Hoods torched by Dragons in first defeat of the season.
After a comfortable win against Liverpool at home, the Hoods welcomed the Yorkshire Dragons into their very own nest at Mapperley.
The first quarter was far from comfortable for both sides. It was a tight and cagey affair with the Hoods opening the scoring, drawing first blood with a corner three from Bailey. It didn’t take long for the Dragons to bite back and a back and forth contest ensued. Neither team showed any signs of letting up. Both sides displayed incredible grit and determination. Chris Moore especially stood out with his play in transition as well as Elliot Bailey’s enforcement in the paint. Despite this, it was the Dragon’s poise and determination on the boards that saw them edge the quarter out by a point.
Yorkshire sought to increase this advantage in the second quarter with a more organised style of play in the half court. A huge block by Cam Polak saw a pause in the Dragon’s momentum as Chris Moore torched Yorkshire’s defences from three for two straight possessions. The Hoods’ guile continued into the early periods of the third despite trailing. Akano led in assists with 5 at the half. Richard’s defensive efforts resulted in a few crucial points in transition. Cam (Kahn) and Chris Moore led the team offensively until Jordan Jefferson and Jackson Dudek regained Yorkshire’s head of steam, recording the biggest lead in the game with 52-62.
Yorkshire went on to dominate the fourth period with Jefferson continuing to pile on the pressure, scorching the scoreboard from the arc as he had been doing all game. The Hoods seemingly ebbed away from the contest with each possession. Frustration caused poor communication which ultimately saw the game completely slip away.
Reflecting on the loss, Captain Bailey had this to say to his teammates as they look to the next stop in the BCB Trophy:
“Pick each other up, have some patience, trust each other, play for each other.”
Hopefully these words stick with the players as they head on the road for the first time this season to face Newcastle. The game will tip off at 2pm today. Catch the action live on the BCB YouTube page.
