Basketball: Blue and white pride

Despite the football side's failure to beat Blackpool at Layer Road the newly-affiliated basketball side christened their new strip in style.

The former Colchester Alliance side, that has recently joined forces with the Community Sports Trust to become Colchester United, saw off Cardiff Clippers in the English National League Division Two South 95-75.

And making his debut for the U's was the giant figure of Zimbabwe international Tendai Simbai.

Second-placed Cardiff were unable to deal with the seven feet and two inches of Simbai and were always chasing the game.

Delighted U's coach Mark Lloyd said: "It was a more comfortable win than I thought it was going to be.

"Considering Cardiff are second in the league they didn't play as well as we expected. I don't know maybe the long trip had something to do with it."

Simbai made an impressive debut - making his prescence felt in attack and sweeping up at the back from shots that just missed the basket.

Lloyd said of his star-man: "Tendai's physical size made a difference. He's not really strong but his sheer intimidating factor troubled Cardiff.

"But I don't want to take anything away from the other players who all gave great accounts of themselves."

Colchester, who had won only four of their ten league games this season, always looked in control from the tip-off.

They finished the first quarter leading by 11 points 25-14, and although Cardiff had narrowed the gap by the end of the third quarter to 74-62 any hopes they had of a comeback were dashed at the start of the final and fourth quarter.

Free throws from Alex Birch and Jules Keeling extended the U's advantage and with three minutes left of the game they were leading 90-64.

A late surge from Cardiff saw them claw their way back but further baskets from Vic Booty and a free throw from Nick Drane rounded off the scoring to win 95-75.

Published Tuesday, January 28, 2003

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