Hawks back in title race at the double
AYLESFORD Hawks soared back into contention for the league title with a brace of victories on the road and now sit in second place behind the unbeaten leaders Tile Hill Trojans 1.
Hawks won both of their games, at Ernesford Eagles and Warwick China Red, by thirty points and were in control from the first tip – particularly at Woodlands where Warwick China Red were no match for the five-time Champions.
They raced into a massive match-winning 30-6 lead to leave the University students gasping, and the pace, set mainly by the flying Ricky Fennell, was relentless.
China Red had no answer to him and colleagues Matt Glover and Calvin Moore – the trio responsible for 67 of the total which saw Hawks win 77-47.
It was not quite the same at Bilton School where Ernesford, normally hosting at Grace Academy in Coventry, were entertaining and the game proved to be just that.
Hawks, for once, were pegged back after their quickfire start and although Eagles could not match them, they gave a good account of themselves, trailing by four just ahead of the first break.
But Hawks then took off and flew into an impressive 43-24 lead by half-time with Fennell again the driving force.
It continued after the interval with Aylesford having most things their own way and Fennell, who had slammed 34 against China Red, added a further eight three-pointers on his way to 38 to send Ernesford packing.
Eagles fared much better when they took on Cracovia Stratford and did everything right – until the last few minutes when they let slip a six-point lead to go down 65-62.
Tile Hill Trojans 1 had little trouble at JM Grizzlies where they grabbed a 100-49 win, despite being without their leading scorer Ash Dickson.
Instead the honour of leading Trojans offence went to younger brother Austin and he excelled with a superb 34 point haul, 21 coming in the first half when Trojans raced into a 52-30 lead. After the interval they ran up a 23-6 quarter and hit the hundred mark with the last scoring shot of the game.