Premier League

20/1/2019

Oldham Owls – 71

Bears: – 33

The tough premiership season for Bears 1 continued in their first fixture of the new year as they faced a well drilled Oldham Owls side. The Bears travelled to Oldham, to re-play league leaders Owls at their home venue, in the run up to their participation in the prestigious Eurocup tournament. Having already come up against the team in 2018, the Bears were more prepared and brought a more prepared defence to the court.

The first quarter opened the game with a promising start. The Bears maintained a strong defensive screen and limited the opportunities for the Owls at their basket. A significant improvement from their last match, the Bears maintained a high level of defensive pressure and successfully kept the scores close. Owls 11 – 6 Bears 1

The second half saw the Bears struggle to fight their way through the Owls’ defence, limiting their access to their basket and keeping their scoring opportunities low. The Bears continued to apply pressure in their own defensive half, however, in an attempt to maintain a moderate score difference. Despite the hard work of the Bears, the well drilled Owls’ team demonstrated their offensive talent and Euro-cup worthy plays to pull away with a significant lead. Owls 34 – 9 Bears 1

Refreshed from the half time break, the Bears took to the court with offensive passion in an attempt to close the significant lead garnered by their opposition. This was no easy task, as both teams brought vigorous defensive lines against the other, limiting both teams to 14 points each in the third quarter. As Owls continued to run out plays in preparation for Euro-cup, the Bears adapted their game to meet each oncoming offence. Owls 48 – 23 Bears 1

In the final quarter, Bears 1 mustered the last of their energy to match the pace of the Owls side until the final buzzer. As the Owls continued to demonstrate their league-leading prowess, the Bears drew on their previous experience with the team to put together a solid defensive line. As the final seconds ran down, Bears’ player Dan Gill played out the final buzzer with a successful three point shot. The phenomenal basket rang through the court as the final buzzer sounded, a fantastic end to a pride-worthy game for Bears 1. Owls – 71 – 33 Bears 1

At the end of the game, Head Coach Tom Masterson said, ‘I’m proud of Bears 1 today, the team is demonstrating in every game that they are learning and adapting. They are utilising their experience and using it to make them into a better team, and a coach couldn’t ask for more than that! A fantastic defence against a great offensive team also. A big thank you goes to the Owls for being a gracious opposition, as always. Honourable mention goes to Dan Gill for finishing the game with such a fantastic on the buzzer basket!’