Tees Valley Mohawks must pick themselves up when they visit Westminster this weekend after a double dose of defeat.
The Middlesbrough-based side crashed 90-63 at home to Team Northumbria in their first EBL National League Division One game of the season at Teesside University’s Olympia Building, then bowed out of the National Cup with an 81-67 defeat away to Manchester Magic.
New signing Charles Rhodes opened the scoring against Northumbria but the visitors went on to dominate in every department.
The Tynesiders led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter but the gap was up to 46-28 by half-time.
Mohawks huffed and puffed but nothing seemed to work with only Rhodes scoring consistently.
The game was over as a contest by the end of the third quarter and coach Steve Butler admitted: “We didn’t look like the Mohawks we have been over the past couple of weeks.
“People didn’t turn and it’s disappointing to start the season like that.”
The following day Mohawks produced a much better performance as Romonn Nelson and Rhodes scored freely and led at the end of the opening quarter.
In a close, scrappy affair the lead changed hands often and an Ellis Cooper basket on the half-time buzzer saw the Mohawks trail just 33-32.
Mohawks regained the lead as Rob Donaldson and Nelson scored some big three-point baskets and they took a three-point advantage into the final session.
However in the final 10 minutes Magic’s defence stepped up.
Baskets were traded and the hosts went ahead with four minutes to go before pulling away.
“This was a much improved performance and it shows we are really close to beating the best teams in this league,” reflected Butler, “so that is what we have to work on over next week’s training and build on the better performance.”
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