'It's simply not good enough' roars Vince
Lions miss out on end of season play-offs
There will be no silverware for Marshall Milton Keynes Lions this season as Saturday night's 76-74 defeat to the Plymouth Raiders saw them miss out on the British Basketball League play-offs.
Lions needed a win in Devon and hope that one of the three sides above them in the table slipped up to sneak into the top eight. But without banking a victory of their own, all the other results proved inconsequential for Vince Macaulay's men.
And the Lions coach admits that not competing in the BBL play-offs for the first time in three seasons is 'simply not good enough' for his side.
"In the end we've got what we deserved," said Macaulay.
"It's not a narrow defeat to Plymouth which has cost us a place in the play-offs, it's the stupid defeats at the likes of Worthing and Cheshire which have been the problem."
But Macaulay was proud of the way his team went about their business in Plymouth.
"We didn't get the win that we needed but we still put in a good performance," he said.
"The intensity of the match, the atmosphere and the level of ability on display was like a play-off game. And it probably should have been."
Raiders eventually proved to be too strong on Saturday, but Lions were the quickest out of the blocks as a Yorrick Williams three-pointer was the catalyst for a 13-2 burst.
Raiders hit back with a 12-5 run of their own, but it was the visitors who ended the quarter up 23-22.
The hosts raced into a 29-25 lead in the second before a 10-0 tear took the score out to 39-31.
But Lions ended the half on top as a 10-2 finish had them on level terms at 41 apiece.
Both sides were matching each other basket for basket during the third but it was Lions who hit a three-pointer from Jason Obazuaye in the closing seconds of the period to take a 60-57 lead into the fourth.
With the scores level at 74 it looked like the game would go into overtime, but Raiders had other ideas and on the buzzer they hit the final basket of the game to brake Lions' hearts.
And Macaulay said he was left feeling sorry for his side.
"It really could have been so much different," he said.
"We always emphasise the importance of relishing every moment playing basketball to the players, but too many bad results have cost us.
"These players should have been looking forward to more basketball in the play-offs, but it wasn't to be and we are all extremely disappointed."
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
