​The hosts came into the game at 1-3 on the season. With the Dragons one of four unbeaten sides in Division One at 2-0, they looked to maintain a perfect start to the season. 

0Captain Ricky Fetske opened the scoring with a three on the first offensive possession of the game. Dragons looked to have settled well on both sides of the ball as they held the Hoods to just two points in the opening four-and-a-half minutes of action.

Showing no signs of fatigue from the journey, the Dragons burst into an early 17-5 lead as the hosts struggled to get anything going offensively. 

Dragons captain Ricky Fetske notched the visitor’s first six points before five Dragons also got in on the action. Tyme Regent-Bascombe (sponsored by Five Wealth, Independent Wealth Management), Rihards Šulcs, Dave Walsh, and Andreas Lycoudis all scored before a Uche Umekwe layup handed the Dragons a 12-point lead with just over two-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening period. 

​Despite another difficult shooting afternoon, the Dragons produced a dominant performance on the boards to springboard them to a thoroughly deserved victory. More on that to come. 

Without games on consecutive weekends since the middle of October, Dragons looked like a team still fighting to get back into rhythm, in the first quarter of their league opener. 

Dragons were taking care of the ball and generating good looks; however, shots simply weren’t falling in the opening period. 

Dave Walsh led the Dragons with five first quarter points, but the play of the first quarter came right at the end of the quarter when Ricky Fetske followed an Albert Margai miss with a ferocious put-back dunk to beat the buzzer. 

Tied at 17 after the first period, Dragons began to kick into gear in the second quarter and never looked back. 

Showing all their experience, Margai and Fetske took the game by the scruff of the neck and catapulted the Dragons into the ascendency. 

Fetske poured in 12 points with Margai adding 8 points of his own in the second period. Dragons closed the half in style, going on an 8-2 run to finish the quarter. 

Tyme Regent-Bascombe (sponsored by Five Wealth, Independent Wealth Management) started the run with a layup off a Margai feed. Regent-Bascombe then turned provider, finding the red-hot New Jersey native Ricky Fetske, who fired home a second three of the quarter to extend the visitors lead to 42-35. 

by Tom Lamming (Student Press Officer)

Bradford Dragons succumbed to a frustrating 84-81 defeat at the hands of long-time Division One rivals Derby Trailblazers in the Dragons final group game of the L Lynch Trophy on Saturday afternoon. 

The Dragons returned to competitive action for the first time in almost a month after various postponements due to COVID. Hoping to stay perfect in group play and secure qualification for the knockout stages, Dragons faced off against a Trailblazers side that was also unbeaten after a 110-81 victory over Newcastle last weekend. 

Perhaps somewhat bizarrely, Dragons were the designated home team for the game, played at the home of the Nottingham Wildcats (the temporary home of the Derby Trailblazers).

​​Looking to build on back-to-back wins to start the season, Dragons began like a team that didn’t quite have their legs under them. Struggling to hit jumpers early on, the hosts got their first six points from layups, but the Trailblazers soon capitalized on the early offensive slump. 

Breaking into a 13-6 lead at the half-way mark of the opening period, Jacob Conway and Malcolm Smith combined for 12 of Derby’s 13 points. 

Rather than continuing to settle for jump shots, Coach Mellor’s team looked to be more aggressive, driving into the paint looking to score or get to the free-throw line. The Dragons did just that as they got to the line six times, converting five of those. 

​Bradford Dragons made it two wins from two to start the season, in a low scoring 74-71 win over Division Two side Myerscough Academy. 

The Dragons hold a commanding position in Group Four heading into next weekend’s final group game against fellow Division One rivals Derby Trailblazers. With the top two from each group advancing to the quarterfinals, Dragons will look to secure a third straight win on their way to the next stage. 

Back to today’s action, in a less than vintage Dragons performance, Chris Mellor’s team showed all of their experience down the stretch as they ground out a clutch victory in the Myerscough bubble. 

In a game of runs and turnovers, the first quarter was the tightest period of the entire game as both teams felt out their opposition in a high-octane opener. Myerscough got the scoring underway through a Dan Gargan layup. Dragons captain Ricky Fetske responded with a three; the first of many buckets for him in the game. 

Andreas Lycoudis provided a nice offensive burst in the first quarter, leading the Dragons scoring with 8 early points (two threes) as they led 17-16 after 12 minutes. 

Forcing two successive shot clock violations on Myerscough to start the second quarter, the Dragons looked primed to insert their will on the game as they extended their lead to 21-16. 

Bradford Dragons secured a comfortable 84-59 victory over Team Newcastle in weekend one of the inaugural L Lynch trophy. 

The newly implemented trophy pits 16 teams, 14 from NBL Division One, and two invited teams from NBL Division Two (Myerscough and Charnwood) against each other. Competing in four regional groups of four, each team play’s each other once with the top two in each group heading to the quarterfinals. The Dragons are joined in Group D by Division Two champions Team Newcastle, Derby Trailblazers, and hosts Myerscough. 

In their first game of competitive action since March 8th, 2020, the Dragons controlled proceedings from start to finish in the Myerscough bubble. Facing off against newly promoted Team Newcastle, Dragons showed no signs of rust in a game they never allowed Newcastle to get comfortable in. 

To kick off the 2020-21 season, the Dragons starting five was Dave Walsh, Andreas Lycoudis, Jermayne Laing, Albert Margai, and recent addition Tyme Regent-Bascombe. Regent-Bascombe didn’t take long to score his first points in Dragons colours as he knocked down a two-point jumper on the first offensive possession of the game. 

Despite never being able to break into more than a six-point lead in the opening period, Dragons looked thoroughly in control throughout. Looking to push the ball with pace, Coach Mellor’s team was dictating play from the tip with Laing and Regent-Bascombe heavily involved on the offensive end. ​

​If you’ve been checking out our social media channels over the last week, you will have seen the announcements of some very familiar faces returning to the Dragons roster for the new season. If not, don’t worry, here is everything you missed.

• Dragons stalwart Rihards Sulcs returns for a 12th consecutive season.
• Captain Ricky Fetske is back for a seventh season in Dragons colours.
• Local favourite Jermayne Laing is back for season number eight.
• Sharp shooting ace Dave Walsh returns for a second season.
• Andreas Lycoudis commits to a third season with your Bradford Dragons.
• Matthew Armstrong returns for a third season with the Dragons.
• Clayfell Harris returns to the Dragons Den for another season.
• Point guard Albert Margai returns for a second season with the Dragons

​To stay up to date with all future Dragons roster announcements and news throughout the season, make sure to follow all the Dragons social media channels.
 
Facebook: @bradforddragons :: Twitter: @DragonsBradford ::  Instagram: @bradforddragonsbasketball

SEASON STRUCTURE

On August 26, Basketball England announced the provisional dates of a return to competitive action for your Bradford Dragons. NBL Division One play for the 2020/2021 season is scheduled to begin on the weekend of the 24/25 October. Basketball England also confirmed that if the season is able to proceed as normal, the NBL Playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 24/25, 2021.
 
Following a meeting of Basketball England’s Leagues and Competitions Advisory Group, it was decided that there would be no promotion and relegation between any of the National Basketball divisions following the 2020/21 season. After hearing feedback from clubs across the senior and junior leagues, the decision was made to mitigate the challenges caused by COVID.
 
The newly created Challenge Cup for NBL Division One teams will be played across three weekends, the 3/4, 10/11, and 17/18 October and will serve as a trial for the upcoming season. Further details on the competition will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
Following discussions between Basketball England’s Leagues and Competitions Advisory Group and the working groups for the NBL Division One and WNBL Division One it was announced that the prestigious National Cup will not take place in the 2020/21 season. Basketball England announced on September 10 that the move aims to help avoid potential fixture congestion later in the season.

RETURN TO PLAY ROADMAP
​
Despite Bradford currently being under local lockdown for COVID, Basketball England in accordance with government guidance, has updated all areas to Level 2 on their Return to Play Roadmap. Previously Bradford was placed at Level 4 in July, the guidance allowed only individual training sessions with a member of your household and no club training sessions.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DRAGONS DEN 
​
​Following COVID guidance out of the Dragons control, the Bradford Dragons will start the 2020/21 season playing out of Bradford University until at least January. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Dragons will be playing their home games away from Bradford College for the first time since 2008.

Everyone at the Bradford Dragons is looking forward to safely welcoming the Dragons faithful back to games. Keep tuned across our website and social media

Basketball England has taken the decision to suspend all affiliated basketball activity for an initial two-week period because of the coronavirus outbreak.

This action will include National Leagues and competitions, England national teams, Academy leagues, talent programmes including Aspire, affiliated local leagues and Basketball England education courses.
The suspension of all activity will commence from 9am on Saturday, March 14.
We recommend this extends to clubs' practices.  :: READ MORE ::