BCB League
Bristol Hurricanes 77 (19, 39, 58)
Derby Trailblazers 95 (25, 40, 66)
Blake Bowman marked his return to Derby Trailblazers with a hugely impressive performance as
part of a 95-77 away win. The 25-year-old small forward came off the bench to lead the team with
19 points off 75% floor shooting, alongside a perfect six out of six free-throws. He also added four
rebounds and dished off three assists.
Bowman’s return to his childhood club couldn’t have come at a better time either, as long-serving
American forward Malcolm Smith remains sidelined with injury and illness, although Evan Walshe
returned to action following his latest round of 3×3 commitments.
Walshe went seven of eleven from the floor on his way to 14 points, adding three rebounds and
four assists, while Kendrick Gilbert converted 75% from the field and six from six at the line on his
way to 14 points, adding six rebounds and two assists along the way. With Jai Pathmarajah netting
13 points and Raheem May-Thompson a further ten, it was a well-balanced scoring attack.
Derby had focussed much of their preparations on defensive intensity and it paid off, as they
limited Bristol’s top two scorers to well below their seasonal averages. Ben Baker-McCann (28
average) was restricted to 15 points, while Pasquale Landolfi (23.3 average) finished with 18, as
James Claar led the Hurricanes with 21 points and five rebounds.
Despite losing the jump-ball, Derby had possession back within five seconds when a poor pass
from Landolfi was picked off by Pathmarajah. Both sides missed their opening shots before Gilbert
converted from outside the arc and Pathmarajah completed a driving lay-up to make it 5-nil.
Claar got Bristol off and running with a fadeaway shot before baskets from Charlie Brown and Rob
Marsden helped the Blazers open up a 9-2 lead. Bristol worked hard to trim the gap and eventually
got it down 18-16 when Josh Phillips converted a three-point play.
Bowman made his first appearance with 2’29” on the clock and was quickly racking up stats as
provided the assist for the second of two consecutive baskets from Walshe. They formed part of a
5-2 run which saw Derby take a 25-19 lead into the first break.
Claar opened the scoring in the second quarter before Bowman took a defensive rebound and
went coast-to-coast for a driving lay-up, drawing contact on his way and converting the resulting
bonus free-throw.
Bristol kept things close throughout the early part of the second period, before a three-pointer from
Bowman stretched Derby’s advantage to seven points. However, the Hurricanes dominated the
next four minutes and took their first lead as Claar converted from outside to make it 39-38, before
a basket from May-Thompson sent Derby into the half-time break leading by a single point.
A lay-up from Phillips swung the game back in Bristol’s favour at the start of the third, by
Pathmarajah was quick to reply in kind. After Baker-McCann split a pair of free-throws, a driving
lay-up from Casey Burr gave Derby a 44-42 lead. Baker-McCann then tied the scores, but that was
as close as the Hurricanes got in the remainder of the game.
Gilbert was sent to the line twice in quick succession, converting a pair of free-throws each time
before Gabriel Franklin netted his only points of the game with a three-pointer. A 10-2 Blazers run
followed as the visitors began to stamp their authority on the game.
With 1’39” left in the third, Bowman was fouled while attempting a shot-clock beating three-pointer
and he quickly reminded the travelling supporters of how good a free-throw shooter he is, by
sinking all three bonus points. That took the lead to eight points and after Claar and Walshe
exchanged scores it was 66-58 heading into the final quarter.
An early Bristol time-out in the fourth did little to help as another basket from Walshe and a three-
pointer from Rodney Glasgow Jr stretched Derby’s advantage to 75-60 with seven minutes
remaining.
The Hurricanes twice cut the gap to thirteen points before a breakaway dunk from Bowman
delighted the visiting supporters. Bristol responded with a pair of free-throws from Baker-McCann
and a dunk from Claar to take the score to 84-74.
After a three-pointer from Conner Washington, Claar and Bowman exchanged dunks before Derby
closed out the game with a 6-1 run which included a third explosive fast-break dunk from the star
of the show, as Bowman sealed the 95-77 away win.
Head Coach Kyle Henderson described it as a fantastic result:
“I was really pleased with the team performance and the vibes in the camp. We’ve been locked in
on intensity all week and it really showed as the guys brought intensity both offensively and
defensively and it was really pleased to see we could do that.
“Defensively, we knew we had to lock down two of the league’s top five scorers in Baker-McCann
and Landolfi. Both were tough assignments whether we were in a man-to-man or a zone system
and we had to make sure we knew where both of them were at all times and the guys did a great
job of that.
“Offensively, I think the guys we brought off the bench were awesome as they continued and
elevated what the starters had achieved, so I’m really pleased with the performance of the team as
a whole.
“As for Blake, he’s going to bolster any team at this level and adding someone of his calibre Is
definitely going to help the team moving forward. Nineteen points in twenty-three minutes is
fantastic and you’ve got to remember he’s still trying to find his feet and understand some of the
sets we play, particularly defensively. He brings urgency and he’s definitely a competitor.
“The great thing about this teams is also that the five who were sat during the fourth quarter
understood that the five on the court were doing the job and we made the decision to let them ride
it out and it turned out to be the right decision.
“We’re now looking forward to Yorkshire this weekend. We didn’t produce a good showing against
them in the Trophy, so I think it will be a good test to show us where we’re at. I’ve said it before
and I’ll say it again, this team is only going to go better and I know the guys will be locked in after
another good week of practice,” he said.
Bristol: Claar 21, Landolfi 18, Baker-McCann 15, Phillips 7, Samuels 6, Flowers 5, Franklin 3, Forsyth 2,
Hill 0, Brierly DNP, Pearce DNP, Wells DNP.
Derby: Bowman 19, Gilbert 14, Walshe 14, Pathmarajah 13, May-Thompson 10, Washington 8,
Marsden 6, Glasgow Jr 5, Burr 4, Brown 2.
Derby Trailblazers are back at the Clarence Wiggins Sports Centre on Saturday, when Yorkshire
Dragons will be the visitors for a 7:30 pm tip-off.
Written by Nigel Cash.
BLAZERS U15 YBL 55 EAGLES 72
Derby Trailblazers U15 YBL put up a spirited fight on home court today, eventually bowing out 55–72 against a strong Abingdon Eagles side in the U16 National Cup.
Playing up an age group, the Trailblazers hit the floor running, taking early control of the contest with sharp execution at both ends to claim the opening quarter. However, momentum swung drastically in the second period as the Eagles applied relentless defensive pressure. Abingdon’s full-court press disrupted Derby’s rhythm, forcing rushed passes and uncharacteristic turnovers that put the home side on the back foot heading into the half-time interval.
The third quarter proved another test of composure against Abingdon’s intensity, but Derby refused to fold. Shaking off the disruption, the boys rediscovered their tempo early in the fourth quarter, mounting a fierce charge that looked capable of sparking a dramatic late comeback. While the deficit ultimately proved just too steep to overturn, the grit displayed throughout the final frame was unmistakable.
A standout takeaway from the clash was the balanced offensive contribution across the squad, with the majority of the roster getting on the scoreboard—several players finding the basket for the first time this season. That confidence and shooting intent will be vital building blocks as league play resumes.
Despite the final scoreline, the cup fixture served as an invaluable, high-intensity test for a young squad continuing to develop and grow together.
BLAZERS U14 GIRLS 37 MANCHESTER GIANTS 69
Derby Trailblazers U14 Girls stepped onto the National League Conference stage for the first time this season, facing off against Manchester Giants following a balanced 2–2 pre-season run against mixed National League and local competition.
Shorthanded by a player on the day, Derby faced an immediate uphill battle navigating the mandatory five-on, five-off substitution rules in the opening and third quarters. The forced rotations disrupted early rhythm, and the Giants capitalised ruthlessly to build an 18–0 advantage in the opening five minutes, eventually taking the first quarter 20–2.
Rather than letting the match run away, the girls showed exceptional character and resolve across the remaining thirty minutes. Settling into their assignments and matching Manchester’s physicality, the Trailblazers remarkably tied two of the remaining three quarters in a fiercely contested, end-to-end battle.
While the initial gap proved insurmountable—culminating in a 37–69 defeat—the response after that rocky opening frame highlighted the genuine quality and competitive spirit within the squad.
Building a squad capable of competing at National League standard has been a massive step forward for the girls’ programme. While balancing squad development and player rotation against the cut-throat demands of national-tier basketball remains an ongoing challenge, the fight shown across the final three quarters proves this side can more than hold its own at this level.
