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Heat go Crazy for the Wildcats

26 March 2012

The Guildford Heat completed a comprehensive 97-59 victory over the Durham Wildcats on Sunday afternoon to consolidate their hold on 7th spot in the BBL table. With other results going the Heat's way, the Heat now find themselves in touching distance of fifth place Glasgow Rocks and sixth place Sheffield Sharks.

However things looked very different in a first quarter where the Heat spluttered and Durham played some inspired basketball. The first five minutes saw five lead changes, the last coming when Mike Capocci hit a long jump-shot for an 11-10 Wildcats lead. Thereafter the Heat managed to tie the game twice, first on 16-16 and then again at 20-20. However, Capocci made sure the Wildcats went into the break ahead, scoring on the put-back while being fouled by Julius Joseph with two seconds to go. He missed the bonus shot, but the Wildcats led 22-20 going into the second quarter.

That, however, was to be the high-water mark for the Wildcats. Any thoughts the Wildcats might have had of a first road win in the BBL evaporated in the second quarter as Coach Creon shook up the defence, going to a 2-3 zone. The Wildcats scored just once in the first five minutes of the second quarter as the Heat put the game out of reach with a 16-2 run. That solitary basket came on the fast-break and gave the Wildcats their last lead of the game, 24-23.

By the time the Wildcats scored again, it was 36-24 to the Heat. After Mark Elderkin broke the Wildcats' drought with a basket and a three-pointer, the Heat closed the quarter with an 8-2 run for a 46-31 advantage at half-time.

The Heat had outscored the visitors 26-9 in the second quarter and while the Wildcats scored more freely in the third period, the Heat still extended the lead behind another 26 points. The majority of these came in a 24-10 run over the first seven minutes of the quarter, with Martelle contributing 13 of them as he dominated on both ends of the floor. By the time he'd finished, the Heat were ahead 70-41 and a 9-2 run to close the quarter by the Wildcats did nothing except make the score a little more acceptable.

With the game in the bag, Coach Creon started the fourth quarter with four reserves and just one starter, Shaun Durant, and still the Heat made hay, a 9-2 run making it 81-54 with two minutes gone. After the Wildcats scored the next four points, the Heat's bench put on a defensive masterclass, holding the Wildcats to single point in seven minutes while scoring another 16 points themselves to make the final score 97-59 to the Heat.

The Heat were led by Martelle McLemore's 26 points in 25 minutes and they had five more players in double figures, Dean Williams and Tayo Ogedengbe adding 12 each, Shaun Durant and Frank Holmes chipping in with 11 apiece and Mike Martin adding 10. The only disappointment was the Heat's 50% from the line, going just 9-18. For the Wildcats, DJ Galvin had 17 points and Mike Capocci added 16.

The Heat now travel to Chester to take on the Cheshire Jets next weekend and the Worcester Wolves in two weeks time before hosting the Plymouth Raiders on Easter Sunday, 8th April. Tickets are available via the Surrey Sports Park Box Office now.