SATURDAY MARCH 13

UNDER 16 BOYSNATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

EASTSIDE EAGLES 68  SOUTHEND SWIFTS 65 

Southend Swifts under 16 boys team travelled to Eastside Eagles looking to get back on the winning trail after suffering defeats in their last three games.  Their opponents are on a four match unbeaten run so a difficult encounter had to be expected. 

The home side started stronger, taking an 8-3 lead and despite good work from Graham Oluwadare, the margin extended to 20 points to 12 at the end of the first quarter.  Swifts took advantage of some poor foul shooting from Eagles as they pegged them back to 23-19 before conceding six straight points.  Alex Gilbert and Alfie Garrard scored four apiece and at half time Eastside led 36-29. 

Some good early work from the Londoners took the lead back to double digits at 43-31 but five points from Alistair Smith sparked a strong run and with the final six points of the third quarter, Southend got back to trail just 52-46.  The spell continued as Swifts made a 7-2 run that put them within one point and the teams swapped baskets to 58-57 midway through the final period.  Eagles moved out to three but an 8-2 run, with four points from George Cassidy gave Southend their first lead at 65-62 going into the final two minutes.  But a disbelief that they had victory in their grasp struck the team and they turned the ball over twice as they conceded the last six points to lose what had been a very good contest by 68 points to 65.  Oluwadare 19 points, Gilbert 13 and Smith 10 leading the way.

UNDER 16 GIRLS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

SOUTHEND SWIFTS 20  WORTHING THUNDER 0 

Worthing failed to arrive for this fixture and given the stage of the season Southend would expect to be awarded the game.

UNDER 14 BOYS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

BRIGHTON COUGARS 95  SOUTHEND SWIFTS 41 

After the euphoria of victory the previous week, Southend Swifts under 14 boys were brought back to earth against Brighton Cougars who are in 4^th place in this very competitive division. 

Brighton jumped out to a 17-3 lead in the opening five minutes and extended the lead to 20 at the end of the first quarter at 29-9.  Swifts showed better fight and with Bradley Wood showing his potential they pegged the margin back to 35-16 before Cougars ended the first half with a 17-2 run that put the game beyond doubt at 52-18. 

The visitors made a better showing in the second half as Brighton rotated their line-up but there was no way back as they were defeated by 95 points to 41, with Wood the only player in double figures with 16.

WOMENS SENIOR DIVISION 2 – MIDLAND/SOUTH EAST DIVISION

SOUTHEND SWIFTS 78  SEVENOAKS SUNS 82 

The final game of a difficult day saw Southend Swifts take on Sevenoaks Suns in what was listed as a senior match but saw both teams field much younger teams – Southend in fact suiting up four members of their under 14 side. 

Swifts made a very poor start, conceding the first five points, before recovering to hit the next six that should have given them some impetus.  However, their normal energy was missing and some very poor defensive work allowed Sevenoaks to lead 18-8 at the end of a very lacklustre first quarter.  However, the second period was a scoring fest as the teams shared 63 points.  Katie Holland, Hannah Culwick and Jennie Rodgers were seemingly scoring at will but there was little intensity at the other end, although a late Holland three-pointer reduced the deficit to just 47-42 at half time. 

Five points from Rodgers got the game back to 49-47 and a 6-5 run made it a one point game.  Suns had the next 10 points and Swifts could get no closer as they trailed 68-58 going into the final stanza.  An 8-4 spell gave some renewed hope and the teams traded baskets to 76-70 with five minutes to play.  The visitors had six of the next eight points and with three minutes to play the game looked all over at 82-72.  But Swifts finally remembered what they could do.  They kept their opponents scoreless whilst making the last six points but it was not quite enough as they fell to an 82-78 defeat.  Rodgers with 33 points, Holland 22 and Culwick leading the scoring.  

SUNDAY MARCH 14

UNDER 14 GIRLS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

SOUTHEND SWIFTS 20  NEWHAM YOUNGBLOODS 0 

For the second time in 24 hours, another of Southend Swifts teams suffered the disappointment of their opponents failing to arrive for a fixture.  This time it was the under 14 girls, who were looking to put on a convincing display in their last game before the play-offs start, but had to make do with a meaningless 20-0 forfeit victory.

UNDER 14 BOYS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

SOUTHEND SWIFTS 60  BRIGHTON COUGARS 92 

These two teams had met the previous day, when Brighton recorded a comfortable 54 point win, so it was for Southend to see if they could put up a better performance in front of their own spectators. 

However, Swifts made a disappointing start, trailing 18-1 after six minutes but led by Perry Osbourne and Nathan Smith, they started to fight their way back, trailing 24-12 at the end of the first quarter.  The margin was kept within check for the next five minutes, before Cougars went on a 12-0 run that helped them to a 46-22 half time lead. 

The third quarter was a much closer affair as Daniel Emmanuel came to the fore, contributing six points as the margin barely grew to 62-37.  The final 10 minutes was the young Swifts best offensive display of the season, as they managed 23 points despite falling to a 92-60 defeat in a very entertaining contest.  Osbourne with 24 points, Emmanuel 17 and Smith 12 leading the scoring.

UNDER 16 BOYS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

SOUTHEND SWIFTS 65  EASTSIDE EAGLES 69 

Just like their under 14 colleagues, Southend Swifts under 16 boys also met the same team they had taken on the day before.  Southend had suffered a very narrow three-point defeat so were hopeful of reversing their fortunes. 

Swifts made a great start, opening a 12-4 lead after five minutes.  Eagles replied with the next five points, but an 8-1 run gave the hosts a 20-10 first quarter lead.  The second period started even better as Southend had eight of the first ten points to lead 27-12.  Eastside hit back with six unanswered but Swifts went one better and with three minutes to half time the margin was 34-18.  The visitors’ change of defence brought them quick rewards as they pegged the scoreline back to 36-29 but with Graham Oluwadare making the last five points the half time lead for Swifts was 41-29.

 However, the second half would see a complete change of fortunes.  Southend struggled to get anywhere near the basket whilst Eastside scored 13 of the first 15 points to reduce the margin to just one.  A Jack Adams three-pointer temporarily steadied matters but the momentum was with Eagles as they made the last nine points to lead 53-48 with the last 10 minutes to play.    

Excellent shooting from Eagles took them to 62-53 but two baskets from David Goates gave Swifts some semblance of hope.  Eastside had the next four points and with four minutes to play it was 66-59.  Swifts found some resolve and they certainly had the opportunity of applying pressure but a series of missed foul shots would hurt them.  Going into the final minute it was 66-62 but a three-pointer for Eastside’s Andrew was conclusive despite Southend managing the final points to lose a game they really should have closed out by 69 points to 62.  Oluwadare the only player in double figures with 25 points. 

 UNDER 18 WOMENS NATIONAL LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

SEVENOAKS SUNS 72  SOUTHEND SWIFTS 58 

The final game of a tough club weekend saw Southend Swifts under 18 girls team travel to Sevenoaks Suns knowing they needed victory to secure a top three league place.  With play-off places decided on win percentages, the ultra competitiveness of the South Division meant that two of the top teams in the country would have to travel in the early rounds of the season-ending finale. 

The teams traded baskets early on but an 8-0 run took Sevenoaks 15-6 ahead.  Southend hit back as Christina Gaskin, Jennie Rodgers and Hannah Culwick all scored three-point shots in a three minute period to give their team a 19-17 lead after the opening skirmishes. 

Suns came out strongly to open a six point lead at 32-26 but seven straight for Swifts took them one point ahead.  However, the last three minutes would see Southend’s defensive intensity drop as they conceded 10 points to trail 42-33 at the midway interval. 

After narrowing the gap by one, Swifts conceded nine straight as Sevenoaks found their range from outside.  Three pointers from Rodgers and Culwick stemmed the tide but Swifts could make no real inroads as they trailed 61-46 going into the final stanza.  Despite some outstanding shooting yet again from Culwick, eight points in the quarter, Southend could not make a definitive run as Suns recorded a well-deserved win by 72 points to 58.  Rodgers 23, Culwick 18 and Gaskin 10 leading the scoring.