Nottingham Wildcats lose to league leaders Sheffield Hatters

NOTTINGHAM Wildcats again failed to get the better of old rivals Sheffield Hatters, losing 77-65.

Hatters, unbeaten so far this season, won 98-44 the last time the two clubs met.

But Wildcats have improved since then after signing new players Iva Peklova and Taylor Alton.

On the back of three straight wins in 2013, Wildcats went at Sheffield and only two points separated the teams at the end of the first quarter, with Peklova (20pts) grabbing eight of the Wildcats' first 12 points.

Both teams exchanged runs in the second quarter but Wildcats edged into the lead at 34-31.

The game plan was executed extremely well and Nottingham lead at the half.

The third quarter saw Sheffield regain the lead by one point after a 10-2 run in the last two minutes.

Wildcats were only trailing by three with four minutes to go but Sheffield hit them with back-to-back three pointers.

It left the Cats with too much to do despite a late burst of scoring from Alton, who finished on 19 points alongside Ejay Ofomata.

It doesn't get any easier for Wildcats, whose next game at home is against Sevenoaks.

Wildcats U14s recorded their ninth victory of the season with a comfortable 63-33 victory over Sheffield Hatters.

Wildcats started aggressively, restricting the Hatters to three points as they led by 11 at the end of the first quarter.

Freya Bennison kept the Hatters' leading scorer, Harrison, to just seven points in the game and also forced her to turn the ball over on several occasions.

Despite unforced errors, the Wildcats produced another good performance, Neath top scoring with 18 points.

Coach Chris Prior said: "Overall it was a good win against a difficult opponent.

"The team and each individual player have shown great improvement during the season.

"We do need to focus on one or two aspects of our game that continually let us down. We are becoming a very difficult team to beat."

National Founders Cup (Women): Ilkeston Outlaws 47 Derby Ladyblazers 42.

Div 2 (Women): Mans Giants 60 Sefton Starlets 44.

Div 2: Wildcats 43 Birmingham Mets 85.,

Midlands Conference: Ilkeston Outlaws 96 City of Birmingham 47, Birmingham Mets 88 Notts Nova 64.

U-16 Girls: Northants Lightning 62 Wildcats 39.

U-16 Boys: Notts Nova 58 Cheshire Panthers 48.

U15 Boys: Northants Titans 68 Notts Nova 70.

U14 Boys: Notts Nova 59 Leicester Warriors 51.

U13 Boys: Leicester Heat 86 Mans Giants 75.

U-13 Boys: Notts Nova 76 City of Birmingham 82.