Preston Pride’s senior team stayed top spot of the Manchester Area Basketball League Premier Division after an excellent defensive display against Moss Side Tropics in a 68-48 win.
Pride’s coach Neil Hopkins kept his team in a zone for the majority of the game and they regularly played full court defence after scoring a basket.
Tropics started the game well, scoring the first bucket with a contested lay-up from their captain Juma Negdbonewana and winning the second quarter 12-11, but they were unable to keep their form.
Controversy also arose in the second quarter after the table officials realised Tropics’ No.8 wasn’t on the team-sheet.
Referees Tom Brinksman and Colin Hindmarch stopped play while they resolved the situation which led to No.8 being unable to play for the rest of the game.
Preston kept control and pressured Moss Side throughout the game.
Pride’s fast-tempo approach caused problems for Tropics and saw them gain a 7-0 run in the third quarter and an advantage of 24 points in the fourth.
Preston’s guard Matthew Dewhurst had a game-high 14 points and scored a number of vital baskets to increase Pride’s lead.
Graham Holland also aided Preston’s win by scoring nine points in the third quarter and ended the game with 13 points.
Tropics regularly relied on the outside shot as Pride’s zone defence didn’t allow them any space around the key but they missed six out of seven three-pointers in the first quarter alone.
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