It was a weekend of highs and lows for the West Yorkshire Hawks as the men’s team soared to the top of the table with a statement win over Tees Valley Mohawks, while the women’s side fell just short in a fiercely contested battle against Nottingham Wildcats at the Hawks Nest.
In a clash between the league’s two unbeaten men’s teams, the Hawks delivered their best performance of the season to claim a 98-89 victory on the road.
The teams traded baskets in a fast-paced first half that ended 41-41. After the break, the Hawks found another gear, pushing the tempo and opening up a double-digit lead, led by a season-high 34 points from Rob Donaldson.
Although the Mohawks clawed their way back to within six by the end of the third quarter and briefly took the lead in the final period, the Hawks responded with composure and confidence to secure a nine-point win.
Joe Heyes added 20 points, Dan Pilkington 17, and Anthony Kuczaj 11 in a real team effort.
Head coach Danny Byrne praised his players and said: “The team played so well today. They didn’t get fazed by the Mohawks’ comeback and stuck to the gameplan.
“This is a big win, but I am also keen for us not to get ahead of ourselves. We have a long season ahead with challenges awaiting us every weekend.”
The victory moves the Hawks men to the top of the standings and keeps their unbeaten run alive. They now return home to face Cheshire Wire at the University of Huddersfield this Saturday (November 1). Fans are encouraged to pack the Hawks Nest once again, with 20% off tickets available using the code HAWKS20 at https://tktp.as/EVFWRS/.
Meanwhile, the Hawks women were edged out 52-58 by the visiting Nottingham Wildcats in a game defined by a difficult second quarter.
The home side flew out of the gates with a 9-1 lead, but the Wildcats quickly regrouped to tie the game by the end of the first.
The second quarter proved decisive as the Hawks were held to just two points while the Wildcats pulled away to a 15-point half-time lead.
To their credit, the Hawks re-grouped and came out strong in the second half, playing with intensity on both ends. A dominant third quarter brought them within nine, and the final period saw an uptick in scoring as the game opened up. Despite their best efforts, the Hawks couldn’t close the gap.
Sonia Maria Matei led Hawks’ scoring with 20 points and Ginny Neher added 14.
Player-coach Millie Oates said: “It’s a tough loss to take. It all came down to our reaction in the second quarter.
“I am proud how we tried to fight back but we can’t get ourselves into those situations in the first place. There are plenty of lessons to take from today’s game and we will grow from this experience.”
The Hawks women now prepare for next weekend’s road trip to North Herts Knights at Pendleton Sports Centre.
