The Raptors maintained their challenge at top of the National League Division Four North table and it’s now a three-team race for the title.
The Rossendale side, Stockport Falcons and Middlesbrough Lions are all battling it for the two promotion places with the Falcons playing twice over the weekend to take over at the top of the league from the Raptors.
But the Raptors have a game in hand and a far superior goal difference as they bid for promotion although they have some tough games to come.
Last Saturday the Raptors travelled to the Bonus Arena in Hull to play the Wasps who are fourth in the table and had enjoyed a five-game winning streak.
The Hull side, full of confidence after a 20-point win at Oldham Titans the previous week, fielded their strongest side including their 6ft 8in captain John Brignell who has experience in Canada and the USA.
In front of a partisan home crowd of more than 200, the Raptors won the tip-off but were tentative with their start, allowing Wasps to take early control, feeding the ball into their big man Brignell who converted the close baskets with ease.
When Raptors fouled him he went to the free throw line and scored 100 per cent of his shots.
Meanwhile Raptors playmaker Steve Gayle was being put under pressure by the tight defence of the home side and it was left initially to Cowell, Slabu and Estrada to keep the Rossendale side in the game.
There was a little bit of panic for the Raptors coaches when both Gayle and big-man Cowell picked up two of their allowed five fouls in the first quarter.
After going behind by six points the Raptors, despite missing several free throws, only trailed by one point, 21-20, at the end of the first quarter, of which Brignell had scored 10 for theWasps.
The second quarter was initially like the first with the home side crashing both boards successfully while the Raptors rang the changes, bringing on Lindsay, Allerston, Masse and Graham.
The latter quickly got onto the end of some good passes to score nine points while Gayle was finding his form again and starting to accumulate points.
However the Hull side were accumulating fouls quickly and had to rest key players.
The half finished nicely poised at 46-45 in favour of Raptors and the visiting coaches had lots to say to their team in the half-time break, mainly about playing tougher defence and pushing the ball up the court a lot quicker to pressurise the Hull side.
True to past form, the Raptors started to deliver in the third quarter, dropping into a 2-1-2 zone, and really putting the pressure on the Hull big men, particularly their captain and top scorer Brignell, who as a result committed his fourth foul and was again rested.
Having gone nine points into the lead, Rossendale let it slip back to evens before they again picked up the pace.
During this period, Allerston picked up 12 valuable points, ghosting into good scoring positions and putting away relatively easy points. Gayle also started to break free of the shackles and scored 17 of the Rossendale side’s 33 points.
By now the Wasps were in foul trouble in their attempts to stop Gayle and the other Raptors players and the quarter was punctuated by Gayle standing at the free throw line and taking a succession of shots.
Raptors finished the third quarter 11 points to the good – 79-68 – with the opposition having given all of their 11 players court time.
Going into the last quarter, all that was required of the Raptors was to keep their heads and keep possession of the ball.
Brignell, with 26 points, fouled out as did other key players on the Hull side in their attempts to stop the Rossendale attack.
They continued to foul the Raptors’ top man all over the court and yet again he spent a long time on the free-throw line, altogether taking a staggering 25 free throws in the game.
The game became scrappy but Raptors players who were fouled converted their foul shots at a 100 per cent success rate.
The home side could only muster 10 points in the last quarter and Raptors cruised to a 24 point win – a crucial win in their promotion chase.
Top scorers for Raptors were Gayle with 39 points and 10 assists, Allerston 16 points and eight rebounds, Slabu 14 points and nine rebounds, and Graham with 11 points.
Raptors, sponsored by Sanderson Wetherall, face some difficult away games over the next month.
Tomorrow they go to Tees Valley Tigers who, although sitting modestly in mid-table, have already caused some upsets this season. The club invites spectators to support them in their next home game against Liverpool at Haslingden Sports Centre on 28 January, 5.15pm start.
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