THERE was mixed success for Ipswich Basketball Club this weekend, with the Tomcats fairing better on the road than the Bobcats.

THERE was mixed success for Ipswich Basketball Club this weekend, with the Tomcats fairing better on the road than the Bobcats.

National Under-16 League

East Midlands Conference

Ipswich Tomcats 126 Bury Bulldogs 38

THIS long-awaited Suffolk derby failed to live up to expectations as Ipswich ran away with the win in emphatic fashion.

Ipswich, who are now the only side left in their league with a 100% record still in tact, were hoping for more of a competitive game following their thrashing of Cambridge the previous week.

However, a powerful, professional performance from the hosts saw them run away with the game very early on.

Within seconds of the tip it was Ipswich who sunk the first basket to open a lead which they would never lose.

Just under four minutes in Bury called a time out to re-group, the score already standing at 12-3, but they could do nothing to stem the tide as the quarter ended 34-16 in favour of the home side.

The second quarter saw Ipswich start with a run of 12 for no reply before Bury finally broke their barren spell with a point from the free throw line.

And, having scored just three in the third, Bury rallied to make 12 in the final period.

Under-16 Sure Shot Cup

North East Essex Jammers 59 Ipswich Tomcats 87

IMPRESSIVE second and fourth quarters saw Ipswich through to the third round of England Basketball's Sure Shot Cup.

No sooner had the court at Holywells been tidied up than it was off on the coach to Chelmsford for Dennis Dixon's squad for their second game in two days.

Ipswich had beaten the Jammers by 40 points on their opening league game of the season but, as in that first game, the Essex side came out in spirited fashion.

After getting out to an early 6-3 lead, the hosts finished the first quarter 18-16 in front as the Tomcats missed a number of easy offensive put backs off good rebounding from Craig Owen and Jack Daley.

However, Ipswich ran their half court trapping press in the second period which yielded plenty of turn overs.

Good defensive rebounding from Jack Spiller and Tom Hunt, combined with defensive pressure on the home team's guards by Nathan Mcgeachie and Ethan Dixon, the Tomcats finished the second period on a 31-12 run to put Ipswich up by 17 at the half.

The Jammers tried to mount a comeback at the beginning of the third, but it was met with equally strong defensive resistance.

And although the Jammers were able to win the third period 19-14, they were held to 26-10 in the final period.

The win puts Ipswich in the final 16 and sets up a third round home tie against Waltham Forest Spartans on December 14.

National Under-16 League

South One Conference

Southend Swifts 74 Ipswich Bobcats 42

Under-16 Sure Shot Cup

Southend Swifts 81 Ipswich Bobcats 49

IPSWICH suffered a double defeat against a Southend side that is proving something of a bogey side for the Bobcats.

Southend's strong performances were too much for the Bobcats who, it must be remembered, are playing a year above their age group this season because England Basketball do not run a girls Under-15 competition.

National Under-15 League

Boys South Two

Haringey Warriors 47 Ipswich Tomcats 55

IPSWICH are joint top-of-the-table following an impressive win in the capital.

Haringey are one of London's top basketball clubs and playing them on their home court is always a big ask for any team.

However, Coach Nick Newman's squad didn't seem to mind as they travelled back up the A12 with a 55-47 win under their belt.

Their 100% record leaves them trailing high-scoring Newham Youngbloods on points difference in the league table.

The top two come together in East London on December 6 in a mouth-watering clash.