A dominant second half saw Leeds Carnegie collect their second piece of silverware this season as Team Northumbria were beaten 73-66 in the Patron’s Cup final.

 

Matt Newby’s team outscored Northumbria 47-24 in the second half to turn a 16 point deficit around.

 

Ladi Brown collected the MVP award with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block as Leeds won their sixth trophy in three seasons.

 

Carnegie were led by 18 Zoltan Supola points, with Aki Fagbohun adding 15 and 13 rebounds and Rob Stockwell finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Northumbria player-coach Greg Modzelewski led by example with 28 points (eight three-point shots), four rebounds and three assists. Jamie Glen added 12 points, while Chris Pearce narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and ten boards.

 

Leeds’ control of the boards proved to be key as they out-rebounded Northumbria 46-35, though the north east side managed more steals and assists.

 

Newby was understandably delighted with the victory, but had praise for the side that Leeds defeated:

 

"The Patron's Cup proved to be one of our biggest tests of the last three seasons.  We met a Northumbria side who continue to raise their game; Greg had them incredibly well prepared and that was proven in the manner in which they continually stifled our half court game. 

 

"Fortunately we began to execute some new looks; I believe we showed a great deal of resolve and heart in a comeback that I am incredible proud of. The numbers do not lie - we were on the ropes and reeling from punch after punch with coach Modzelewski leading the charge.

 

"We made some personnel changes which proved more appropriate to the match ups which Northumbria were offering, and we began to deliver on defence. Our half court game began to show some fluency and we began to dictate the tempo. 

 

"I am really proud of the leadership and discipline of Ladi Brown throughout the second half, the refinement that is now evident in Aki Fagbohun’s game, and the spark which Zoltan Supola continually delivers. 

 

"Critically it was a team who refused to lose in the second half and talking about individuals will not convey the value that each member has brought to the 2008-09 campaign so far.  I would also like to acknowledge the success of our Division Four programme who have taken the Division Four North regular season title which we were presented with today.

 

"I would like to finally thank the Derby Trailblazers and their staff for hosting the event."

 

Supola opened the scoring, but the first period proved to be a tight affair with the biggest lead coming after three and a half minutes when Pawel Szafraniec converted a Brown assist to put his side 9-3 ahead. Eight unanswered points, capped by a Corey Diethorn basket put Leeds back ahead, but the sides went into the first break level at 13.

 

Modzelewski sunk a trey to put Northumbria ahead with the opening play of the second period, and he repeated the trick at the 6:09 stage to put Northumbria 25-18 ahead, and he continued the three-point blitz to open a double digit lead.

 

The Northumbria lead grew to 14 after five straight Modzelewski points, and a Pearce basket with a minute of the half left extended the advantage 41-23, and although Leeds chipped a couple of points off their deficit, the Newcastle team went into the locker room 42-26 ahead.

 

With Modzelewski draining another pair of three-pointers, split by a Stockwell basket, Northumbria’s lead grew to 20 after 70 seconds play in the third period, but that proved to be as good as it got for them.

 

Fagbohun hit a three to launch a 9-0 run, and following a Leeds timeout a Supola basket took the Northumbria lead down to single figures at 52-43 with three third period minutes remaining.

 

Northumbria took the lead out to 11 off a Glen three-pointer, but a trey from Stockwell and a Fagbohun basket made it a six point game at the final break, with Northumbria leading 57-51.

 

There was little to choose between the teams in the opening five minutes of the fourth period as they shared 12 points.

 

Supola cut the lead to four with a pair of free-throws, but Modzelewski sunk his seventh trey of the game to put Northumbria 66-59 ahead with 4:18 remaining.

 

However, that proved to be the final time Northumbria would trouble the scorers, and baskets from Supola and Fagbohun tied the score at 66 going into the final three minutes.

 

Fagbohun sunk a trey with 102 seconds remaining to give Leeds their first lead since the opening period, and Brown and Stockwell wrapped things up from the line.