Steve Butler says his Tees Valley Mohawks can still hold their heads high after battling bravely against Reading Rockets
Karen Brown
Jorge Ebanks in action for Tees Valley Mohawks
Their winning streak came to an end, but coach Steve Butler says his Tees Valley Mohawks can still hold their heads high.
Their trip to reigning EBL National League Division One champions and National Cup winners Reading Rockets was always going to be tough.
The absence of Ike Attah and Acho Anyigbo struggling with flu made it even tougher.
But Butler’s men battled bravely and pushed their hosts all the way before going down 100-90.
The sides slugged it out in the first quarter which saw Reading take a slender 22-20 lead with captain Jorge Ebanks and in-form Jerome Narcisse doing most of the damage for the Mohawks.
Anyigbo played the first four minutes of the quarter but then had to sit out the rest of the half as his body wasn’t up for the demanding test.
Reading star man Josh Wilcher found his range but with Alex Greven doing the same at the other end of the court, Mohawks went into the locker room just four points adrift.
The third quarter was a strange affair as Reading battled but committed a number of fouls.
Mohawks seized the moment and went into the lead at 61-60.
They were playing some great basketball but just as it looked like they were taking over the game, Reading stepped up and finished the quarter strongly to lead by five points.
The Rockets started the final session brightly with 11 unanswered points, leaving the Mohawks 16 down within minutes of the start.
A few choice words from the coach refocused the Mohawks and a good run saw the lead cut to five points.
But that was as close as it got as Reading hit the pressure-free throws to win by 10 points.
“I’m really proud of the guys to keep battling,” said Butler. “Reading are a great team but we had them beaten.
“If some decisions had gone our way we know that result was ours for the takings.
“We went to the line 16 times which is acceptable but for Reading to go to the line 36 times, to me the decisions at one end aren’t the same decisions at the other end.
“That is 20 what I call free points which, for a team of Reading’s capabilities, is going to make them very tough to beat.”
Ebanks was in fine form, hitting 30 points, while Greven contributed 24 and Narcisse continued his good form by hitting 20 points.
Those three will be the key to Mohawks getting back to winning ways, according to Butler.
“My first five are really gelling together well now,” said the coach.
“I just need my bench to step up and get me valuable points, rebounds etc. If this happens then we will be very tough to beat in any game.”
Mohawks II’s winning run also came to an end when they lost 89-61 away to Birmingham Mets in Division Three (North).
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