Basketball: Durham League

Middlesbrough Mavericks were lumbered with the 'always the bridesmaid and never the bride' tag last season after finishing as runners-up to Middlesbrough College Academy in all three of the premier mens' competitions, so they set out to try to prevent a repeat of that with albeit a rather scrappy 72-66 win over division one newcomers Willington Wasps.

Andy Reid gave Mavericks the better start, but it was Wasps who finished the first quarter the stronger at 18-15 thanks to baskets from Sam and Ben Scorer and Luke Somerville. Mavericks turned up the heat at the start of the second quarter. Marek Pawlak ignited the fuse with seven points in a row, Paul Connery and Phil McCarthy then added baskets to put the Teessiders 28-20 up. Wasps had recovered to 31-26 by the break, but the jump-ball to start the second half signalled a surge which gave Mavericks control. This time Andy Buchanan was the catalyst. He and Pawlak were at the heart of a 17-3 surge which all but secured the game at 48-32. Wasps refused to roll over though and baskets from the two Scorers and Chris Rennison-Rae won them the final quarter at 27-16. But it was too little and too late.

Pawlak topped Middlesbrough Mavericks scoring with 27 points, Buchanan also hit double figures with 13. Ben and Sam Scorer collected 18 and 14 points each for Willington Wasps.

Nissan opened their 2002-2003 division one campaign with a 70-59 success from their clash with last season's second division champions and newly promoted Belmont Reds.

Three-quarters of the contest was even but halting as both teams struggled to blow away the cobwebs. The first ten minutes scored 12-12, the interval passed at 29-28 and as the third quarter finished the sides were locked together at 48-48. Only in the last quarter did the game come alive. Belmont led 51-48 after two minutes when a time-out suddenly sparked Nissan into life. Lee Davie and Gary Simpson, both playing against their old club, hit the shots and Nissan led 54-51. Bill Spragg and Barry Fenwick picked up on their lead and a 13-5 phase in the middle of the quarter finally put the game to bed.

Davie led the scoring for Nissan with 24 points, Spragg and Simpson gave him good support with 18 and 12. Best for Belmont Reds were Simon Whittaker and Graham who netted 12 points apiece.

Trimdon Community College Association strengthened their team during the summer by signing Jamie Paul and Martyn Longstaff and even though the second division season is only a week old, they already seem to have their name pencilled in on the league trophy after a superb 108-88 start at home to Consett Steelers. Trimdon won thanks to the dominance of the boards which Paul, Longstaff and Lee Norton gave them. The first quarter was even until a switch to full court press by Trimdon gave them a 32-24 cushion as the ten minutes ended. Excellent outside shooting from Norton, back up by great rebounding saw them charge away during the second quarter to take the break 71-39 up and out of sight. Matthew Patterson led a Steelers fight-back at the start of the second half, but when he needed support it was not there and Trimdon were able to run their bench throughout without ever being troubled.

Five players shared almost all of the Trimdon CCA points; Norton (34), Paul (24), Longstaff (20), Ian Harrison (12) and Wayne Oliver (12). Patterson amassed a brilliant 51 points for Consett Steelers.

Trimdon have gained players at the expense of East Durham and Houghall College A and as a result the Peterlee side have dropped down to division two. They did however open their campaign with a 73-55 success against second division newcomers Durham Saints.

Andrew Bains and Malcolm Johnson gave College a cracking start and they led 16-5 after only five minutes. A time-out and the interval between the opening two quarters allowed Saints to recover and Colin Lishman, new signing Craig Sowerby, and Phil Bailey all hit baskets to give Saints the lead at 29-28 with eight minutes of the second quarter gone. The jump-ball which started the second half signalled new resolve from College and John Harding and Mark Vickers combined to give them a 18-8 quarter and match control at 53-43 with ten minutes left. College were now back on track and a 20-12 final quarter was grist to the mill.

Five players finished in double figures for East Durham; Johnson (14), David Wylie (14), Vickers (13), Harding (13) and Bains (10). Lishman and Bailey got double figure scores for Durham Saints with 19 and 12 each.

Specsavers Wear Valley Wolves are also new to the second division and they made a good start to the new season with a 80-59 win at home to Old Houghtonians.

Ten points without reply gave Wolves the first break at 29-16 after fourteen minutes of the contest. Kris Nell and Anthony Burdis were always dangerous for the visitors, but when Sam Attah, Craig Dawson and Ian Stringer all scored points in a 15-6 surge during the first five minutes of the second half Wolves had effectively blow down the Houghtonian house at 51-32.

Sam Attah was in great form for Wear Valley Wolves with 35, as Dawson and Stringer added 16 and 13. Burdis grabbed 31 of his own for Old Houghtonians as Nell hit 15.

There was a certain irony in the final division two match of the week as the veteran's of Shildon Strollers, average age pushing 50, lined up against the youth of Middlesbrough College Academy B, average age of 17. Strollers had the strength and experience to shut out College to win 61-37. Academy opened the scoring with a Jonathan Osborne three-point basket, but the early exchanges were slow going and the first quarter finished even at 11-10 to the Middlesbrough side. Mal Ballard and Dave Elderkin shared the scoring for Strollers during a second quarter which netted them a 25-19 lead. Academy did hit back to trail 28-26 before Strollers finally cranked up the engine to reach the last break 38-29 to the good. The last quarter was one way traffic as Steve Pattinson and Terry Fell took them charge. Points were well spread through both teams, although Pattinson and Meek finished with 14 and 13 for Strollers and Academy respectively.

Durham League Results: Division One : Middlesbrough Mavericks 72 Willington Wasps 66 ; Nissan 70 Belmont Reds 59 . Division Two : East Durham and Houghall College A 73 Durham Saints 55 ; Wear Valley Wolves 80 Old Houghtonians 59 ; Shildon Strollers 60 Middlesbrough College Academy B 37 ; Trimdon Community College Association 108 Consett Steelers 88 . Division Three : Belmont 64 Young Houghtonians 22 ; Wear Valley Warriors 78 Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics B 55 ; Teesside Huskies B 63 East Durham and Houghall College B 77 .