Below-par Bears get year off to winning start

WARWICKSHIRE Bears got 2018 off to a winning start despite a below-par display against Leicester Cobras on Sunday.

With both teams showing signs of rustiness after the Christmas break, the Bears came out on top 52-42 to record their fifth league success of the campaign.

The Bears went into an early lead, but they were unable to make any headway and Cobras came back well to finish the quarter with only a single basket between them, 14-12.

Warwickshire came out stronger in the second quarter, playing a harder defence but were unable to make any progression with the score but were able to slowly pull away and take a 26-19 lead going into the half-time break, the highlight of the quarter being Jacob Robinson's buzzer-beating basket from his own half.

Leicester came out determined in the third quarter, playing a full court press to try and pull back the score, but the Bears were able to overcome it with Dan Gill and Ben Haigh breaking down the defence and keeping the Bears in front, 40-30.

The Bears saw out the last quarter and kept their lead, going basket for basket with the Cobras to the final buzzer.

Bears' coach, Tom Masterson, said: "I’d like to congratulate the Cobras as they fought all the way and gave us a real test.

"Although I'm disappointed with the display, we still won so we have to be happy about that.

"We have some big games coming up and we need to be so much better for them or we will get punished.”

Bears 3 made it a weekend double with a 23-18 victory over Leicester Cobras 2.

"I'm so proud of the Bears," said the team's coach, Jacob Robinson.

"With three starting players missing but to still get the win was brilliant. They should all be proud of themselves.”