Blackstone suffer agonising two-point defeat at Towers

A narrow defeat by two points (70-68) reflects the atmosphere of the game in a closely fought contest. This leaves them two and two and they will be looking to get back to winning ways this Sunday with their home game against Armagh Magic.

The game was closely and aggressively contested throughout with both teams in the ascendancy at various times. As usual the Blackstone came out at pace and surged into an 8–2 lead as Martin Mc Donald shot two threes and Adam Hillis went to the hoop on the run to score and set the visitors into a high tempo and an early lead.

Blackstone found a lot of space at the top of the key for Peter McNicholl and the big forward took advantage with 4 points scored shooting high up the lane. He pushed the visitors ahead just before the interval but impressive long-range shooting had Towers 18-16 ahead.

In the second quarter the Blackstone struggled to find their rhythm in set offence and were to rue their missed lay ups in the end.

Transition is the key to the Blackstone game and they maintained their fast tempo pushing the ball to the front court but did not convert on too many occasions.

Tyrone were to score their baskets from distance and extended their lead to 34–28 but in reflection Blackstone could look back at two quarters where they averaged only 14 points - at least six points per quarter shy of their usual scoring rate.

Conversions from McNicholl from the post and a double hit from Ryan Hayes shooting on the swing of the ball and in transition with an assisted pass from McDonald as he laid in to keep the gap at 6 points. McDonald found a penetrating lay up through the key to set in and McCormick closed the quarter with a lay up in transition.

The third quarter was a good spell for both teams with the Blackstone outscoring the home team 18–20 for the first time in the game.

McDonald shot a three as the Towers defence backed off but it was the visitors’ full court press that paid dividends. Hillis seized on the opportunity to score 6 points and make the game all square.

Murray and McDonald combined in the next few minutes to push Blackstone ahead for the first time since the first quarter.

Murray drove tough to set in and take the hit with no foul given . McDonald shot a three and then went to the free throw line on two occasions to give the Blackstone 42–46 lead but the home team were back in front by the end of the quarter.

The fourth quarter should have seen the Blackstone put the game beyond reach of the Towers as they pushed on to a 7 point lead. It was careless set play and poor passing that gave up this lead and let the Towers in to steal the game.

McDonald and Murray were key players at this stage for the visitors taking the ball tough to the boards and scoring or drawing the foul to go to the line. Again the Blackstone was guilty of poor finishing under the basket and missing 6 points from close in.

Tyrone trailed by two at 59–61 but impatient and clumsy offence from Blackstone was to cost them in a series of ineffective set plays and James Kelly of the Towers took the game individually with 6 power points to give his team a two point gap at 70–68.