Plymouth University Raiders have reached the British Basketball League Trophy semi-finals after beating Surrey United 86-77 at Plymouth Pavilions, making it seven straight wins against United dating back to April 2013. It’s the furthest that the Raiders have been in this competition – that they won in 2007 for their only piece of BBL silverware – in the last three years.
The teams could barely be separated through the early exchanges – tied at 18 after ten minutes – until Raiders opened the second stanza with a 13-4 surge when Pierre Hampton and Ben Mockford hit three-pointers for a 31-22 lead.
That lead was in double-figures soon after when Joshua Wilcher added a triple of his own and that’s where it stayed, at 40-29 going into the break, after DeAndre Medlock’s dunk late in the period. United had committed 15 first half turnovers and hit just 1/8 three-pointers.
But that changed immediately after the half time break. United stormed back to level the game at 47 on Anthony Downing’s triple to cap nine unanswered points. But that was as good as it would get for the visitors, when Raiders responded 9-2, Wilcher adding another triple, to take a 56-51 lead into the fourth.
Surrey did threaten once more, with a 10-2 run early in the fourth, to get back to 71-67. But Gareth Murray – who led their scoring on the night with 18 points – kept them at arm’s length, hitting a three-pointer immediately after. And the game was settled soon after when Mockford hit a pair of triples in quick succession, and the lead was back out to 83-72 late on.
United’s next league matches are Away at Bristol Flyers on Fri 13 and a Home game against Leicester Riders on Sat 15 at Surrey Sports Park. Tip-off is at 3pm.
Cover Image: Alan Levine – Nothing but Net(work)