Category: Press Report

2023/24 season set for tip-off

The upcoming Warwickshire Basketball League campaign is all set for action, with a number of tantalising tales due to unfold over the course of the year.

The 2022/23 season delivered in drama, style and substance across the league and cup competitions, and if this year is to follow in the same vein, we’re in for an entertaining ride once again.

The action begins with a fixture sure to whet the appetites in Division One, as reigning league and cup champions Arden Griffins take on the new boys in the top flight, Yardley Defenders on Monday, September 25th.

The Defenders will need to live up to their name if they plan on picking up an early victory, with Arden having dominated proceedings last term, going undefeated across the previous campaign behind their frantic fast-paced, run and gun style.

Buoyed by the performances of the sharp-shooting Paul Roberts and high-scoring duo Sam Workman and Luke Hatfield, Arden have also added to their ranks with returning forward Adam Dawson replacing departing guard Kestas Rudaminas.

However, Yardley offer an unknown presence to their Division One opponents to start the season, so it will be intriguing to see how they get on in their maiden campaign.

Elsewhere in Division One, the opening week also offers up another mouth-watering tie between Tile Hill Trojans I and Coventry Tornadoes at Hereward College.

Tile Hill had to settle for a place below the top-dogs in the Spring, but they’ll be hoping to remedy that with a opening day victory over the Tornadoes, who will be hoping to whip up a storm themselves in the top flight.

Topping off the first week of action in the upper echelons of the Warwickshire Basketball League are Tamworth Tigers, who play host to recently promoted Rugby Rage.

Rage were superb in Division Two last season and have made the step up this season, but face a tough proposition in travelling to Tamworth to try and tame the Tigers, who relied heavily upon league leading scorer Lukasz Bolda throughout the recent campaign.

Bolda will be hoping to add to his individual award with a challenge for team honours in the league this campaign, we’ll have to see how they get started on Wednesday, September 27th.

Delving into Division Two, there are a plentiful selection of fixtures on offer.

The second Rugby-based side across the divisions get their tenure going on Friday evening as they host Coventry Tornadoes White. That fixture is sure to be a litmus test for both clubs as they look to build chemistry heading into the season ahead.

Elsewhere, Jack Ford’s Westwood Rhinos face off with Nuneaton Predators. The Rhinos utilised Ford’s scoring prowess superbly over the last campaign, and they’ll be hoping to turn Predators into prey as they make the trip to Nuneaton on Monday evening.

Our two Tile Hill Trojans sides in the second division both feature in separate encounters to cap the first week of action, with Trojans II travelling to Coventry Tornadoes Blue, whilst Trojans III host JM Grizzlies on Thursday evening as each side looks to get off the mark.

That leaves only recently relegated Warwick China Red and new entrants Nuneaton Nomads to start off their seasons the following week – one certainly to keep an eye out for!

As ever, results will be provided in the next edition of the Bear Facts, with a match report from a select game each week accompanying the weekly round-up!

RHINOS’ THIRD QUARTER CHARGE FLOORS THREES

SIX-MAN TROJANS 3 FELL TO A THIRD QUARTER CHARGE FROM WESTWOOD RHINOS AS
JACK FORD SHOWED WHY HE SHOULD BE PLYING HIS TRADE IN THE TOP FLIGHT.

STRICKEN BY INJURIES AND ABSENTEEISM, TROJANS WERE ON PAPER NO MATCH FOR
THEIR VISITORS AT HEREWARD COLLEGE, BUT THEY SHOCKED EVERYONE BY STAYING
WITH THEIR GUESTS UNTIL THE FIFTH MINUTE OF THE SECOND HALF WHEN WESTWOOD
WENT ON THE RAMPAGE AND TROJANS FELL APART TO MOVE FROM 25-26 TO 27-51 WITH
FORD IN THE DRIVING SEAT.

THE TWENTY-POINT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PAIR IN THIS TEN MINUTE PERIOD TOOK
THE GAME AWAY FROM THE AGING, TIRING TROJANS AFTER TREVOR ROBINSON HAD SHOWN
HIS METTLE TO KEEP HIS SIDE IN CONTENTION.

BUT FORD’S QUALITY SHONE THROUGH AND RHINOS WENT HOME THE HAPPIER DESPITE A
GALLANT SHOWING FROM THE REDS.

SCORERS: TROJANS – ROBINSON 23, WANG 0, NOVELSKAS 10, DICKSON 2, MADDOX 4,
PETRENKO 3.

RHINOS – CHEETHAM 2, BIANCHI 6, PAN 6, FORD 26, CASTLE 0, PETTIT 10, D
KEARSLEY 6, NORTH 0, BEVIS 2, G KEARSLEY 0, BATES 1, TODD 10.

Courtesy of Mike Maddox

TIGERS HAD ENOUGH OF ENOCH IN HOOP-FEST!

ENOCH KOLAWOLE HAD HIS BEST GAME YET FOR TROJANS AS HIS STRONG INSIDE GAME
INSPIRED A MAGNIFICENT AWAY WIN FOR THE FIRST DIVISION’S SECOND PLACED TEAM
AT TAMWORTH’S RAWLETT CENTRE.

TROJANS WON THEGAME 84-65 WITH KOLAWOLE GRABBING 26 POINTS WHILE THE
EBULLIANT WAYNE JONES (PICTURED) ADDED FIVE THREE-POINTERS FROM OUTSIDE IN A
GAME WHICH SAW A TOTAL OF 18 TRIPLES GO THROUGH THE TWO HOOPS.

IT WAS A TIGHT GAME UP TO HALF-TIME WITH TROJANS LEADING 39-33, AND THE
SIDE, COPING WELL WITHOUT THE INJURED RICH ONIONS, ALONG WITH CHRIS JANES
AND DOMINIK GORGOL, BUT THE THIRD QUARTER SAW THE VISITORS PULL AWAY AS
TREVOR ROBINSON CAME ON AND, TOGETHER WITH KOLAWOLE WON THE BATTLE UNDER THE
BASKET AND, AT 63-49 THEY LOOKED COMFORTABLE.

THEY WERE KEEPING LUCA BOLDA QUIET AFTER HIS FLURRY OF TRIPLES EARLIER AND
STRETCHED THEIR ADVANTAGE TO THE BUZZER WHICH SAW THEM TAKE ALL FOUR
QUARTERS AND BE HOME AND DRY WITH SOME TO SPARE.

SCORERS: TIGERS – EVANS 11, STEEL 3, MOSS 2, BISHOP 7, IRVING 12, SOMERS 6,
NICHOLLS 2, BOLDA 17, CARTWRIGHT 5, MORTIBOY 0.

TROJANS – JONES 15, KOLAWOLE 26, ROBERTS 10, ROBINSON 9, LARNER 9, DICKSON
9, MURRAY 6.

Courtesy of Mike Maddox

“Grizzlies could not buy a basket”

Grizzlies’ “horribilis” evening as ben’s boys bounce bears!

An almost unprecedented first quarter saw Trojans 2 leading high-flying JM
Grizzlies 15-0 as the second-placed team in the Warwickshire Basketball
League Division Two visited Hereward College.

And it could have been worse for the ailing Bears, who, during that opening
ten minute spell, lived up to their scientific name – URSUS ARCTOS
HORRIBILIS – and had Trojans’ Kenny Godwin been on form from the free-throw
line as the Coventry side ran the Bears ragged, further points would have
been on the total at the first buzzer.

In fact Grizzlies could not buy a basket as an unusual number of their shots
failed to penetrate the home side’s hoop, that is, until, to a great shout
from the spectators, they finally made it with a Scott Alford free-shot to
get the right-hand side of the scoreboard moving. Then they showed what they
could do, as they thwarted the Trojans’ offense and brought the score to a
more respectable 25-15, before an 11-2 salvo took the half-time totals to
36-17 in favour of the Reds.

Always second best on the night from the first tip, the Warwick side,
without a couple of their starters, struggled to contain the enthusiastic
Trojans who kept up the pressure into the third quarter and beyond to finish
with five players in double-figures, led by Godwin who was in fine form
throughout.

The home side were reminded of the “no-press” rule when they went 25 up, but
even from within their own half, they managed to command the game, despite
stern resistance form the gallant Grizzlies, and with Austin Dickson flying,
they went on another run in the dying minutes, this time a 14-2, with the
hard-fought, but sporting fixture ending on a trio of triples, 2-1 in favour
of Grizzlies as Trojans won it 80-46.

Scorers: Trojans – Zexian 4, Singh 10, Ubavicius 12, Godwin 20, Eales 2,
Baliunas 6, Linnett 14, Dickson 12.

Grizzlies – Z Alford 2, S Alford 10, Gill 13, Aldred 6, Williams 0, Adaway
4, Valente 7, Satchwell 4.

Courtesy of Mike Maddox

TORNADOES 1 MARCH INTO SEMIS AS THIRD TEAM FLATTENED!

It was a the most one-sided game as Coventry Tornadoes 1 mercilessly
hammered their third team to march into the semi-finals of the Warwickshire
Basketball Handicap Cup on the back of a 102-81 victory.

Starting with a 60-0 handicap, the Thirds had no answer to the firsts’ press
and turned the ball over time after time, being almost unable to get over
the half-way line throughout the opening quarter which saw the score
standing at 64-26.

Then, it got worse as they lost the second 32-0 and after the early minutes
of the third , Tornadoes 1 went ahead before closing this ten-minute period
with an 81-70.

They then took their foot off the gas and coasted to a massive win at the
end of a very keenly, but sporting game which brought 24 points for Firsts’
Connor Young (22 in the second half), 21 for Adrian Fonacier and 17 for
Michael Stokes.

GALLANT TROJAN TWOS FALL IN DYING MINUTES – TROJAN THREES GO OUT AT NUNEATON & FIRSTS CALL OFF GAME!

Despite putting in a sterling performance Trojans 2 were knocked out of the
Warwickshire Basketball Handicap Cup by runaway Division One leaders Arden
Griffins who were made to fight before scraping a 108-101 victory at
Hereward College.

the handicap of 50-0 looked to have provided the hosts with a generous
helping as they extended their advantage early doors, before Griffins began
to chip away at the mammoth task ahead of them, and at half-time they were
still not within sight at 76-46.

Kenny Godwin was having his best game of the season for Trojans as he
commanded all of their offenses, but he was out-gunned by Griffins’ Sam
Workman who led the charge as the gap narrowed.

Still 21 up just prior to the end of the third quarter, Trojans were rocked
as Luke Hatfield sank a brace of triples, and when Workman went to the hoop
at the start of the final ten minutes, the home side were falling rapidly.

Griffins lost Hatfield as he collected four fouls in a minute, but the
scores were now locked at 98-98 with the young Trojans blowing. their rivals
showed their old-heads and stayed calm under intense pressure as the boot
switched to the other foot with two minutes left and Griffins went ahead by
one.

Audi Gudleikis was ejected for abuse of the officials and the home heads
went down as Alan Wood downed his fifth three-pointer to open the gap and
give Coach Jack Forrest some breathing space, after which they went into
protection-mode and secured their place in the semi-final.

Workman was magnificent and took the honours with a massive 49 points as
Godwin led for Trojans on 18.

Scorers: Trojans – Singh 3, Gudleikis 13, Ubavicius 0, Godwin 18, Gurung 6,
Eales 2, Wu 2, Linnett 3, Dickson 4.

Griffins – Sanghara 15, Mirza 2, Workman 49, Hatfield 16, Roberts 9, Forrest
0, Wood 17.

Trojans Three were knocked out of the Shield after losing 79-73 to First
Division opponents too, as Nuneaton Predators 1 overcame a 35-point deficit
to clinch victory in the final quarter, with Coach Lloyd Taylor landing 24
points to counter the 18 from Trojans Matty Novelskas.

Trojans first team were forced to call of their quarter-final tie at
Westwood after a player shortage left them with just four fit and available
bodies for the game at the XCEL Centre.

Warwickshire Hawks National League training took priority for two, work
beckoned another and with injury to Richard Onions, Dominik Gorgol abroad
and with Trevor Robinson cup-tied after playing for TH3, the Club had no
other option open to them.

“This is a major disappointment” said Club Secretary Mike Maddox, “for I
know the guys at Westwood were looking forward to defending their 55 point
handicap and our lads were also relishing the challenge. However, there is a
possibility that the game may be re-scheduled for three weeks’ time, but
this is still subject to confirmation by the League.”

Courtesy of Mike Maddox

Tile Hill hat trick

It was WIN, WIN WIN for Tile Hill Trojans as the Second and Third teams inflicted defeat on the visitors to Hereward College with the two clubs going head to head in Division Two. then the first team followed suit at Sidney Stringer School when they beat Warwick china Red 76-55 to make it a hat-trick and maximum points for the reds.

Monday saw Trojans 2 put Tornadoes 3 to the sword 61-33 after the visitors had put on a good show in the first quarter to close 9-12 down. But after the interval it was all one-way as Trojans slammed in a 25-12 period, then followed that up with a 14-0 run which took the teams into the last ten at 53-19, before the game finished with very little activity around the rings.

Top scorers with 16 apiece were Egis Baliunas for Trojans and M Abdelnabi for Tornadoes.

Trojans 3 then enjoyed similar success when they met up with Tornadoes 2 on Thursday, coming out on top 68-55. Both sides were a little short in their line-ups, but Tornadoes had big Ben Clarke who shone throughout the match with his inside game, but including two long-range triples which put his side into the lead after the first quarter on 17-13.

The lead then changed hands several times either side of half-time with the result on a knife-edge and the home side in front at 43-41. Trojans then broke, despite  the efforts of Clarke and Seb Capitani, and the storm were petering out as Matty Novelskas and Iain Maxwell began to run the fast-break with aplomb to bank the points.

Novelskas grabbed 19, Maxwell 18 and Trevor Robinson 16 for Trojans with Clarke on 28 and Capitani 8.

Fielding a much-reduced squad, Trojans 1 managed to get three hard-earned points as they ground down China Red with Chris Janes and Trevor Robinson leading the way on 16 and 18 respectively. it was largely down to a final quarter spurt which brought a 26-13 score in favour of the visitors that killed off the gallant Warwick side and kept Trojans’ faint Championship hopes alive.

Robinson scored 18, Janes 16 and Wayne Jones 12 for the Reds.

Courtesy of Mike Maddox

BASKETBALL CHAIRMAN STEPS DOWN

Long-serving Warwickshire Basketball Chairman Mike Maddox has stepped down from the role and also from the Executive Committee which runs basketball in Coventry and Warwickshire in an attempt to bring younger members into the organisational arena.

Mike has been Chairman since before the end of the last millennium and took charge of the sport locally after previously serving 17 years as President. He was also on the Committee which founded Warwickshire Basketball back in 1971 having taken up playing the game in 1968.

His role back then was Publicity Officer and he has presented basketball reports for The Coventry  Telegraph and local radio at various times since those days, either on behalf of the local scene or through the years when he ran, along with four other local sportsmen Team Fiat who then moved from Coventry to become The Birmingham Bullets in the early 80s.

A successful businessman he left Bullets to concentrate on running his family’s automotive seating business on the death of the founders as they (Callow & Maddox) went on to achieve world-wide acclaim for their quality and service in the leather trim industry, employing over 650 in their factories in Coventry. The business was sold in 1993 and Mike then remained in charge for a further four years, heading up the European arm of parent company Eagle Ottawa Leather Limited before finally leaving the trade in 1997. 

He was then asked to take over the running of Warwickshire Basketball and now, two decades later, feels it is time and an opportune moment for a younger team to take control.

To this end he proposed respected International referee Ian Pursglove as his replacement and with his knowledge and experience of also running the game in the north of England, he was unanimously elected at last week’s Annual General Meeting. Mike said, “Ian is an ideal person to take the game forward locally and we have a great team in place to support him from the resumption. There are plans in place for the development of the sport in both young and senior age groups and for men and ladies too as the group look to attract new blood onto the court.”

Mike’s services will not be lost totally though as he still plays and helps to run Tile Hill Trojans the Club he helped to found in the seventies and also takes weekly Walking Basketball classes for senior players who still wish to take part in the sport and beginner levels for those “young at heart” players who wish to give the game a try.

CHAMPIONS CRASH AT FIRST HURDLE

Warwickshire Basketball League Champions Tile Hill Trojans 1 were unseated as they faced their title rivals Arden Griffins in a foul-ridden opening game of the new season.

Whilst it is too early to see whether or not it will once again be a two-horse race as per last season’s campaign, the odds are that both sides will be fighting it out in the home straight along with Aylesford Hawks possibly the dark-horses in a potential photo-finish. Hawks opened their campaign with a convincing win over newly-promoted Rugby Rage, with a stunning performance from the returning Joel de Lara Bond who showed his side the way with 30 points in a game which Hawks dominated throughout as George Pool added 18.

Tamworth Tigers were quick out of the blocks against Trojans 2 who recovered from a wretched start to get to within seven at the close, despite being 24 down inside the second-half. But the real drama took place at Hereward College where Trojans sprinted into an early lead as Griffins struggled to penetrate the Tile Hill hoop, but the visitors switched their defensive play and Trojans began to force shots. Paul Roberts who hit just under a hundred three-pointers last season was on form again and landed four in the first half as Trojans stumbled and Griffins went in with a 46-36 lead. Some harsh words from player/coach Trevor Robinson seemed to galvanise the home side who hauled it back to 45-48, but then they took the wrong course and Griffins cantered away to lead 63-47 with just one quarter remaining. Scott Owen tried desperately to rally the Reds and they took heed of his drive to get back to 61-69, but just when they needed it, everything caved in for Trojans who lost Ash Dickson and top-scorer Mark Larner as the fouls mounted up, then Austin Dickson rolled an ankle to add to their misery. Griffins saw their opportunity and grabbed it to head off once more and the margin, which had at one time been down to a short-head, ended up with several lengths between the two as the race for the line ended with Griffins on the romp at 77-68. Luke Hatfield (pictured) put in 20 points and Roberts 19 for Griffins with Larner on 17 and Owen 15 for the beaten favourites who now have to remount and go for glory in the remainder of a long season.

In Division Two there were wins for Nuneaton Predators 1 and Trojans 3 who were six down with two minutes of their game against Nuneaton 2 before a flurry of fouls gave them the chance of victory which they took amidst smiles of relief. Coventry Tornadoes, re-entered the league after falling apart mid-way through last term had a scare at Westwood Rhinos where they led by thirteen going into the final quarter, before Rhinos made a super-charge and took a two-point lead thanks to man-of-the-match Jack Ford, but Michael Stokes sealed things for Tornadoes from the foul-line in the last minute in a breath-taking finish.

TROJANS COMPLETE TROPHY HUNT IN STYLE

Tile Hill Trojans added two more trophies to their impressive cabinet as both the Club’s first team and their ladies completed their quest for silverware.

Having dominated the first division for the entire season, Trojans had to make sure they did not slip up when they met Leamington Spartans, and they duly obliged with a superb 95-52 victory which means that Arden Griffins, who are the only side to beat them all season cannot now catch them. Trojans have completed a hat-trick of league titles, and for player/coach Trevor Robinson, it is his eleventh championship win, with him he fully deserving of his place in the Warwickshire Basketball Hall of Fame into which he was inducted a couple of years ago. Robinson has restricted his playing time at the local league’s highest level this season and spends much of his time on the bench, but in turning out for the Club’s thirds he has added his own tenacity to the veteran side’s playing and is top scorer for them on a regular basis. Instead, he has directed his senior team to a cup and league double and will be aiming to make it even better next season.

Against Spartans, Trojans were never going to be out-done, holding the aces in all departments, but the league’s newest side gave their all and were competitive throughout the game in which their hosts scored more or less two to one over the entire playing time. Back to the top of the scoring list was Ash Dickson who landed 23 points, and Trojans, who had a virtual full-strength side, eased to victory, made more emphatic with a 13-2 final three minutes as they knew, by then the trophy was going to stay at the Hereward College-based Club.

Trojans’ ladies (pictured) were in action in the Leicestershire League play-offs. They take part in this central-venue competition only because there are few opportunities for competitive play in this area, and after travelling over throughout the season, they lost in the first round of the tournament but won through to the final of the Plate competition and lifted the trophy at the Leicester Riders’ Arena with an hard-earned 56-38 win over Leicester Warriors, with Jana Bambuchova also taking the Most valuable Player award.