COVENTRY CRUSADERS 84 DURHAM WILDCATS 85
NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
By Adam Manning
That familiar sinking feeling returned to the Coventry Sports Centre late Saturday night as Roger Payne's men reflected on what might have been after the 84-85 National League home defeat to Durham Wildcats.
Coventry looked favourites for victory up until four minutes from time at 78-72 having maintained the lead since the start of the third, before Wildcats forward Stephen Jones was gifted what would prove to be four decisive points from two phases of inaccurate passing from Crusaders guards Robin Hall and Roy Owen.
Owen almost made amends for his mistake with one second left when he danced his way through Durham's defence, only for his effort to hit the rim and bounce away along with Coventry's hopes of a third successive victory for the first time since February 2009.
Casey Crawford starred again for Coventry as he nailed 33 points, top scoring in his seventh successive game for his side.
The first quarter was an unsettled affair as neither side could muster an assailable lead. The game started in emphatic fashion as Durham's Paul Elderkin, who top scored 26, slam dunked after pouncing on a misplaced pass from Roy Owen trying to find Siman Stewart in Wildcats' back court.
Crusaders soon found their feet though and showed off some slick inside plays to match Durham's perimeter threat. First on hand was Crawford waiting in the hole to finish off some quick interchanging between Michael Gayle and Stewart, before Owen ran on the scene to tee up Stewart under the hoop to draw the scores at 8-8.
Coventry took a short-lived lead as captain Gayle played architect, being alert to firstly dispossess Elderkin to take the scores to 12-11 before setting up Stewart for an extra two points.
Elderkin continued to be a pain for Crusaders' defence as he nailed another three points before he lost his marker with 0:15 on the clock for another field goal to undo the good work by Robin Hall that allowed Crawford to draw the scores level at 18-18. The first quarter finished 18-20.
Crusaders guard Jack McDonald made the most of his free throws at the start of the second as he helped his side back into the lead to make it 24-22. He nailed four points after he was fouled upon execution by Chris Pearce, before captain Gayle was alert yet again to intercept Kevin Bulger and set up McDonald who was adjudged to have been impeded by Durham's defence for the second time.
Durham responded with a vengeance and went on an 8 point run to lead 28-34. On display was some accurate perimeter shooting from the middle of the floor as Bulger took advantage of Coventry's static defence. Not pleased with what he was seeing, head coach Roger Payne called a time out with 4:35 on the clock to hand out the hairdryer treatment.
That team-talk, coupled with the reintroduction of Crawford worked wonders as the American teamed up well with Leigh Cascoe to score three unanswered lay-ups as Coventry racked up a 12 point run to set the scores at 40-34.
The first half ended with fluent attacking play by Coventry as captain Gayle launched the ball over to Owen deep on the left hand side of Durham's court for the former Worcester Wolves youngster to glide to the hoop for two. Not to be outdone, Durham hit back instantly with a three-pointer from Elderkin to go into half time at 44-39.
The third began with Wildcats momentarily overturning the five point deficit within two minutes after piling the pressure on the boards. Paul Nelson turned Crawford in the hole for two, before he executed another two after being sent on his way by Elderkin who also got in on the act.
Durham showed signs of ill-discipline as they conceded two fouls on Pierre Henry-Fontaine and Crawford that yielded three points for the home side. But Elderkin was there yet again to pop up with a perimeter shot to keep Wildcats on Coventry's Coat tails at 51-50.
The game was turning into a scrappy affair as Crusaders forward Damilola Fakunle and Graham Pope found themselves scrapping for the ball on the floor, before McDonald was set free down the left to draw the foul odd Elderkin and execute another two points for Coventry to give themselves breathing space at 63-58.
Crusaders headed into the final quarter with a slim 65-63 lead, yet excelled under the pressure to build a nine point advantage which included one of the plays of the game. Gayle sent the ball out to Hall on the right wing who laid the ball into the run of the unmarked Fakunle, and the former Edmonton Storm forward kept his cool at the basket to finish it off.
Durham grew back into the game though as Nelson and Elderkin nailed 3-pointers despite Coventry showing imagination on the inside as Henry-Fontaine bustled his way past Michael Davies and Graham Pope down the left channel to tee-up Stewart.
Durham grasped the initiative when Hall's throw in from a set play went over his team mates to let in Stephen Jones, whose deep shooting had been a thorn in Coventry's right wing for much of the second half, to nail two points and draw a foul for the extra point to level the scores at 78-78.
Fakunle did his best to help Coventry to victory with a two points of his own, as well as trying to cut out composed build-up play by the northerners. But as Coventry looked for the killer points as they trailed 82-83 after Crawford fouled Elderkin during his two point execution, Owen's central pass to Henry-Fontaine caught him flat-footed, and Jones nipped in to extend Durham's late lead to 82-85 with 0:56 on the clock.
Owen quick replied by nailing a three pointer to bring it back to 84-85 which prompted a time out as coach Payne discussed a way to snatch the game back in their favour with five seconds left.
Crusaders went close as Owen went solo, and almost broke down Durham down but his shot was too wide as it hit the rim and bounced out of play to leave Coventry bottom of National League Division One from a 3-8 record.
Crusaders return to the Coventry Sports & Leisure Centre next Saturday at 7:30pm when they host National League Division One leaders Bristol Academy Flyers who have lost just one in twelve this season.
Attendance: 50
Top scorers:
Coventry: Crawford 33; Stewart 13; Fakunle 11
Durham: Elderkin 26; Nelson 17; Bulger 9