ADA Bexhill Giants recorded their fifth consecutive win and moved up to second in the Sussex Basketball League when they defeated a spirited Holbrook Wolves team 78-46 at the Bexhill Leisure Centre last Wednesday and round off a successful 2013.

The first quarter started with the Wolves in control and taking the
match to the Giants with strong drives to the basket. The home team
could not get in their stride and seemed sluggish, and kept in
contention with scores from Guards Geoff Lowe and Bilal Sansui. The
visitors were making easy work of penetration the Giants Man to Man
defence with the first quarter ending all square at 16-16.

The second quarter saw the Giants change a zone defence, and this saw them reap the benefits with Ade Mills & new signing Alex Quasi working hard at the top of the key causing, Holbrook to turn the ball over easily. This lead to easy scores on the break for Tom McGregor, Craig Douglin and Lowe which saw the Giants end the half leading 36-25. Although they had a commanding 11 point lead at the start of the third quarter the Giants knew the match was far from over and the Wolves would come out fighting and show the real quality they have in their team, and this is just what happened as the teams traded baskets from the start. There was more intensity about the Wolves as they changed their game plan, using their impressive passing game to get to the open man and score easy points. But the Giants were able to compose themselves with Power Forwards Matt Hopkinson & Roman Hypriniak using their height advantage inside the key. The Giants were starting to impose their authority, and this was evident with Ian Salter scoring three dunks in the closing stages of the end of the quarter as the Giants extended their lead to 57-36. With their pride at stake the Wolves came out strongly in the fourth quarter going on a 4-0 run, but Douglin, Hrypinyak and Hopkinson again used their height advantage inside to dominate the offensive and defensive boards and regain control of the match. Both teams traded baskets but Guard Joel Hunt was in excellent shooting form continually drained three pointers from outside the arc, although the Wolves showed they had outside shooters of their own and kept going until the final minutes. But despite the efforts of the visitors, the Giants were able to extend their lead and run out comfortable winners 78-46 and keep their title aspirations on track, and record an impressive win for stand in Player Coach Dash Maloney. The ADA Turkish Restaurant Man of the Match was Ade Mills for an outstanding defensive display. Team: Dash Maloney, Craig Douglin, Roman Hrypinyak, Matt Hopkinson, Bilal Sansui, Geoff Lowe, Ade Mills, Alex Quasi , Joel Hunt , Tom McGregor , Ian Salter