A DOUBLE-HEADER against Tile Hill Trojans led to two crucial victories for Leamington Spartans’ first and second teams.
In the latest round of fixtures in the Warwickshire Basketball Association Division One and Two, Spartans’ first team beat Trojans Seconds 66-57, while the Seconds were 65-52 victors against Trojans Thirds.
Hosts Tile Hill looked full of promise and took the game to their opponents at Hereward College, leading 18-2 at the end of the opening quarter.
Hot-shot Nick Klemos soon changed the balance of the game when stepping onto the court, sinking four three-pointers for Leamington, while Spartans player/coach Russell Dunkley added 11 points as the tide turned in the second half.
With victory now a possibility for the visitors, 22 points from Murat Kaciran confirmed a sensational Spartans comeback.
Despite their second win of the season, Leamington remain second bottom in Division One, level on points with basement side Warwick China Red.
In the Division Two face-off, Spartans Seconds won every quarter en route to their second triumph of the campaign.
Enric Carbonells was the stand-out performer for Leamington, netting 14 points to keep his side in control of proceedings, in spite of a spectacular performance by Tile Hill’s Trevor Robinson – who sank 16 points.
Positive contributions from Dan Zoka and Lee Frost added 15 points for the Spartans’ cause between them, helping achieve a second-successive win for the Spartans.
Elsewhere in National League Division Three, Warwickshire Hawks were made to pay for a slow start en route to an 85-76 defeat to University of Birmingham.
The students raced into a 28-13 lead, one which the Hawks were unable to claw their way back from despite winning the second quarter.
Impressive performances from Curtis Hadley, scorer of 22 points, and Austin Dickson, who added 14, nonetheless provided some plus points from the encounter.
