Home sweet home for under-16s

There were big home wins for both Wolves U-16 teams as the boys destroyed Southend Scorpions 120-40 while the girls continued their perfect start to the season with a 72-51 victory against Northants Lightening.

Michael Ball's team never looked back after a 20-9 first period and the game was as good as over by half-time as the hosts led 50-14. They didn't let up, with a 33-10 quarter period before a 37-16 final stanza completed their biggest win of the campaign. 

Captain Otis Lau-Johnston led Wolves with 21 points, seven rebounds and six steals, while Sam McCree added 17 points and seven boards. Liam Schertel finished with a 16 point, 12 rebound double-double while Titouan Vimeux added six steals to his 14 points as all 12 Wolves got on the scoresheet. 

Eunice Wong scored Wolves' first eight points of the game against Lightening, capping the run with a triple, before Jane Yu hit back-to-back threes to help Wolves lead 21-17 at the first break. 

A 19-12 second quarter put Wolves firmly in charge and they never looked back with a 15-12 third period before wrapping things up with a 17-10 final frame.

Meryem Kuscuoglu hit a pair of treys in her team-high 15 points, with Wong and Daisy Golan adding 14 each and Yu eight.

In contrast all three U-14 teams suffered defeats on the road. The boys premier team found London refereeing again somewhat erratic as they went down 88-79 at Newham Youngbloods, while the boys conference side lost 77-45 at Aylesbury and the girls were defeated 70-23 at Solent Kestrels

George Walker's side trailed 22-16 at the end of the first period at Newham but fought back to lead 43-42 at half-time. Newham fought back to lead 65-58 at the final break, and with leading scorer Jacob Edrupt [pictured] fouling out with three minutes remaining, Wolves were unable to close the gap down the stretch. 

Edrupt had another big game with 39 points, while Thomas Starkey added 11 and Harry Regan 10.

The U-14 conference side trailed 40-16 at half-time before cutting the deficit to 54-36 at the final break but that was as good as it got for Wolves as they were outscored 23-9 in the final period.

The long trip to Southampton ended in disappointment for Beth Sarrson's girls as they never recovered from a 17-3 first period deficit. Lois Levenston led the visitors' scoring with 11.

The U-12 girls had a tough first home game as they went down 70-24 against Reading Rockets while the U-12B boys lost 76-38 at Enfield Scorpions.