Blog Archives

Frustrating Day at the Office for Dragons

27/10/2019

Bradford Dragons fall to 1-4 on the season after a lacklustre 94-82 defeat against Liverpool in NBL Division One. The Dragons struggled for fluidity on either end of the floor, trailing from wire to wire in a performance that never really got going.

Turnovers and the resulting transition buckets killed the hosts all evening long. Any momentum that was gained from a string of defensive stops was quickly negated with an unforced turnover and poor defensive transition.

Like so often this season, the Dragons got off to a slow start on Matchday 5. The visitors had built up a 17-9 lead with 3:27 left in the first quarter with the hosts struggling to knock down jump shots early on.
Dragons responded positively though, as Rafi Saipe and Matt Armstrong knocked down back to back threes, in a much-needed offensive run. The lead was down to four.

However, that bright spell was short-lived, and the visitors answered with a game-high, scoring run that blew their lead open to 11 points (26-15). The Dragons headed into the second quarter trailing after a fifth consecutive first quarter this season.

Liverpool for all of the Dragons struggles wasn’t capable of pulling away from their opponents. Never leading by more than nine points in the second, the Dragons Den had a sense of anticipation hovering over it, as the home faithful awaited a Bradford run.

Reminiscent of last weekend, the hosts did surge, and it was Dave Walsh whose sharpshooting clawed his team back into the game. Walsh produced an 11-4 run of his own, knocking down three treys that had the big crowd roaring in satisfaction. All of a sudden, we had a one-point game.

Frustratingly for Coach Mellor, that hard work was quickly undone. Transition buckets were a thorn in the Dragons defence all game. Holding a 23-9 fast break advantage on the evening, it was a flurry of fast-break sequences to end the half, that handed Liverpool a 53-46 lead at the interval.

Third quarters have become something of a specialty for the Bradford Dragons this season. True to early season form, the Dragons shaded a low scoring third period 15-13. Seven turnovers in the quarter prevented the hosts from taking advantage though.

Agonising defeat for Dragons as second-half resurgence falls short

21/10/2019

Bradford Dragons roared back from a 25-point first-half deficit but were dealt a cruel blow late on as they fell to an 82-77 defeat against the Loughborough Riders.

The game was a tale of two halves for Dragons who put on show all their grit and resolve in a second-half performance that almost produced a remarkable comeback, outscoring the Riders 47-28 in the final 20 minutes of the game.

The Dragons came into Saturday evening’s game looking to consolidate last weekend’s win over the Essex and Herts Leopards. Whilst their 2-1 counterparts from the East Midlands travelled to Bradford looking to avenge a heavy first defeat of the season at the Reading Rockets on Matchday 3.

First quarters have been something of an Achilles heel for the Dragons this season, and so it proved once more against the Riders. In all four games to start the NBL Division One season, Bradford has trailed heading into the second quarter.

Riders danger man Rasheed Worrell opened the games scoring with a layup inside the opening 30 seconds. Dragons responded instantaneously from a Ricky Fetske three, with the American putting the hosts in the lead for the first and only time in the entire game.

Dragons Roar to Victory in Home Opener

15/10/2019

Bradford Dragons secured a first NBL Division One win of the season with an 86-77 comeback victory over the Essex and Herts Leopards.

A tenacious second-half defensive display was the catalyst for a victorious Dragons revival.

Both teams headed into Saturday evening’s contest looking to eradicate 0-2 starts to the season.
Getting off to notoriously slow starts in the opening two games of the season, surprisingly, it was the Leopards who started much the better of the two teams this time around.

The Dragons Jermayne Laing opened the scoring for a much-changed Bradford starting five which consisted of Dave Walsh, Laing, Allie Fullah, Albert Margai, and Rafi Saipe.

Leopards talisman Hafeez Abdul came out the blocks red hot, knocking down his first three threes as the visitors opened up a 19-10 lead within the opening five minutes of the game.

By the time the buzzer had sounded for the end of the first quarter, the visitors had fired in six threes to stun the home faithful.

Rihards Šulcs provided a spark off the bench for the hosts, keeping the Dragons in touch with their electric counterparts. Scoring a quick four points and securing the first of five steals on the evening.

SPONSOR A PLAYER OR COACH!

11/10/2019

We are offering you the opportunity to show your support for your favourite Dragons' player or coach, by sponsoring them throughout the 2019/20 season.

Sponsorships can be purchased by individuals or companies and start from just £25 for the season.
The following sponsorship packages are available:

Players

£100 per player, or
£25 for match shirt
£25 for match shorts
£25 for warm up top
£25 for training top

Coaches

£100 each

In return you will have your name or company logo displayed on our club website and in out Match Day Programmes. You will also be entitled to a signed photograph of you and your player/coach, taken by our club photographer at one of our home games.

Please contact us at info@bradforddragons.co.uk to arrange your sponsorship.

Bradford Dragons fall to a second successive narrow defeat

7/10/2019

by Tom Lamming (Student Press Officer)

Bradford Dragons succumbed to a second defeat in as many games with a 72-66 loss at the Leicester Warriors.

Matchday 2 of the NBL Division 1 pitted two teams looking to bounce back from close losses on the opening weekend of the season. The Warriors fell to a 91-90 defeat at the hands of the Derby Trailblazers last time out.

In the absence of captain Ricky Fetske, the Dragons made one change to the starting line-up from last weekend, with Rafi Saipe replacing the American in the starting five.

In a tightly contested affair that went wire to wire, the opening score of the game came from the Warriors Lamin Willian.

Looking for a faster start to proceedings than last week, the visitors went shot for shot with the Warriors in the first quarter.

Dragons newest addition Kehinde (Kenny) Ogunneye stepped onto the hardwood to make his debut, six minutes into the opening period.

Making his mark almost instantaneously, Kenny slammed home a dunk just seconds after entering the game, pulling the visitors within one.

Two threes from Saipe and Dave Walsh rounded out the quarter for the visitors. With the Dragons heading into the second quarter down 18-12.

The opening minutes of the second period followed a similar pattern to the first, as neither team was able to create significant separation from their counterparts.

The Warriors opened up a six-point lead but that was quickly smothered by a resolute Dragons run.

A ten-point run courtesy of a Walsh and Andreas Lycoudis tandem brought the visitors roaring back into the game. The run was rounded off when Rihards Šulcs fired the Dragons into the lead for the first time in the game, with a two-point jump shot.

Bradford were quickly met with a stern and emphatic response from their hosts. The Warriors undeterred, proceeded to go on a nine-point run, firing them back into the ascendency.