Velocity were in for a tough game, bringing only six players to the full squad of twelve at the disposal of Tees United Lions. Lions started as they meant to go on with Luke Thompson scoring a 3 pointer followed by Hayden Patterson driving to the hoop and Matthew Brown hitting a further 3 pointer. With 8 points against them Velocity gained their first points through a nice move by Wade Tovey and followed up another basket from son Lewis Tovey. Matthew Norman added to the scores for Velocity as he received the ball in the key and managed to lose his defender as he rose for a good shot. The family connection continued for Velocity as the Tovey brothers combined well for a basket apiece although the Lions would continue to dominate with good work from James Burton and Thompson.

 

The second quarter saw Lions draw first blood through Richy Keirl although Velocity replied immediately via Gavin Yoxall. Lions then went on a 11-0 point run with Peddie and M Brown running the show. Keirl was showing good leadership at both ends. The introduction of former Argentinean International, Carlos Alemanno for the Lions brought further difficulty for the Velocity but credit to their team, they never gave up with Wade and Lewis Tovey in particular displaying good individual performances. In the sixth minute Alemanno made his first basket for Lions followed by great passing resulting in a basket apiece for Peddie and Brown. With the scores at 42-12 Lions were cruising. Complacency though led to a Velocity run of six unanswered points from Tovey and Daniel. During the last two minutes Lions again combined well to gather a 14-0 run although the last basket of the half was made by Wade Tovey to bring the half time scores to 58-24 in favour of the Lions.

 

Peddie and Brown were proving a winning partnership at the top of the key as both played excellent defence leading to a number of fast breaks with both players picking up early baskets. Norman ran the court well in the second minute to convert a full court lay up. Tiredness was beginning to show on the Velocity team as they managed only 4 points in the third quarter through Lewis Tovey. Lions though were just warming up as Luke Thompson dominated the offence with a further 6 points, instigating a 33-0 run which would continue into the final quarter. Thompson collecting 13 and Alemanno 6 during the rout with the third quarter finishing 93-29.

 

The fourth was another strong display by the Lions and in particular Keirl who produced great rebounding and even better offence as he collected 14 points in the final quarter. Wade Tovey for Velocity put in an admirable performance as he collected 8 points, but with only six players and points raining in from all areas of the Lions team the result was inevitable from an early stage. In the eighth minute, Lions' Hayden Patterson made eight straight points to take the score to 133-47. Thompson then took the game a level higher with a superb two handed dunk for his thirty second point of the game, on his way to a game high 38. James Burton played a quieter although just as vital role in this game, collecting the last 4 of his 16 points in the final minute with Alemanno hitting the final shot of the game to close the scores at a massive 147-53 

 

Luke Thompson stood out among many good performances. Alemanno on his debut, Burton and Keirl were also on top form.