Two comfortable Crusader wins in Plymouth against the Cannons and Raiders take the Kent side to fourth place in the table, four places higher than before the weekend. Because of injuries and personal commitments it was a short-handed Kent side which travelled, but the nine players put on a convincing display as they got two important road wins.

In the second game of the weekend, against the Raiders, Kent came out on fire, as they scored 22 straight points after allowing Raiders the first basket. Crusaders continuously found JP Dimandja open near the basket, as he had 12 of the 22 points. As the Raiders defence started collapsing on Dimandja, Crusaders were able to find their outside shooters open, as Sam Betts hit two and James Harris one three pointer.

Up 18 Crusaders took their foot off the gas a little, as Raiders went on a 14-8 run, to make the score 30-17 after the first quarter. The bright spot for Crusaders during the last few minutes of the first quarter was Robbie Parker’s two three pointers, that kept Raiders at bay.

For the first four minutes of the second quarter neither team managed more than three points, but then Crusaders’ Canadian star guard Simon Mitchell got into a personal battle with Raiders’ Spanish guard Vincente. Mitchell went at Vincente both offensively and defensively, scoring nine straight points and picking up two steals off Vincente. Mitchell’s mini-run, combined with three points from Robbie Parker took the score to 45-20 with three and a half minutes left in the half.

Crusaders hadn’t gotten the lead without fouling, though, and as Mike Webber and Sam Betts found themselves in foul trouble, Raiders went inside to their dominant big man, ex-BBL player Jamie Burchell, and finally put some points on the board. Still Crusaders were able to take a comfortable 51-30 lead into the intermission.

“We were in quite severe foul trouble by half time”, said coach Olesen after the game, “Betts and Webber both had three fouls, so we elected to keep both on the bench and started James Harris on Burchell, relying on help from the other players to contain him. It was a desperate plan, but Burchell didn’t score for the first five minutes of the half, and Harris went off for 15 of our first 19 points of the quarter. I guess he was motivated by the opponent.”

Crusaders only won the third quarter by three points, as Plymouth continuously went inside against the short-handed Crusaders, but up 80-56 with ten minutes to play they must have liked their chances. At the end of the quarter Jeff Wadey had the pass of the game as he threw a 60 foot pass from under his own goal when he spotted Mike Webber running in front of the entire Plymouth defence.

The fourth quarter was much like the third – a high scoring affair which featured Plymouth going inside for their baskets, while Kent relied on outside shooting and drives to the basket. Initially Crusaders extended the lead to 87-59, as Damian Lyons outscored the Raiders team 7-3. Plymouth were not ready to lied down yet, though, and they put on a 18-run behind Burchell’s 13 points.

It was too little, too late though, as Raiders still found themselves down by 20, 99-89 with two minutes left. Crusaders brought injured captain Pete Ayling on for the last 90 seconds, and he got the 100^th point on a foul shot before Robbie Parker took the Crusaders to the final score of 106 to 83 points on two three pointers, to bring his total to an impressive 30 points.

“This weekend was the best Crusaders team performance I’ve ever been a part of”, said Crusaders captain Pete Ayling after the Sunday game. “So many guys stepped up, but more importantly the team played together with belief and 100% energy and commitment”.

EBL National League Division 2
Plymouth Raiders 2 (17, 30, 56) 83
Kent Crusaders (30, 51, 80) 106

Scoring:
Plymouth Raiders: Birchall 30, Marriott 20, Dezente 12
Kent: Parker 7, Dimandja 15, Harris 24