National Cup Ipswich 111 Brentwood 59 Ipswich Basketball Club opened their season in style with an emphatic 52 point win against Brentwood Fire, a team from two divisions below them.

The game, as expected, was never in doubt despite the absence of star Ipswich guard Josh Johnson, who is currently away on international duty with the national team of Uganda, in the qualifying rounds of the African basketball championships.

In the absence of Johnson, new recruit Jacob Lloyd and the ever developing Sam Newman stepped up, sharing point guard duties as the team raced out to an early lead.

However, as so often is the case it was the presence and dominance of 7ft Leigh Greenan that caused the opposition their biggest problems.

With Greenan controlling the game at both ends of the floor the game became an entertaining, yet one sided spectacle for the huge crowd - some 300 fans – crammed into Copleston.

High-flying GB International Luke Mascall-Wright got in on the act with his first of a series of spectacular slam dunks off a touchdown pass from Greenan while the big man nearly pulled the ceiling down with a thunderous slam of his own.

New boy Nick Sims helped himself to a pair of three pointers as the onslaught continued. Ipswich led by nearly 30 at the interval.

The third quarter saw Brentwood enjoy their best period but Ipswich still extended their lead.

Coach Nick Drane was able to rest some of his starters and hand extended minutes to his bench and the team continued to build their lead.

Newman continued to impress, as did partner in crime Lloyd while Mascall-Wright and Greenan added to their highlight mix with more spectacular dunks.

By the end of the game Ipswich were 111-59 winners with Greenan helping himself to 24 points and 17 rebounds while Mascall-Wright was the team’s second most efficient player with a 20 point, six assist, five rebound effort.

Sims finished with 13 points.

Drane said: “We are off and running and there is a good feel amongst the guys. We are nowhere near where we want to be but it’s a long season and the early signs are very encouraging”

“The crowd were awesome today. The best part of 300 people for the first game of the season. Let’s hope we can build on this and attract even more as the season goes on.”