Tees Valley Mohawks aim to make home advantage count as they bid to seal a place in the EBL National League Division One play-offs
With just three matches to go, Tees Valley Mohawks aim to make home advantage count as they bid to seal a place in the EBL National League Division One play-offs.
Two of those games are at home, the first on Sunday when they entertain basement boys Leicester Warriors at Middlesbrough College (3pm).
Steve Butler’s side took a giant step closer to a play-off spot last weekend when they beat Westminster Warriors in London last Saturday before losing at home to leaders Reading Rockets in controversial fashion the following day.
Mohawks travelled to their must-win game in London without injured players Alex Greven (ankle), Jonny Foulds (back), Romonn Nelson (ear) and Ike Attah (back) but got the victory needed to collect two valuable league points.
They started with a 13-0 run thanks to good shooting from Jorge Ebanks and Lloyd Samuels but as the quarter went on Westminster found their range with former Mohawk Michael Odumosu doing some of the damage.
The second quarter saw Westminster change to a box and one, marking Ebanks out of the game, and as Mohawks struggled to get any flow to their offence Westminster reduced the lead to 31-25 at half-time.
A low scoring game saw Westminster take the lead for the first time in the third session but it was short-lived as Mohawks took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Mohawks then produced their best basketball in the fourth as Lloyd Samuels hit eight quick points and Rob Donaldson a three-pointer, taking the lead back up to double figures.
Westminster fought well but Mohawks produced a confident display and took the league points back to Teesside.
The following day National Cup and Trophy holders Reading arrived at Middlesbrough College without their MVP Josh Wilcher who had to be taken to hospital in their victory the night before due to a hernia problem.
Confidence was high in the Mohawks camp with three wins on the bounce and it showed in the first quarter as Ebanks led from the front, hitting an incredible 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.
But a strongly disputed call from the official saw him disqualified from the game for picking up his second unsportsmanlike foul.
That enraged coach Butler as he didn’t feel it was a foul at all, let alone an unsportsmanlike foul - but Ebanks had to leave the court with three quarters left to play.
Mohawks’ guards rallied and shocked Reading with Nelson taking over the point and hitting some big three pointers while on the defensive end the team controlled the boards and went into the locker room three points up at 41-38.
Mohawks started the third quarter badly as Reading went on an 11-1 run and after that they couldn’t close the gap.
Rockets’ Diaz Morrero had a great second half, hitting some big three pointers, while Nelson continued his good scoring form and Donaldson again made a big impression as Mohawks lost 90-81.
“I think they feel lucky to get away with a victory,” said Butler.
“The decision in the first quarter to eject Jorge was massive and certainly a game changer, even after looking over the game tape I don’t see too much wrong with what Jorge did.”
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