The Nottingham Hoods have a real fight on their hands now as they prop up the table with 3 games to play.
Saturday’s game was always going to be a tight affair as the bottom two teams slugged it out, playing for their survival in EBL3. Neither team took control throughout as sluggish defence and poor turnovers kept the visitors in the game. Depsite the return of Siczek and some impressive buzzer beaters from big men Poynton and Dargis, the writing was on the wall as the Hoods runs served only to claw back the deficit.
With 3 seconds to go, Apostolidis hit an and-1 two to give the Hoods a sniff of overtime, but the resulting Hoods rebound from the free-throw was deemed to be illegal and the games was over and the Hoods had lost 71-73.
There are now three games left and three teams in the scrap. On paper, the Hoods have the easiest run in but all the games are agaisnt tough opposition when you are fighting for survival. What money for an end of season showdown at local rivals Derby Trailblazers – winner stays up?
GM Lee English commented, “I am gutted for the guys, they work so hard but get nervous when it is close as they have been beaten by such small margins all season. Tonight’s game was no different, we were the better side, we controlled the tempo, but we let them in at the worst possible moment – story of our season really. We have three games left, if we win all three, we will be fine, but realistically, we need to win the final game away to Derby. The guys will dust themselves down and re-focus and I have every confidence they will do what they have to.”
The next and final Hoods home game of the season is on March 1st with a 6.30pm tip – #believe
