GB guard ensures winning start for Everton Tigers

GREAT BRITAIN guard Richard Midgley was the hero as Everton Tigers made the perfect start to their BBL Trophy campaign with a hard-fought 91-101 win over north-west rivals Cheshire Jets.

The BBL Championship leaders were struggling at the midway point with the Jets leading 55-50 at the end of the second quarter, and 78-74 at the end of the third stanza.

But Midgley landed successive three pointers at the start of the final quarter before Marcus Bailey's bucket put the Tigers ahead for the first time in the match at the Northgate Arena.

From then on in it was plain sailing for the Tigers who added a further 19 points to their tally as Andre Smith top scored with 28 to give Everton the early advantage in Group Two, which also includes the Leicester Riders.

Elsewhere, in the Trophy Worcester Wolves got off to a winning start as Harry Disy produced an MVP display to hit 34 points as the Wolves beat Worthing Thunder 110-89 in Group Four.

Disy major contribution came in the second quarter with his 11 points and 18 rebounds helping Worcester to a commanding 44-68 half-time lead.

The Thunder rallied after the interval and closed the 24-point gap to just eight (76-84) heading into the final quarter, Ryan Patton leading the fightback with a game total of 26 points.

But it was too little too late for Worthing as Anthony Paez stepped up for Wolves to score nine points in an 11-2 run which took the score to 95-78 and a further 11-0 burst by the visitors late in the match sealed the win.

In the Championship Leicester left Guildford with the points as Brad Wierzbicki scored 24 points in their 33-90 victory.

Guildford's EJ Harrison was the game's highest scorer with 25 but back-to-back threes by Dean Williams and Harrison in the final quarter swung the tight contest in Leicester's favour.