Ethan Price scored 15 points, Blake Read added 13 and Matt Spurling tallied 11 as the Under-18 Boys claimed a 68-61 win over a depleted Milton Keynes Trojans, writes Rob Schatten.

“We made hard work of everything we did and allowed the opposition to dictate the pace of the game, far from our best display,” said coach Noel Lambert, whose side have played just two games in the last five weeks.

The Under-16 Girls pulled away early to secure a 59-43 win over Nottingham.

Ipswich looked promising at the end of the first quarter by gaining a 20-4 lead, but Nottingham brought the game back within five points by half time.

After a high intensity third quarter from the Ipswich side, the hosts gained a 17 point lead, and maintained their strength in the final period to pull out a 16 point win.

Ella Pearson scored 18 points in the win, supported by Esther Little, who also added 18.

The Under-14 Girls travelled to North East London on Saturday hoping to recapture some of their better early season form, but left with a 62-52 loss to London Greenhouse Pioneers.

The second quarter would prove to be pivotal as Ipswich were second-best in the rebounding stakes and offered up too many possessions for the hosts; by half-time Ipswich had a double digit deficit to recover.

The second half saw Ipswich much improved. Coach Kevin Manning’s side continued to close the gap and looked to be shaping up for a grandstand finish, with only four points separating the teams going into the final minute.

Ipswich pushed hard to win the game but left themselves open in the dying seconds and allowed the home side to make the result safe.

Makenna Williams top-scored again with 19 points; Abbie York added 12.

Finally, Syd Payne’s Under-14 Boys lost at Shoeburyness Scorpions on Sunday.

Ipswich trailed by 10 at the half after being unlucky with shots not falling. Scorpions pulled away after a woeful third quarter from Ipswich, who played well in the final period to cut into the lead but it was too little too late.