PRESTON — Myerscough rides a four game winning streak into Thursday when it hosts Allerton in the Elite Academy Basketball League.
Myerscough holds a perfect 5-0 all-time league mark over Allerton, which it will face twice in the final four games of the 2017-18 EABL regular season. All five victories have come by a 35.8 margin, including two games decided by at least 50 points — 51 in 2014-15 and 65 in 2015-16.
Allerton (0-7) is one of two teams across the EABL without a win this season — the other being BHASVIC (0-11) in the East Conference. Allerton has lost games by a margin of 45.7 points with just two one decided by under 20 points.
Thursday’s opponent is averaging 52.3 points per game, which is considerably lower than what Myerscough is conceding to teams.
Last time out
Callan Low went two for two against James Watt College this season posting his second 20-point and 10-rebound game against the West Midlands college. Low finished with a season-high 27 points to go with 12 rebounds, and Myerscough ran out 99-63 winners, hitting 16 3-pointers in the process.
Allerton, meanwhile, succumbed to an 83-60 defeat at the hands of SGS College. Harry Resendez led the struggling Leeds-based College as the lone scorer in double figures with 22 points.
Last meeting
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in 2017-18 due to scheduling conflicts bouncing the games around. Myerscough, however, made it five straight over Allerton on Jan. 18 last year with a 75-56 victory. Zion Tordoff finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds at the High Performance Centre.
What to watch
Defensive intensity
Three turnovers and great defence led to a 17-0 in the second quarter that put away James Watt last Wednesday, and the week before that a 21-1 burst put Myerscough in control against SGS.
At the moment, Myerscough has leaned on its defence as the formula for offence, generating right at 20 points off opponent turnovers, which stands at 20 per game.
Eight points against James Watt was the fewest this season, but Myerscough held the visitors to just 33.7 percent shooting, including a mere 4 percent from 3-point range (1-of-25).
Stay hot from three
It is easier said than done coming off a 3-point performance in which Myerscough connected on 16-of-34 attempts (47.1 percent). Myerscough has found itself hitting them a the right time — five in a row against James Watt to blow the game open.
Myerscough is shooting the deep ball at a rate of 36 percent, with Konrad Kantorski leading the way with 29 made threes. Edoardo Del Cadia has struggled from range of lae missing his last 14 tries over three games, but Mate Okros has stepped up in his stead hitting 9-of-15 in that span.
Who to watch
Myerscough: Edoardo Del Cadia
During this current four game winning streak, Myerscough has averaged 14.8 second chance points, including 20 — second most this season — against Charnwood. Del Cadia is grabbing 3.3 offensive boards and 13.5 total rebounds in that stretch.
Del Cadia might not be having the impact he wants on offence, but he’s still contributing heavily to wins with 2.3 steals and 2.1 assists per game, which ranks second and fifth on the team, respectively.
Game notes
Tip-off on Thursday during half-term is slated for 4 p.m. at the Pure Leisure High Performance Centre.