The Kent Crusaders are looking to start a winning streak close in on a winning record against Team Northumbria this Saturday. The Crusaders have won two straight after losing their first three games in Division 2 play, but they may be slowed down by a severe ankle sprain to captain Pete Ayling.

GAME INFORMATION

Sat. Nov. 21 @ Team Northumbria (Westgate Centre for Sport) – 4.15pm

BROADCAST INFO
No broadcast available

SCOUTING TEAM NORTHUMBRIA

Team Northumbria have fallen upon hard times after winning four of five games in the pre-season Patrons Cup. After an initial Division 2 win at University of Birmingham, they have lost to Birmingham A’s, Leicester Warriors and Colchester Hornets. Northumbria are coached by the experienced Greg Modzelewski, and he will be looking to get the team back to their pre-season form.

Northumbria are led by American forward Corey Deithorn, a strong athletic inside player, and by guard/forward Chris Pearce

Northumbria is in ninth place in the league, two places below the Crusaders.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The history between the two teams go back to when the teams played in the Division 3 National Shield final in 2006 and Northumbria dismantled a strong Crusaders team.

Both teams got promoted that season, and in the four games the teams have played in Division 2 since then none of the teams have been able to take advantage of home court advantage, as the away team has won all four games.

The Crusaders’ late season win at Northumbria last season was the game that finally saved the Crusaders from relegation. Crusaders came out aggressive on defence from the tip, rotating to the Northumbria shooters, as they kept the home side to only three points in the first eight minutes of the game, running up a 15-3 lead. The lead stayed around ten points until the last minute of the first half, where the home side hit a two pointer and a couple of foul shots to draw within six at the half, 35-29.

Northumbria desperately tried to shoot their way back into the game, but the Crusader defence continued to rotate aggressively to the three point shooters, and the home team had to settle for a couple of inside shots to bring them within 15, before Crusaders’ Betts and Lyons iced the game with a couple of baskets. The final score was 68-51 and the Crusaders could huddle at mid court as the travelling Crusaders fans chanted “We’re staying up!”.