Bradford Dragons’ travelled south on Saturday to record their first ever victory against arch-rivals Hemel Storm, in a high scoring 96-106 victory.

Dragons went into the game on the back of a five game losing streak and with their hopes of reaching the end of season play-offs slowly ebbing away.   However, there is a strong belief within the club that the current crop of players are much better than recent results would suggest and the squad were determined to start repaying the confidence that has been placed in them, by both club and supporters alike.

Bradford just had the edge over their hosts in a tight first quarter, which saw them taking a single point advantage into the first recess (25-26). But, it was in the second period of play that the visiting Dragons did the most damage, adding a further fifteen points to their lead and going back to the locker room much the happier side, at 48-64.

Bradford Dragons’ suffered another defeat on Saturday evening, at the Dragons Den, this time at the hands of Tees Valley Mohawks, 90-95.

It has been a turbulent time for the Dragons in recent weeks, culminating in the loss of both Chris McGrew, who has flown home to America, and Nathan Ashley, who has taken up the option to return to London with Westminster Warriors.  However, the Dragons remained keen to get their season quickly back on track, following last weekend’s defeat in the semi-finals of the National Trophy.

In their first home game for almost a month, it was the Dragons that started the liveliest and they took the first quarter by 25 points to 22. The second period followed pretty much the same script and when the two teams went back to the locker rooms, at the half, Bradford were leading by five points, 44-39.

Neither team really managed to stamp their authority in a closely fought third quarter, which saw the visitors reduce Bradford’s lead to just four points, 67-63, and the game was set up for a tense final period.

Bradford Dragons missed out on the opportunity to reach their first National Trophy Final, losing out to Leicester Warriors, 84-80, in Sunday’s semi-final match-up.  This came hot on the heels of a third straight defeat in the National Basketball League division one, at Team Northumbria on Saturday evening, 88-78.

The Dragons travelled to Leicester having already beaten their hosts in all three of their previous meetings this season and knowing that one more victory against the Warriors would secure them their first ever appearance in a major final.

The Dragons started the game with true Yorkshire grit and determination and, with the score at 15-26 going into the first break, it certainly looked odds on that the 100% record would be maintained.

However, Leicester turned things around in the second quarter and by the time the teams entered the locker rooms, for the half time interval, Bradford were on the wrong side of a two point deficit, 43-41.