NEWS CHANNEL
LIONS suffered heartbreak at the weekend as their hopes of gaining a spot in the BBLTrophy Final were dashed in the most gut-wrenching of circumstances.
MK claimed first blood with victory at home in the first leg of the semi-final clash with Plymouth Raiders on Friday, but they could not hold onto the six point advantage they created during Sunday’s dramatic return leg in Devon.
Remarkably the Lions lead in the tie was still six points with only 49 seconds left on the clock in the second leg, but MK suffered a nightmare end to the game as Plymouth came roaring back in devastating fashion.
Raiders star man Jeremy Bell launched a one-man rescue mission by bagging the six points his side needed all by himself.
He firstly made the most of being fouled on a three-point attempt by making a treble of free-throws and he then brought Raiders level in the tie with a deep three-pointer.
Just before the match was tied Howard Crawford had been fouled but he missed his two free throws, probably the moment when Lions should have wrapped up their final place.
There was still time for more drama asNuno Pedroso tried to regain the Lions’ lead with a three point attempt on the buzzer, but the ball failed to drop and an overtime period was required.
Pedroso immediately did what he couldn’t do seconds earlier and bagged a three, but Lions suddenly trailed by ten thanks to two quick Raiders attacks and another score following a turnover.
Daniel Northern found the net, Demarius Bolds hit a three pointer and Pedroso hit another three to claw the gap back to two as Lions fought back.
Northern got the ball under the basket but was repelled as he tried to score, and MK got the ball out of bounds with seven seconds left on the clock.
The ball was passed out to Bolds and he fired in a shot which missed on the buzzer, sending the home fans into ecstacy.
Lions had been sublime and composed the whole way through the game, never letting the home town Raiders get ahead in the contest until the disastrous end of the match.
Club owner Vince Macaulay said:“In front of 1,450 vociferous home fans we turned in as professional a performance as we have in four seasons, however, sport is cruel.
“Firstly we had to travel without Adrien Sturt who was very ill and was kept in hospital in MK overnight to have fluid drained from an inflammation.
“Then we had several chances to win the game while Plymouth’s game winner banged in a three pointer off the glass and in.
“We have learnt a valuable lesson in this series of games which is the level of intensity from which we must never drop, coach Mike New and myself implore the guys to push on harder and harder for better performances, now they know why and I think they relish in the prospect.”
Macaulay was also unhappy that Northern was disqualified from the first leg when his Plymouth protagonist was allowed to remain.
But Lions will have to try and bounce back when they return to league action this weekend, with a trip to Cheshire Jets on Sunday on the calendar.
