BasketballTHE only side with a 100% record, Bury Bulldogs, go into the New Year at the top of the league with three sides, Holbrook Eagles, BT Lasers and Colchester two games behind.

Basketball

THE only side with a 100% record, Bury Bulldogs, go into the New Year at the top of the league with three sides, Holbrook Eagles, BT Lasers and Colchester two games behind.

Bury Bulldogs began the season with some uncertainty as the club was unsure whether or not it had the manpower to compete at this level. If they continue in their present form it could be their name that goes on the league trophy at the end of the season.

Their most recent game was at home to California Cougars and it was certainly a game of two halves.

The lead changed several times in the first quarter with both sides putting together little runs.

The experience of Chris Dixon and Mark Knight together with the athleticism of Aaron Caldwell for the home side saw these three contribute 26 out of the 28 points scored by the Bulldogs in the opening spell.

Meanwhile Joe Rudd and Neil Lister were responding for the visitors and the Cougars trailed by three after ten minutes. Long-range efforts from Lister and Luke Geaves kept Cougars in the game in the second and the scores were tied on four occasions.

Bulldogs had a one-point lead at half time but more significantly three Cougars' players were on three fouls.

The start of the second half saw Bury put together a 15-2 run causing Cougars' player-coach Joe Rudd to take a time out.

Cougars responded with nine points in three minutes but then went scoreless for the next three giving Bulldogs more breathing space and a lead of more than 20 going into the final quarter.

With Cougars deep in foul trouble four of their players fouled out in the final quarter while the Bulldogs maintained their discipline to top the league for the first time this season.

BT Jets will be glad of a Christmas break as they go into the New Year still in search of their first victory.

Their most recent game was against Holbrook Eagles and the defending champions, although resting one or two players, were still in no mood for complacency.

The Eagles opened the game with 22 unanswered points with Jets being unable to manage a single field goal in the first quarter.

Five minutes into the second saw Jets open their account from the field and they managed to get into double figures by half time.

The gap between the teams was typified by seven of the Eagles' players reaching double figures with no Jets' players able to match this.

So a comfortable win saw Holbrook move up into second place in the league, looking to push further and defend their title successfully in 2007.

Teams return to action on 7th January when Holbrook visit California. Bury's top spot will be put to the test when they have to travel to BT to play the Lasers and the top of the table could look very different by the end of the first week of the New Year.