Falkirk Fury bounce back to end St Mirren’s unbeaten run
St Mirren’s under- 18 side was edged out 66-61 by Falkirk Fury in the clash between the league’s only two unbeaten sides.
Saints started with a strong side and controlled the game thanks to an opening basket from Louis McLean and a follow- up from Robbie Stevenson.
However, Falkirk quickly got back in the match and within minutes the game was finely balanced.
The quarter edged slightly towards Falkirk, whose point guard was scoring for fun from the three-point line.
But the Saints did not give them daylight, and four points from Stevenson, nine from Brad Low and a further lay-up from Ben Mitchell, saw the quarter end finely balanced at 22-20 to Falkirk.
Despite going further behind by four at the start of the second quarter, the game continued to see-saw with neither team able to stamp their authority on the match.
Falkirk’s hopes appeared to take a dip when their point guard came off with an injury, but there was strength throughout the team.
Saints fought their way back into the match with more scoring from Mitchell and Aiden Lamos, while a superb full court run by Stevenson finally saw St Mirren gain a 26-25 advantage, which they hadn’t had since early in the first quarter.
Saints built on this and at 32-27 Falkirk called a time out.
This saw Fury grab a further six points, but the half ended well for the Saints who took a slender 35-33 lead into the break.
The third quarter saw Falkirk pile on more pressure to the Saints. Falkirk galvanised their defence and were lethal in attack. No matter what St Mirren threw at them, there was no way through the tall Falkirk backline.
Despite seven points from Lamos and six from Low and Stevenson, the game was shifting towards Falkirk as the quarter ended 48-53.
The fourth quarter saw more of the same for St Mirren – no matter how they tried they could not break the Fury defensive wall.
The game was beginning to look lost when a further Saints time out at 58-48 helped St Mirren focus.
In the end though it was too little too late, with a 66-61 victory to the Falkirk team.