Spirited loss against St Helens

You can always tell how you are doing as a team based on who St Helens decide to bring to the game. It's clear that they want a smooth ride back to the top flight and any threats are given the national league treatment. This time we had a near seven-foot centre to deal with, along with a guard who has played at the highest level. However, they were right to be concerned by us because the consistency of the performance levels we're producing right now is there, and no one feared what was in front of us.

They made a strong start to the game, and we were unsurprisingly struggling to stop their big and haul down boards. However, we made adjustments and guys began to play tough, really stepping up to their defensive duties. We rallied hard at the end of the third with a unit that clicked defensively, including Theo for a welcome debut this season. He played hard all game and it's great to have him back. Nathaniel and Diddy started rolling, and no one would slow them for the rest of the game, both showing impressive range and aggression around the basket.

It was tough to stay with the St Helens momentum and early in the second half it felt like we were about to lose our connection with them on the scoreboard. A superb spell of play pulled us within 6, on the back of some aggressive and committed play from Alistair, really changing momentum. It wasn't to be though and they pulled away to take the game. We want to win every game, but this felt like one in which we proved to ourselves that if teams are going to beat us this season, we're certainly going to make them work for it. Had they not brought extra help tonight, there's not doubt in my mind that we'd have taken the spoils.

Tough to pick an MVP tonight. Two players stood out in a big way tonight. Diddy was superb, top-scoring the team on very efficient 7/11 shooting along with 5 boards and 5 assists, but I have to give it to Nathaniel who carried the fight inside outstandingly, against a guy who towered over him, scoring 17 and showing his range with three 3-pointers, but also aggression inside, highlighted by a beautiful drive right into the heart of their paint where their centre had ruled supreme. He simply never gave up the fight, even when his partner-in-crime, Pauli, was forced to sit the end of the game with a niggle.

Points: Diddy 18, Nathaniel 17, Pauli 10
Rebounds: Ali 10, Nathaniel and Pauli 6
Assists: Lincoln 9, Diddy 5