Tamworth Tigers 88-98 Tile Hill Trojans
Tile Hill Trojans bounced back to their impressive best to lift the Bob Castledine Handicap Cup for the first time with a 98-88 victory over Tamworth Tigers.
And it was largely thanks to their youngest player, Austin Dickson that the Coventry side travelled home from The Rawlett Academy with the trophy, as he turned in a vintage performance from the start and finished as the game’s top scorer as Trojans hauled their way back from a thirty point handicap. Dickson usually takes second place in the scoring charts behind his elder brother Ashley, but when he rose to sink two three-pointers in the first minute, it felt as if this might be his day. Following up with a collection of successes from all around the court, Dickson hit a match total of 26 points, ably supported by Mark Larner who grabbed 25 and Ashley, who completed the family’s evening with 22 as Dad Andy, the Trojans Chairman was celebrating his birthday and was beaming as the brothers gave him a super present and ran the show from the off.
It was much to the delight too, of their player/coach Trevor Robinson who said afterwards, “With 30 points to make up at the start of the game, I told the team we had to play hard defense and if we let our offense be quick and decisive, we would prevail. I am very proud of young Austin and the rest of the team with the effort they put in during this cup run.”
Tigers were in buoyant mood at the start and fancied their chances with their handicap start, but after the early shock of seeing their advantage dwindle to fifteen insdie the first quarter, Coach Darren Mortiboy was switching his players around with regularity to try to keep fresh legs on the court as Trojans pressed them. Fouls were flying about and the intensity grew as Tigers stemmed the flow up to half-time when they were still ahead, now by sixteen points.
But it all went right for the visitors as Trojans harried their hosts and Ash Dickson came into the picture in a big way. He landed ten points inside three minutes to send Tigers reeling and the gap closed to three. A counter period saw Tamworth stem the flow, but when Dickson the younger struck two more triples, the game was up.
High-scoring Lukasz Bolda was shackled, fouled out early in the final quarter and with him went his side’s last hope of grabbing the silverware. Trojans took full advantage and then the lead with seven minutes remaining, and, despite a brief recovery from the tiring home side, went on the move confidently away to their ten-point winning margin.
Robinson and company must now focus on the one league victory they need to complete a memorable double, but on this form they will be licking their lips as they welcome Leamington Spartans to Hereward College next week before their final game at Stratford in early May.
Scorers: Tamworth Bolda 15, Evans 11, Harriot 10, Mee-Harris 9, Somers 7, Davies 4, Irving 2.
Trojans: Austin Dickson 26, Larner 25, Ash Dickson 22, Robinson 10, Owen 8, Onions 5, Hernandez 2
