The Winchester Warriors are back!!!

The Warriors will be playing in the Solent League Division 4 in their first season back after a 2 year absence from league competition.

Current Solent League division 4 table 2011/12

http://www.solentbasketball.co.uk/League-Tables.aspx

Game Reports 2011-12

Warriors beaten by Spitfires again - Lost 59-41

Scorers & Free Throws – Elvijs Ungurs 13 (3/7), Michal Gyepes 7 (1/2), Rich Styants 7 (1/6), David Senart (1/2) 6, Roger Kemp 4, Mike Castle 3 (1/4), Jack Mcfadden 2

Warriors are pony in the New Forest - Lost 59-52

Scorers Adam 'Spike' Jenkins 14 (2/2) Dean Carey 12 (2/4) Sam James 9 (1/1) Dan Myers 9 (0/2) Elvijs Ungurs 4 Roger Kemp 2 Michael Castle 2 (2/4) Jack Jack Robert McFadden Daniel Wiltshire Jake Ratcliffe David Senart (0/2) played but DNS

Warrors shot down by Spitfires

The Warriors started awfully, down 27-7 after 1 quarter, in this game and never fully recovered.They pulled it back to within 12 points with 6 minutes to play in the final quarter but eventually lost the game 67-92.

Scorers: Elvijs Ungurs 19 (2/5 free throws), Dean Carey 15 (1/2), Adam Jenkins 13 (5/10), Jake Ratcliffe 7 (1/1), Dan Myers 6 (2/2), Mike Castle 5 (3/6), Dan Wiltshire 2, Jack Mcfaddon 0 (0/2). Overall Free Throws 14/28.

Warriors deafeat the Knight to go 3-2 at Christmas.

The Winchester University Knights saw their unbeaten start to the Solent League division 4 season ended by the Winchester City Basketball Club 3rds who had previously been well beaten down at the University Sports hall.

The Warriors were missing their 2 starting guards so bought in 2 new signings Grant Smith, who has been away from the game for 2 years, and Ged Luksas who has just signed from the Dorset Storm Barracudas.

The Warriors started the game strongly opening up a 12-5 lead 5 minutes into the game and managed to maintain the 7 point advantage until the 8^th minute of the quarter when the Knights went on a 6-0 run to cut the margin back to 1 at 18-17. Luksas however scored the last 4 points of the quarter to put the Warriors back in control leading 22-17 after 1 quarter.

The first 5 minutes of the quarter saw the Warriors only score 1 point while the Knights scored 11 of their own to open up a 23-28 lead, this stretched to 28-35 at half time as the Knights looked to have taken control of the game.

The Warriors team played some great defence in the 3^rd quarter especially Dan Wiltshire who hustled whoever he was matched against into mistakes that Grant Smith and Ged Luksas, who shared all the Warriors points in the 3^rd quarter, could take advantage of. The Warriors closed the quarter down by 1 at 44-45.

The Warriors shared around the first 9 points of the 4^th quarter to forge into a 53-45 lead with 7 minutes to play. Baskets were traded until the 8^th minute when a 5-0 Knights run pulled them to within 3 of the Warriors, thanks largely to former Winchester Wizards player Adam Gillies. The Knights kept up their pressure and pulled level on an Adam Gillies basket tying the scores at 66 with 1 minute to play. The next offence saw Gillies fouled and sent to line where he missed both free throws. With 10 seconds on the clock Elvijs Ungurs was fouled while going to the basket, unfortunately for the Warriors he missed both and the game went to Over Time.

The Warriors dominated the extra period thanks largely to Luksas who scored 9 of the Warriors 13 during the 5 minute period. This has bought him the clubs single game scoring record overtaking Jon Neales 38 point performance back in 2008. A 3 pointer to end the game, by the Knights Craig Sharland, had no effect on the final outcome as the Warriors moved to 2^nd in Division 4 going into the Christmas break. Final Score Warriors 79-76 Knights.

Scorers: Ged Luksas 45, Grant Smith 14, Dean Carey 10, Elvijs Ungurs 7, Jack Mcfaddon 2, Edward Lao 1, Also played Dan Wiltshire, Rob Deyzel, Roger Kemp, Mike Castle & Jake Ratcliffe.

Warriors win a thriller in the Forest

The Winchester Warriors team play brought them through in the end against the New Forest Blackhawks in this Solent League division 4 clash, by a score of 70-73 at Brockenhurst College.

In the first quarter saw the Warriors share their 18 points around whereas the Blackhawks relied on the scoring of Rob Bawden who scored 11 of their 17 first quarter points.

The second quarter was a scrappy affair with neither team able to get any offence going. The final 6 minutes of the quarter only saw 6 points scored with the Warriors scoring 4 of them to take them into a 26-28 half time lead.

The Blackhawks took control of the game in the first 5 minutes of the 3^rd quarter, 2 three pointers from Bowden gave the Blackhawks their biggest lead at 45-35 with 5 minutes left to play in the quarter. The Warriors then turned the ball over again, Bowden appeared to have an easy layup, then out of no where Elvijs Ungurs flew across to pin the layup attempt half way up the back board leaving the already celebrating Blackhawks stunned. This play ignited the Warriors bringing their offence to life. They went inside again to their big men, Ungurs and the returning Dean Carey who scored 15 between them in a 19-6 run to put the Winchester 3^rds back in front 54-51 to end the quarter.

With most of the Blackhawks tiring by the 4^th quarter it was down to their danger man Bowden to keep them in the game. He didn’t disappoint scoring 15 in the quarter including 3 long range 3 pointers whilst under pressure. The Warriors remained calm however and continued to work the ball inside for Elvijs, Jake Ratcliffe and Roger Kemp. The Warriors superior inside play opened a 71-65 lead with 2 minutes remaining, however the final 3 by Bowden and a jump shot by O’Brien bought the Blackhawks back to within 1 point with 50 seconds remaining in the game

After a miss by each team, the Warriors came out of a time out and moved the ball around nicely to find an open Dean Carey who hit the jump shot to win the game for the Warriors 73-70 and move them to 2 wins and 2 losses in Solent League division 4.

Scorers: Elvijs Ungurs 32, Dean Carey 13, Adam Jenkins 11, Sam James 7, Jake Ratcliffe 4, Edward Lao 4, Roger Kemp 3, Jack Mcfaddon 1, also played Matt Symmonds, Dan Wiltshire & Mike Castle.

Warriors show some fight

The Warriors put out a better effort in the second half against the Southsiders. Youngsters Dan Wiltshire and Jake Ratcliffe got good minutes for the inexperienced Warriors team.and repayed their coaches faith with some good defence and 15 points between them. The movement and passing improved in the second half as well, however the defence still let the Southsiders through for too many easy baskets. Quarter scores 28-12, 48-18, 77-32, Final Score 99-47 to the Southsiders.

Scorers Rob Deyzel 11, Rich Styants 10, Dan Wiltshire 9, Jake Ratcliffe 6, Mike Castle 5, Matt Symmonds 4, Jack Mcfaddon 2, also played Max Amey & Roger Kemp. Free Throws 6/16 - Styants 4/6, Wiltshire 1/2, Castle 1/3, Ratcliffe 0/5.

Warriors feel Badgers bite.

The Winchester Warriors travelled to face the Southampton Uni Badgers Sunday for a Division 3 Solent Basketball Game. The Warriors started their season well, winning their first game, however the second would prove more difficult. The Badgers using quick ball movement, athleticism, and endurance ran away with the game, putting the Warriors into a hole too deep to climb out of. The Winchester side fought hard in the 4^th quarter to get back in the game, but the damage was done and the Warriors found their selves on the losing side of a 68-56 score.

On a positive note Perran Hutton scored a club season high 35 points to keep the Warriors in the game.

Scorers: Perran Hutton 35, Elvijs Ungurs 12, Adam Jenkins 5, Max Amey 3, Mike Castle 1, David Senart, Rob Deyzel, Dan Wiltshire, Dion Tsouramanis & Sam James did not score.

Blackhawks Downed (where did I see that headline before?)

The Winchester Warriors suppier defence and interior scoring saw them past the New Forest Blackhawks in their opening match in the Solent League division 4.

The Warriors and the Blackhawks started the game hot both hitting their first 2 shots of the game including a 3 pointer from Jack Mcfaddon to give the Warriors a 5-4 lead. The Warriors then went on a 6-0 run, all scored by Elvijs Ungurs to put them up 11-4 5 minutes into the game. The Blackhawks outstanding player T.Bawden (who seemed to be known to his team as Rob), then realed off 8 straight points to put the Blackhawks up 11-12. With less than 6 seconds on the clock Max Amey restored the Warriors lead with a drive to the basket.

The 2nd quarter belonged to the Warriors as they shared the points around outscoring the Blackhawks 20-11 over the 10 minutes. This included holding the Blackhawks scoreless during a 6 minute spell while the Warriors scored 12 of their own including a beautiful drive and finger roll by Edward Lao. The Warriors went into the break leading 33-23.

A 6-2 start to the 3rd put the Blackhawks into a deeper hole, however the Warriors stopped taking the ball inside and only managed 2 more points in the quarter. The Blackhawks clawed their way back into the game to trail just 41-36 after 3 quarters.

The Warriors took coach Tom Smiths advice and started to get the ball inside again scoring all their early points in the fourth quarter on drives and layups. This included a steal and layup by 15 year old Dan Wiltshire making the step up from the juniors to the mens teams. With Perran Hutton scoring 10 points in the quarter the Warriors ran away with the game 62-46 to make it a great start for the new team.

Scorers: Perran Hutton 18, Elvijs Ungurs 17, Max Amey 9, Rob Deyzel 6, Edward Lao 4, Adam Jenkins 3, Jack Mcfaddon 3, Dan Wiltshire 2, Roger Kemp 0, Jake Ratcliffe 0, Mike Castle 0, David Senart 0. Free Throws 6/17(35.3%!!!), Blackhawks FT's 4/9.

Warriors All time leading scorers to end of 2010-11 season (starting 08-09)