VIDEO: Injury-hit Giants men crash, but women’s run goes on

Injury hit Mansfield Giants went down 89-66 at home to Brixton Topcats in the EBL Men’s Division Two on Saturday.
Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.
Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.

But Giants’ women made it four wins in a row with a 71-55 EBL Division Two revenge victory against Bury Blue Devils.

Giants’ men are now playing without Scottie Summersgill and Dan Richards, who are both out for the remainder of the season, and also Mark Woodhouse, Parish Xavier and Edwin Igbinezak,a who have all picked up recent injuries.

Mansfield started the game with 15-year-olds Marcellus Xavier and Omar Chambers, with both of them relishing the chance to step up.

Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.
Mansfield Giants v Brixton Topcats.

Brixton came out with some outstanding long range shooting, but new American signing R.B. Clyburn took on most of the scoring load for the Giants as the Londoners won the first quarter 28-23.

A change in defensive tactics by the Giants stopped Brixton’s outside shooting, but sloppy passing allowed the visitors to score some easy fast break points and Brixton were 46-34 up at the halfway mark.

Some really sloppy defence then allowed Brixton to really take control of the game.

The Giants struggled to execute offensively with only Clyburn making any real contribution. Brixton now had a 24-point lead going into the final period.

The Giants gave it their all, scrapping and fighting until the end, but after winning the final quarter, Brixton went away with a comfortable 23-point victory.

Giants’ top scorers: Clyburn 37, Chenery 9, Daukus 7.

Coming into the game high off the back of three consecutive wins in 2014, Giants’ women were seeking revenge over Bury Blue Devils, a team that had beat them previously in the season by 15 points.

Once again Giants were hit by a weakened team with key guard Alison Bridge unavailable and Charlotte Levitt playing with a back injury.

Giants took control from the tip-off with Krista Van Alten on fire, knocking down four shots in a row before Charlotte Levitt found space, attacking the basket for an ‘and one’.

Bury seemed to be slow off the mark, with Giants taking full advantage on offence, finding Katy Taylor to drive to the basket, drawing contact.

But it was the second quarter in which Giants did the majority of the damage, with junior player Ella Higginbotham entering the game to shoot three outside shots in a row and Gail Richards also causing some damage under the basket.

With strong defence causing Bury to try some difficult outside shots, Giants ended the half with a 39-22 lead.

The second half continued at similar pace to the first, but Bury began to find the basket more on offence.

However, Mansfield managed to break Bury down for a quick fast break from Hollie Shaw and a couple of inside baskets from Heather Clarke, keeping the upper hand over the visitors.

And with the Giants able to rotate their bench, Chloe Gaynor entered the game to inject some energy, pulling down some big rebounds to keep the home side in control, finishing the game 71-55.

Giants’ Women are back in action on Saturday away to league leaders Leeds Met, who are unbeaten this season, while Giants’ men are also away, at Loughborough Student Riders.

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