BBL: Heat burn Tiger feet – Mersey 54 Surrey 74

Surrey Heat held off Mersey Tigers 54-74 in front of the ever increasing crowds at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, but a solid performance in the fourth quarter helped ease them to the victory and keeps them in the hunt at the top of the table.

Starting fives:

Mersey: McGinn, Calvo, Hulsen, Pilkington, Lockett

Surrey: Margai, Cricelli, C Holmes, F Holmes, T Holmes

Despite taking up the early running, Mersey found themselves on the back foot midway through the first quarter, but regained their composure and thanks to a glut of assists from Martin Calvo, and a buzzer beating three from new centre Josh Lockett meant the home side were breathing down the necks of Raftopoulos’ Heat.

The second quarter began with a Travis Holmes’ basket from outside the arc, only to be followed up by a mesmerising drive from Calvo in reply for Tigers, however the foul count began to take its toll, as time and again Surrey went to the line, and were not looking gift horses in the mouth. That said, the visitors could not take complete control at this point, and although slightly quicker in possession, the flow and intensity to the game in general was not really felt. Turnovers and fouls effectively put Tigers down in this period, but not quite out, heading into the locker room, 30-12.

Coming back out for the third, and to kick off proceedings was a death stare from Sam Cricelli to the GBU following sat in the bleachers after his two missed free throws, before a charge from Mersey, and along the way a technical given to Frank Holmes, saw them within just five points (39-44) after a Daniel Pilkington bucket was given after goaltending by the Heat. The favoured ‘Gangnam Style’ blasted out around the court shortly after this, but it was not to have much effect for a change, as Surrey began to move through the gears and finally take up the reins, but not before yet another buzzer beater by Mersey, this time through Ryan Gallagher, leaving Tigers with the final say in the quarter.

However, the ability to kill off a game just does not seem to have come to fruition yet for Mersey. With foul trouble, lack of height inside being dominated by Surrey on rebounds, and also loss of the significant presence of one Chris Bigley, absent from the game due to his full-time work, Heat made easy work to round off the game in the fourth, but not without some of their own impressive work in the last two quarters, bringing their biggest lead of the game to finish 54-74.

Captain of the Tigers, Josh McGinn knows, just as his other team mates do, where they need to make progress if they want to get the seemingly elusive win.

“It’s the third and fourth quarters where we really need to start nipping in the bud,” said the guard, “we were a huge loss without Chris Bigley tonight, he would have helped inside and on the boards, which we got killed on tonight. The lack of strength and depth is tough, but we will get there. It’s a thirty point turnaround from the previous two games we have played them, but for me it was a winnable game.”

Tony Walsh “What showed was that kept most of their starting five on for the large majority of the game. The other games we have played them in, they have brought on their second string, but now they’ve had to keep their rotation of their best six or seven players, and could only put their bench on for the final few seconds of the game.”

“I’ve run everyone, people are starting to know their roles and things are coming together well. I really hope it won;t be long until we see the win, especially if we can play like that on Sunday. It’s a long trip, and London are a fast team, run well, but I’m made up tonight. The bookies had Surrey at 1/100 to win this, and at one stage we had them to four points. We missed Chris Bigley, who could have got us double digits, so if I was the bookies had he been here, I’d have been panicking! We now just need to learn how to go on and win the game.”

Top scorers:

Mersey: Hulsen (13), Calvo/Lockett (9), Pringle (8)

Surrey: T Holmes (18), C Holmes (16), Cricelli (13)

Play of the game:

Martin Calvo’s shake and bake early in the second quarter had the bleachers applauding for a long time after the ball come back up the court. Lovely little move.

Game MVP:

Chavis Holmes (16 pts, 9 rbs, 6asts, 6stls)

Next games:

Mersey Tigers: Away @ London Lions, 25th November, 5pm

Surrey Heat: Manchester Giants @ Home, 1st December, 7pm