Advantage Lions in BBL Trophy tie
Jets await in all important second leg
Lions take the slenderest of leads with them to Chester on Sunday in the second leg of their BBL Trophy semi final.
A Lions side without Frank Holmes and EJ Harrison battled to a 80-79 first leg victory at Middleton Hall on Friday night but will still have it all to do against a Cheshire Jets side who also knocked them out of the BBL Cup at the same stage in December.
Vince Macaulay's men have made the trip to Chester three times so far this season - winning once and losing twice, including that 83-71 BBL Cup semi final second leg defeat after Lions had taken a narrow 88-84 lead.
Friday saw the city side put in a spirited display as they led the way throughout the opening period, with Yorick Williams stepping up to the plate in the absence of Harrison and Holmes.
Williams sparked a 20-6 run from Lions in which the former British International scored eight points.
Captain Dru Spinks directed operations and when Max Simon came off the bench Lions went up another gear as the youngster sent a Steven Gayle shot into the stands before stealing and scoring, then nailing a three pointer.
Lions ended the first period 22-8 ahead but Jets had hit back to 38-34 at half time.
The third period saw several lead changes as Lions came to the fore with Robert Youngblood and Mike New dominating the paint. Dawud Morris also weaved his magic on the way to 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. A late Gayle drive for the Jets meant Lions were 63-57 up going into the final quarter.
The Cheshire side were not done yet and it took three pointers from Spinks, Williams and Youngblood to see Lions home and give them the smallest of leads going into Sunday's second leg.
The win came on the back of four straight Championship defeats, and the fifth came at Middleton Hall on Sunday as Leicester Riders left with a 104-101 overtime success. And Lions are back in league action before their next Trophy tie as they make the long trip to Newcastle Eagles on Friday.
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
