Semi-Final Trophy Run For Caledonia Gladiators
For the fourth successive season, Caledonia Gladiators made it to the semi-finals of the British Basketball League Trophy, although the Macklin Motors-backed side was unable to successfully defend the title it won last season.
In a change of format, the Trophy would run across the month of January during a break in the main BBL Championship, where the Gladiators sit second behind current leaders the London Lions.
With the ten BBL teams split into two groups of five – and the top two going through to the semi-finals – the Gladiators kicked off their trophy defence with a home tie against Cheshire Phoenix.
In a repeat of last season’s dramatic final, which the Gladiators won 73:70, the game would be an action-packed way to kick off the New Year with the two teams sitting level at 69:69 going into the final quarter.
The Phoenix looked to be heading towards victory as they moved ten points clear but in the closing moments, the Gladiators roared back to once again level the scores thanks to three pointers from Princeton Onwas and Patrick Whelan in the final minute.
That resulted in the match going to overtime, with Phoenix emerging from the additional five minutes with a narrow 100:97 victory.
Two days later, the Gladiators headed to Plymouth City Patriots keen to make amends for December’s league defeat and it would prove to be another tight affair as the two sides shared the opening quarters to sit level at half-time.
The third quarter would prove to be key however as the home side opened up a 13 point lead and although they reduced the deficit to seven before the end of the quarter, the two teams couldn’t be split in the fourth as Plymouth took the win by 88:81.
With two defeats from two, the Gladiators faced a huge battle to try and make it through from the group phase, with the away game against Sheffield Sharks becoming a must-win affair.
The Gladiators started strongly to take a five point lead after the opening quarter and at one stage in the second, had extended that advantage up to 18 before the Sharks responded just before the break.
The game would take a huge turn in the third, with Sheffield coming out of the blocks quicker after the break to not only reduce the gap but also take the lead – going from 13 points behind to lead by two.
This time around it was the Gladiators who battled back and, aware that a defeat would mean an early exit from the competition, were able to wrestle their way to a crucial win – outscoring their rivals by ten points to take the win 80:72.
The Gladiators welcomed Surrey Scorchers to the PlaySport Arena for the final group game knowing that they had to win and an aggressive start saw the Scottish side open up an advantage of ten points in the opening quarter.
Although Surrey cut that lead by one in the second, the Gladiators roared out of the blocks in the third quarter to take an unassailable lead, with a total of 20 points from Lukas Palyza helping the Gladiators to win 99:74.
With results elsewhere going their way, Caledonia went through to take on the London Lions in the semi-final and the Gladiators opened up a lead of 15 points in the first before the Lions fought back to reduce the deficit to nine points before edging the second quarter by a point to leave the gap at eight going into the second half.
The second half however would provide the Lions with the chance to fight back, and the Gladiators were restricted to just 23 points as the Londoners moved ahead to take victory by 85:75, ending the Gladiators chances of defending the title.
Focus now turns back to the league campaign, with February kicking off with a game against Bristol.
January Results:
- Cheshire Phoenix (H) – Lost 100:97
- Plymouth City Patriots (A) – Lost 88:81
- Sheffield Sharks (A) – Won 80:72
- Surrey Scorchers (H) – Won 99:74
- London Lions (A) – Lost 85:75