FIRST TEAM’S TITLE HOPES GO UP IN FLAMES!

January 28, 2022

INJURY-RAVAGED TROJANS 1 SAW THEIR TITLE HOPES GO UP IN FLAMES AT HEREWARD WHERE COVENTRY UNIVERSITY TOOK MAXIMUM POINTS FROM THE FORMER CHAMPIONS IN A BRUISING 65-57 WIN.

ALREADY WITHOUT SCOTT OWEN, AUSTIN DICKSON, FAROUK BELLO AND DAN WAKEHAM FOR MOST OF THE SEASON, AND DOMINIK GORGOL WORKING AWAY, TREVOR ROBINSON”S HOPES OF VICTORY WERE ROCKED WHEN  THE LEAGUE’S LEADING SCORER MARK LARNER ARRIVED AND RULES HIMSELF OUT OF THE CLASH WITH THE UNIVERSITY WHO FIELDED A FULL-STRENGTH TWELVE-MAN SQUAD.

HOWEVER, IT WAS TROJANS WHO TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND LED BY SEVEN GOING INTO THE HALF-TIME BREAK BEFORE COLLAPSING IN A HEAP TO SEE THEIR SLENDER ADVANTAGE TURNED ON ITS HEAD IN THE THIRD QUARTER AS COVENTRY POWERED TO A 46-33 LEAD. THEN TWO OF THE UNIVERSITY PLAYERS WERE DISQUALIFIED FOR COURT-ENCROACHMENT AFTER A SKIRMISH WHICH LED TO A FLURRY OF FREE-SHOTS BEFORE THE GAME CALMED AND UNIVERSITY WERE BEING CLOSED DOWN BUT STILL CLUNG ON.

WHEN THE FINAL QUARTER CAME, TROJANS INCHED CLOSER TO 50-49 WHEN THEY FELL APART ONCE MORE. RICHARD ONIONS FOULED OUT LEAVING THE REDS WITHOUT THEIR HEIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND FLAMES MADE THE GAME SAFE WITH SANNI SINKING TWICE, AND WAS FOLLOWED BY BERISHA WHO MADE TWO TRIPLES TO SEAL A GREAT WIN FOR UNIVERSITY AND END TROJANS HOPES OF A SEVENTH TITLE IN TEN SEASONS – UNLESS ARDEN GRIFFINS SLIP UP THEMSELVES IN THE RUN-IN.