Wearsider Kelly shows that he is pretty good
NEWCASTLE Eagles missed the chance to secure second spot in the BBL Championship as they suffered a 112-111 defeat in overtime to the playoff-chasing Surrey Scorchers.
The Scorchers were led to their first win of the season over the Eagles by a double-double from Chaz Rollins of 30 points and 13 rebounds.
Rahmon Fletcher led the way for the visitors with 30 points and Deondre Parks (28) assisted the point-guard, but it was heartbreak at the end for the Eagles.
Surrey forced overtime with a late basket in regulation, and then Quincy Taylor’s basket in the final seconds of the game snatched victory from under Newcastle’s noses.
The hosts raced out of the blocks and into an early lead thanks to Rollins’ two doubles, while the Eagles responded and got onto the board though a treble from Fletcher.
An 11-2 run for Surrey handed them control midway through the quarter, with Omotayo Ogedengbe leading the charge for Creon Raftopoulos’ side.
Parks opened up his account with a double, the guard was SUNDERLAND Olympian Josh Kelly caught the eye during a flashy and impressive professional debut victory over Jay Byrne in Glasgow last night.
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing said beforehand his new charge looked like he belonged on a cat walk rather than a boxing ring, labelling the Rio Olympian ‘Pretty Boy’.
But in a confident display, Kelly looked more like 20-fight title challenger than a debutant.
He was unable to get an early finish – although he did come close in the fifth – but he still caught the eye as he took a 60-54 verdict on the undercard of Ricky Burns’ world title show.
Kelly said afterwards: “It felt like I was in cruise control for most of it. I could hear Adam and Eddie saying ‘pick your punches a little more’, but I was happy to get through without getting the face too scathed.
“Eddie said Jay was going to come and fight and that’s what I wanted. He did put four rounds on the line which were nonstop coming forward. I got caught with a couple of cheap shots here and there and in the gym I don’t get caught with them, so I think I was just taken in a bit by the occasion.
“I was really happy with it for my debut though. I thought it was going to be tougher than it was. I put the work in and I felt strong.
“We’ll step on and step up from here and I can’t wait to get out at Wembley now.”
Hearn added: “He’s got bags of talent and I think we will see him move nice and quickly through the division.
“But first the small matter of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium on April 29.”
That next fight for Kelly is on the undercard of Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko. Josh Kelly celebrates