Basketball in association with Game Time & Ravenwood Roofing in Middlesbrough & Teesside (01429 291793)

Middlesbrough College have been overtaken as leaders of the college league by Hartlepool 6th Form Hurricanes who have also completed all fixtures with one more win than Middlesbrough and a record of eight wins and only two losses earning 26pts. Middlesbrough are now 2pts behind but its unlikely for the table to finish this way as teams complete their final fixtures before the 30th April deadline.

Hartlepool have had an impressive season thanks, in no small part, to star player Luke Musgrave who has averaged 29 points per game. The talented guard has also had strong support from the long range shooting of Sam Guerin and the good work inside by Peter Garforth.

Hartlepool and Middlesbrough though can only sit and wait in hope that Queen Elizabeth can slip up. Both teams are aware that the favourites for the title are the Darlington based outfit led by Chris Lyle who currently sit in third place despite being unbeaten, having played only seven games. QE now faces a frantic couple week to organise and fulfil as many remaining fixtures as possible to climb the table. If Coach Lyle can lead his team to two wins out of the three remaining games, the title is theirs.

Stockton Slammers sit in fifth place, which is where they will hope to finish the season, unless Prior Pumas can leap ahead with pts form their remaining games.

Queen Elizabeth maintained pressure on the league leaders with an 84-58 win at Darlington College. The result all but ended Darlington's hopes of lifting the first Tees College League title, although if they win their remaining two fixtures, they will be in a better position than Middlesbrough and have to hope QE fail to fulfil theirs. Kyle Smith of Darlington was the games leading scorer when the two Darlington titans met and he had good support from Mark Williams on 21, but after this the next highest scorer was 4pts whereas QE had Dan Halford, Richard Summerbell and Sam Morgan on 25, 21 & 17pts respectively and the three main scorers proved too much for a deflated Darlington.

English Martyrs gained their first win of the season with a 42-41 victory over Macmillan Academy. The game had been played earlier in the season and will provide a boost to the Hartlepool side, who are still in development.