The Kent Crusaders are looking for their winning streak to continue when they visit the Colchester Hornets. The Crusaders have won four straight since they lost three games to open league play and a win against fifth place Colchester will see them advance from their current seventh place in the table.

GAME INFORMATION

Sat. Dec. 13 at Colchester Hornets (Monkwick Sports Centre) – 4.00pm

BROADCAST INFO
Live web gamecast: No gamecast available

SCOUTING COLCHESTER

Colchester were winless in the preseason Patrons Cup games (though they picket up two points as Northampton forfeited a game). The Hornets’ seemed destined to struggle through a tough season when they lost their first two league games to London Mets and NEWI Nets, but a one point win over league favourites Leeds Carnegie in their third game gave them self confidence and got them going.

Since then they have beat both Birmingham teams, Northumbria, and Northampton and their five wins are good for fifth in the league.

Colchester is led by guard Joseph Matthews, who had a short stint at Division 1 London Leopards in 2006. Matthews averages almost 27 points per game, and over the last four games he has increased that average to 33 points per game.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Crusaders have met the Hornets only once, in the preseason Patrons Cup this season, a 100-65 Crusaders Win.

In that game the Crusaders looked to take control early as they stormed out of the gate for a 29-11 lead, as Damian Lyons and Simon Mitchell repeatedly beat the Hornets’ defence for layups. The hosts were not about to lie down, though, as they stormed back with a 15-7 run to start off the second quarter to bring them within 36-30. The Crusaders managed to get a few steals towards the end of the half as Mitchell’s quickness proved a tough challenge for the Hornets guards, and the half time score was 51-38 Crusaders.

At the start of the second half the Crusaders went on a 21-3 run to effectively decide the game. Mitchell experienced it this way: “In the first half we gave them too many second chance points, but after the coach got on us at halftime about rebounding and defence we did much better on the boards and eliminated their second chance points and we managed to get out to another big third quarter lead”

JP Dimandja was the deciding factor in this part of the game, as he seemed to get every defensive rebound and effectively secured the hosts got no second chances.