On the back of four straight defeats, Bradford Dragons got back to winning ways, in spectacular style, with a thirty-point victory (84-114) away to Hemel Storm on Saturday evening.
Following their best start to a division one campaign, with six straight wins across all competitions, Chris Mellor’s team had suffered losses against Derby Trailblazers, Worthing Thunder (twice) and Reading Rockets over the previous two weekends. However, despite the loss of Drexler Clark and Joaquin Calvo to injury, the Bradford side travelled to Hertfordshire determined to get their season back on track.
It was, though, the home side that made the better start to the game, taking an early four-point lead, with baskets from Tom Adorian and Bode Adeluola.
Following their best start to a division one campaign, with six straight wins across all competitions, Chris Mellor’s team had suffered losses against Derby Trailblazers, Worthing Thunder (twice) and Reading Rockets over the previous two weekends. However, despite the loss of Drexler Clark and Joaquin Calvo to injury, the Bradford side travelled to Hertfordshire determined to get their season back on track.
It was, though, the home side that made the better start to the game, taking an early four-point lead, with baskets from Tom Adorian and Bode Adeluola.
| At the other end of the court, Adeluola infringed upon an Andreas Lycoudis attempt, giving the Bradford number seven two shots from the free throw line. Lycoudis sank them both, triggering an unanswered ten-point scoring run for the Dragons. Levi Noel and Blayne Freckleton pulled the hosts back to within two, but then a two-point jump shop from Jermayne Laing, followed by a long distance three from Lycoudis extended the Dragons lead further. By the time the buzzer signalled the end of the opening period, the Dragons held a commanding fourteen-point lead (17-31). Ricky Fetske opened the second quarter with a two and, although that was cancelled out by another two from Noel, the hosts had little resistance to the Bradford offence. Contributions at both ends of the court, from each of the Bradford pack sent them into the half-time recess twenty-three points clear (34-57). |  |
The Dragons were in no mood to relax after the break and quickly extended their lead, through Rafi Saipe and Fetske. However, with little over three minutes of the second half played the game took a terrible twist.
The Storm’s Ian Berry saw his three-point attempt bounce back off the rim and as Andreas Lycoudis picked up the defensive rebound, he was fouled by Will Ashby. It was Ashby though that suffered most as a result of the challenge and play was suspended, for almost an hour, whilst he received medical attention on court. When the game eventually resumed, the Storm player was on his way to hospital with a dislocated elbow.
The loss of their teammate seemed to provide extra motivation for the home side, who responded with baskets from Jamie Hates and Leon Henry. Yet, they still couldn’t extinguish the Dragons fire and the penultimate period ended with the Bradford side holding an unassailable thirty-four-point advantage (55-89).
With the game all but over, the Dragons could be excused for easing off the gas in the final period, whilst Hemel saved some of their best basketball for the final ten minutes. However, they didn’t have enough in their tank to make significant inroads into the deficit and the Dragons took the win, 84-114.
Lycoudis and Laing were on fire for the Dragons, shooting 25 and 22 points respectively, whilst Rafi Saipe also impressed with 19 points. Fetske (18 points/11 rebounds) and Rihards Šulcs (17 points/10 rebounds) both registered double-doubles for Bradford.
For the Storm, Noel hit 22 points to head up their attempts with Adorian (12 points) and Leome Francis (10 points) also achieving double figures.
The Storm’s Ian Berry saw his three-point attempt bounce back off the rim and as Andreas Lycoudis picked up the defensive rebound, he was fouled by Will Ashby. It was Ashby though that suffered most as a result of the challenge and play was suspended, for almost an hour, whilst he received medical attention on court. When the game eventually resumed, the Storm player was on his way to hospital with a dislocated elbow.
The loss of their teammate seemed to provide extra motivation for the home side, who responded with baskets from Jamie Hates and Leon Henry. Yet, they still couldn’t extinguish the Dragons fire and the penultimate period ended with the Bradford side holding an unassailable thirty-four-point advantage (55-89).
With the game all but over, the Dragons could be excused for easing off the gas in the final period, whilst Hemel saved some of their best basketball for the final ten minutes. However, they didn’t have enough in their tank to make significant inroads into the deficit and the Dragons took the win, 84-114.
Lycoudis and Laing were on fire for the Dragons, shooting 25 and 22 points respectively, whilst Rafi Saipe also impressed with 19 points. Fetske (18 points/11 rebounds) and Rihards Šulcs (17 points/10 rebounds) both registered double-doubles for Bradford.
For the Storm, Noel hit 22 points to head up their attempts with Adorian (12 points) and Leome Francis (10 points) also achieving double figures.
 | A jubilant Chris Mellor said after the game, “We played very well, with big contributions from all seven players. The starters all shot the ball well and Allie (Fullah) and Matthew (Armstrong) gave us great minutes off the bench. “It’s nice to get back on track after some disappointing results lately.” Mellor’s side travel to Leicester Warriors for an afternoon (3pm) tip-off next Saturday before the action returns to the Dragons Den the following week, when Team Newcastle University provide the opposition. With both these teams being in the lower half of the division one table, the Dragons will be hopeful of adding a couple more wins to the board. It was also a busy weekend for the Bradford Dragons junior teams, with all three age groups travelling to away fixtures. |
On Saturday, the under 18s visited JLC Scunthorpe Wolves, where they took the win, 63-75.
The following Day the under 16s made the long road journey to City of Ediburgh. Coach Pawal Bohdziewicz took a brave decision to enter this age category into the Northern Premier division of the National Basketball League for this season, however his young charges have struggled to make the step up, This game was no exception, falling to twenty-point loss (79-59).
Things were brighter for the under 14s, who recorded their first win of the season (50-69), against City of Leeds, at the Leeds Beckett University Sports Arena.
Photographs © Alex Daniel Photography
The following Day the under 16s made the long road journey to City of Ediburgh. Coach Pawal Bohdziewicz took a brave decision to enter this age category into the Northern Premier division of the National Basketball League for this season, however his young charges have struggled to make the step up, This game was no exception, falling to twenty-point loss (79-59).
Things were brighter for the under 14s, who recorded their first win of the season (50-69), against City of Leeds, at the Leeds Beckett University Sports Arena.
Photographs © Alex Daniel Photography
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