Carnegie cruise to historic final four

by Joseph Fitzpatrick

Leeds Carnegie reached the Division 1 Final Fours for the first time in the club's history with a 88-78 over Brixton Topcats.

Saturday's game in Headingley was the Yorkshire team's fifth straight play-off appearance, and the win will have gone someway to avenging last season's quarter-final loss to London Met, with several of the Brixton players having been part of that Met team.

Leeds were on top from the start and thanks to some Henry Wilkens long range shooting they took a slender, but well deserved, 23-20 lead into the first break. The second quarter quickly distinguished any notions of a closely fought contest that may have been conjured in the first. Leeds romped to an 18 point half time lead on the back of some impressive offensive play by their captain and London native, Albert Margai, whilst their inside defence stifled Brixton.

The momentum shifted from Yorkshire to south London after half time, and after pouring in 31 second quarter points Carnegie could only manage a meagre total of eleven in the penultimate period.

With the home side's lead cut to just nine points and Brixton seemingly in control, the tension was evident at the start of the fourth quarter. Instead of falling on their own swords as Carnegie teams of the past have been prone to do, Leeds battled through the inevitable desperate onslaught of a Brixton team who sensed their season was about to come to a disappointing climax, to win by ten points.

Leeds will face regular season table toppers Bristol Flyers- who they beat in the West Country just three weeks ago- in Manchester on April 16th. 

The Leeds Carnegie men will be joined by Carnegie women at the final fours and both will be vying for the national playoff title.

Director of Basketball Matt Newby reflecting on the men and the women's 4th place this season in the national league was understandably proud. "It's been a very positive year for the programme developmentally and I am very proud of the progress we have made over the last 5 seasons. The Final Fours in Manchester is the biggest weekend of the national league season and to have both our men and women representing the University and the City of Leeds means a great deal to me personally."