Scorchers endured a heart-breaking loss in overtime at the hands of Esh Group Eagles Newcastle in the British Basketball League Championship.
A dramatic buzzer beating equaliser from Anthony Elechi gave Scorchers the chance to bag the win, but it wasn’t to be.
Both sides headed into the game having suffered defeats in their latest outings, Eagles falling short to Plymouth Raiders and Scorchers to Manchester Giants.
From the offset it was clear to see this game was going to be neck and neck, both sides doing everything to keep within touching distance of the other.
Morakinyo Williams battled hard through injury to put Scorchers ahead at the close of the first quarter, scoring for the home side and protecting the rim at the other end.
The second quarter followed a similar suit, with Eagles becoming frustrated by the stern opposition they faced on the court.
Elechi’s rebounding prowess proved vital for Surrey, consistently beating Eagles to loose balls to keep attacks alive.
The half-time buzzer sounded, the game all tied up at 47-47.
Creon Raftopoulos’s side came out inspired in the second half, showing the same grit and determination they had showed all game long.
Captain Tayo Ogedengbe and Caylin Raftopoulos rained down a series of 3-point shots to give the Scorchers a slight edge heading into the final quarter.
Now it was the turn of the visitors to show they weren’t willing to give up the fight.
Foul trouble caught up with the Scorchers as Eagles made the most of their trips to the line, eventually pulling in to a 3-point lead with just seconds remaining.
As Raftopoulos’s shot rattled off the rim, all seemed lost.
Then, Elechi, with the final seconds ticking off the clock, arched a perfect shot from beyond the arc to draw the scores level, send the crowd into elation and send the game to overtime.
The atmosphere inside Surrey Sports Park stepped up another gear, everybody on their feet and cheering on the home side.
However, the highs of the final moments would soon dashed by the Eagles as they edged their way in front and held on to eventually take the victory.
An incredible effort from the Scorchers, but they fell short at the final hurdle.
© Copyright 2024 Surrey Scorchers
