Basketball: Cougars hunt down Pirates

Three pointers were the order of the day from Cougars, scoring 27 points of their points from outside the arc, which Pirates found difficult to stop.

Playing two-three defence, Pirates kept up with Cougars in the first quarter with both teams scoring evenly.

Coming out in the second just two points down, Pirates decided to put on a press to try to stop Cougars’ fast breaks but they were able to

break the same and moving the ball up the court quickly resulted in some two and three-pointers for the home side, who were 40-23 to the good at half-time.

Cougars pressed Pirates in the third but Pirates guards Rob Stapely, Alex DeHaan and Matt Sharp drove to the hoop well to draw some 16 shooting fouls in the period which helped Pirates close the gap to 55-37.

Determined to keep up the work rate, Stapely came out fired-up again in the last period adding a further nine points to his previous ten to give him a season high of 19 points.

Matt Wakeling with Rich Lowe and Luke Attfield worked very hard throughout under the boards at both ends with Wakeling and

Lowe picking up seven points each and Wakeling awarded his first MVP of the season.

Scorers: R Stapely 19, R Lowe 7, M Wakeling 7, L Attfield 4, A DeHaan 4, M Sharp 4, J Parker 3, J Bennett 2, D Smith.

Pirates’ next home game is on Saturday, March 9 against Horsham Huskies at The Arena Sports Centre (tip-off 7pm) so make a note in your diary to come and support your local team.