard throughout and earned this victory.

“Credit to Derbyshire they responded well in the 2nd second quarter. However, the guys showed great discipline and determination to play the second half with our style throughout. Some big shots from Jerrel and Dougie allowed us to extend our lead along with some strong offensive rebounding by Shaq and Korry Callum”.

In a first half where Leopards never trailed, Will Ashby opened the scoring before Jamie Hayes hit a trey and Kevin Moyo scored from close range to put them 7-2 ahead, and Layne’s trey sent them into the first break with a 24-13 lead.

Callum hit a jump shot to extend that lead to 26-13 with the opening score of the second period, but with Baker rotating his side the visitors struggled to trouble the scorers.

Although Layne’s pair of free-throws put his side 33-26 up heading into the final 40 seconds of the half, Arrows scored the final five points of the period to make it a one-point game heading into the locker room.

Baugh gave Arrows their only lead of the game with the first score of the second half but Ashby and Bennett replied for the Big Cats and Callum gave his side a double digit lead before Bennett sent Leopards into the final break leading 60-51.

Yong guard Wes Moore made it a ten point game again with the free-throw to open the final period, and Arrows never got closer than within six points as Leopards closed out their seventh win of the league season.

With Baker’s team having played the fewest number of games in Division Two, they are also in action on Sunday as they travel to Team Birmingham Elite.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs, and with the midlands club sitting in ninth spot in the 12-team division with four wins from 11 games, it’s another game that the Big Cats need to win to maintain their promotion push.

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Baker Ready for Nottingham Test

Dave Ryan reports…

As his team prepare to face league leaders Nottingham Hoods at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday evening (7pm), Levett Essex Leopards’ coach Thomas Baker knows what they have to do if they are to take a key victory.

“We have to be ready to play Hoods next week if we are to continue the quest for promotion” he said. “We didn’t start well against them when they came to Brentwood in September, but we have to control things from tip to buzzer.

“Titles or promotion won’t be won on Saturday, but it’s a big game for us, and we need to be on top form for the whole 40 minutes.”

Hoods suffered their first defeat against Division Two opposition this season when they went down 99-86 against Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still top the table with an 11-1 record, and the battle for the two promotion spots looks to between the Big Cats, Hoods and Cavaliers.

With the Big Cats still to play Hoods twice and Cavaliers once, their destiny is in their own hands.

While Leopards have yet to visit Nottingham in the league, they did host the midlands side in the National Trophy group stage in September, with the Hoods running out 79-73 winners.

Tickets for the game are available online at www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk, as well as on the door. The Big Cats are also staging their popular pre-game coaching session for under 16s, with booking available through their website.

The Big Cats made it five wins on the bounce on Sunday as they travelled to Derbyshire Arrows and returned with an 81-69 victory.

Captain Dougie Bennett led the way for the visitors with 27 points in 24 minutes despite limping out of the action with a knee injury in the fourth period.

Jerrel Layne came off the bench for the Big Cats to finish with 21 points while James Hayes finished with ten points and Shaq Lewis nine as Leopards survived being out-rebounded 32-25 to record their seventh win in nine games.

Coach Baker was delighted with the win:  “It was another strong performance from us” he said “We battled hard throughout and earned this victory.

“Credit to Derbyshire they responded well in the 2nd second quarter. However, the guys showed great discipline and determination to play the second half with our style throughout. Some big shots from Jerrel and Dougie allowed us to extend our lead along with some strong offensive rebounding by Shaq and Korry Callum”.

In a first half where Leopards never trailed, Will Ashby opened the scoring before Jamie Hayes hit a trey and Kevin Moyo scored from close range to put them 7-2 ahead, and Layne’s trey sent them into the first break with a 24-13 lead.

Callum hit a jump shot to extend that lead to 26-13 with the opening score of the second period, but with Baker rotating his side the visitors struggled to trouble the scorers.

Although Layne’s pair of free-throws put his side 33-26 up heading into the final 40 seconds of the half, Arrows scored the final five points of the period to make it a one-point game heading into the locker room.

Baugh gave Arrows their only lead of the game with the first score of the second half but Ashby and Bennett replied for the Big Cats and Callum gave his side a double digit lead before Bennett sent Leopards into the final break leading 60-51.

Yong guard Wes Moore made it a ten point game again with the free-throw to open the final period, and Arrows never got closer than within six points as Leopards closed out their seventh win of the league season.

With Baker’s team having played the fewest number of games in Division Two, they are also in action on Sunday as they travel to Team Birmingham Elite.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs, and with the midlands club sitting in ninth spot in the 12-team division with four wins from 11 games, it’s another game that the Big Cats need to win to maintain their promotion push.

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Baker Ready for Nottingham Test

Dave Ryan reports…

As his team prepare to face league leaders Nottingham Hoods at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday evening (7pm), Levett Essex Leopards’ coach Thomas Baker knows what they have to do if they are to take a key victory.

“We have to be ready to play Hoods next week if we are to continue the quest for promotion” he said. “We didn’t start well against them when they came to Brentwood in September, but we have to control things from tip to buzzer.

“Titles or promotion won’t be won on Saturday, but it’s a big game for us, and we need to be on top form for the whole 40 minutes.”

Hoods suffered their first defeat against Division Two opposition this season when they went down 99-86 against Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still top the table with an 11-1 record, and the battle for the two promotion spots looks to between the Big Cats, Hoods and Cavaliers.

With the Big Cats still to play Hoods twice and Cavaliers once, their destiny is in their own hands.

While Leopards have yet to visit Nottingham in the league, they did host the midlands side in the National Trophy group stage in September, with the Hoods running out 79-73 winners.

Tickets for the game are available online at www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk, as well as on the door. The Big Cats are also staging their popular pre-game coaching session for under 16s, with booking available through their website.

The Big Cats made it five wins on the bounce on Sunday as they travelled to Derbyshire Arrows and returned with an 81-69 victory.

Captain Dougie Bennett led the way for the visitors with 27 points in 24 minutes despite limping out of the action with a knee injury in the fourth period.

Jerrel Layne came off the bench for the Big Cats to finish with 21 points while James Hayes finished with ten points and Shaq Lewis nine as Leopards survived being out-rebounded 32-25 to record their seventh win in nine games.

Coach Baker was delighted with the win:  “It was another strong performance from us” he said “We battled hard throughout and earned this victory.

“Credit to Derbyshire they responded well in the 2nd second quarter. However, the guys showed great discipline and determination to play the second half with our style throughout. Some big shots from Jerrel and Dougie allowed us to extend our lead along with some strong offensive rebounding by Shaq and Korry Callum”.

In a first half where Leopards never trailed, Will Ashby opened the scoring before Jamie Hayes hit a trey and Kevin Moyo scored from close range to put them 7-2 ahead, and Layne’s trey sent them into the first break with a 24-13 lead.

Callum hit a jump shot to extend that lead to 26-13 with the opening score of the second period, but with Baker rotating his side the visitors struggled to trouble the scorers.

Although Layne’s pair of free-throws put his side 33-26 up heading into the final 40 seconds of the half, Arrows scored the final five points of the period to make it a one-point game heading into the locker room.

Baugh gave Arrows their only lead of the game with the first score of the second half but Ashby and Bennett replied for the Big Cats and Callum gave his side a double digit lead before Bennett sent Leopards into the final break leading 60-51.

Yong guard Wes Moore made it a ten point game again with the free-throw to open the final period, and Arrows never got closer than within six points as Leopards closed out their seventh win of the league season.

With Baker’s team having played the fewest number of games in Division Two, they are also in action on Sunday as they travel to Team Birmingham Elite.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs, and with the midlands club sitting in ninth spot in the 12-team division with four wins from 11 games, it’s another game that the Big Cats need to win to maintain their promotion push.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

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Baker Ready for Nottingham Test

Dave Ryan reports…

As his team prepare to face league leaders Nottingham Hoods at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday evening (7pm), Levett Essex Leopards’ coach Thomas Baker knows what they have to do if they are to take a key victory.

“We have to be ready to play Hoods next week if we are to continue the quest for promotion” he said. “We didn’t start well against them when they came to Brentwood in September, but we have to control things from tip to buzzer.

“Titles or promotion won’t be won on Saturday, but it’s a big game for us, and we need to be on top form for the whole 40 minutes.”

Hoods suffered their first defeat against Division Two opposition this season when they went down 99-86 against Thames Valley Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still top the table with an 11-1 record, and the battle for the two promotion spots looks to between the Big Cats, Hoods and Cavaliers.

With the Big Cats still to play Hoods twice and Cavaliers once, their destiny is in their own hands.

While Leopards have yet to visit Nottingham in the league, they did host the midlands side in the National Trophy group stage in September, with the Hoods running out 79-73 winners.

Tickets for the game are available online at www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk, as well as on the door. The Big Cats are also staging their popular pre-game coaching session for under 16s, with booking available through their website.

The Big Cats made it five wins on the bounce on Sunday as they travelled to Derbyshire Arrows and returned with an 81-69 victory.

Captain Dougie Bennett led the way for the visitors with 27 points in 24 minutes despite limping out of the action with a knee injury in the fourth period.

Jerrel Layne came off the bench for the Big Cats to finish with 21 points while James Hayes finished with ten points and Shaq Lewis nine as Leopards survived being out-rebounded 32-25 to record their seventh win in nine games.

Coach Baker was delighted with the win:  “It was another strong performance from us” he said “We battled hard throughout and earned this victory.

“Credit to Derbyshire they responded well in the 2nd second quarter. However, the guys showed great discipline and determination to play the second half with our style throughout. Some big shots from Jerrel and Dougie allowed us to extend our lead along with some strong offensive rebounding by Shaq and Korry Callum”.

In a first half where Leopards never trailed, Will Ashby opened the scoring before Jamie Hayes hit a trey and Kevin Moyo scored from close range to put them 7-2 ahead, and Layne’s trey sent them into the first break with a 24-13 lead.

Callum hit a jump shot to extend that lead to 26-13 with the opening score of the second period, but with Baker rotating his side the visitors struggled to trouble the scorers.

Although Layne’s pair of free-throws put his side 33-26 up heading into the final 40 seconds of the half, Arrows scored the final five points of the period to make it a one-point game heading into the locker room.

Baugh gave Arrows their only lead of the game with the first score of the second half but Ashby and Bennett replied for the Big Cats and Callum gave his side a double digit lead before Bennett sent Leopards into the final break leading 60-51.

Yong guard Wes Moore made it a ten point game again with the free-throw to open the final period, and Arrows never got closer than within six points as Leopards closed out their seventh win of the league season.

With Baker’s team having played the fewest number of games in Division Two, they are also in action on Sunday as they travel to Team Birmingham Elite.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs, and with the midlands club sitting in ninth spot in the 12-team division with four wins from 11 games, it’s another game that the Big Cats need to win to maintain their promotion push.

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