Eagles’ wings are clipped as Grizzlies edge contest
JM Grizzlies maintained their 100 per cent record against Ernesford Eagles but had to chase the game to come from behind and edge out the Coventry side 54-48.
Eagles, who are without their 6ft 8in centre Ben Clarke for a month with a back injury fought hard and led for most of the time during the four periods, but they tired and fell when it really mattered, and Grizzlies hit the last five minutes with a 12-2 run which brought a sigh of relief from coach Ian A’Kempis as Eagles reflected on what might have been.
Tile Hill Trojans 3 made it four on the trot with a 52-37 win over Team Rebels who fell in similar fashion to Ernesford, having been well in contention inside the last quarter, which Trojans took 15-4 producing some of their best defensive play of the season to snuff out the Rebels’ offense.
Trojans had been leading 28-15 before Rebels pulled it back to a twopoint game as the last five minutes approached, and then it was all the home side as the Hereward collegebased team dominated to thwart Rebels and stay at the top.
Nuneaton Predators put Coventry Tornadoes onto the back foot with a resounding 84-56 success but they too overcame a first quarter deficit before storming home with Lloyd
Taylor bagging 29 and Ross Emery 20.
It was not a happy trip to Leamington for Predators second-string though as they crashed 85-34 to Spartans 2 for whom Morales grabbed 22. Nuneaton led 17-16 before a huge final quarter collapse brought them, and in particular coach Taylor, despair as they lost it 30-3. Trojans 2 upset Aylesford Hawks with a 60-58 home victory, and their first team made it a triple gold week for the Tile Hill club as they whipped Warwick China Red 87-42.
Leamington 1 went to Tamworth full of expectation but returned home on the back of a 76-49 defeat as the Tigers won all four quarters with Lukasz Bolda leading the way on 18, but it was Arden Griffins who stole the headlines in Division One with their fifth “ton” in seven outings so far this season as they hammered Rugby Rage 102-54 and, on this showing they could go the whole season unbeaten.
Griffins were electric as they raced to a 27-8 first period lead with Sam Workman taking the plaudits as he stormed to 13 points.
After a quiet second ten minutes they moved to 46-26 by half-time, then repeated their earlier antics and took the third quarter 37-10 before climbing to the hundred with a minute left.
Workman finished on 25, one behind Luke Hatfield as Rugby fumbled their way to the end.