Oldham Owls 60 Rhinos 68

In their second match of the day, the Rhinos came up against Oldham Owls. The teams played each other back in December and the Rhinos won by three after over-time so another close game was expected.

The first quarter was an even affair with the lead swapping hands several times.

At 16 – 10, Rhinos had opened up a six point advantage with two minutes to go, but Oldham pulled it back to only trail by two at the end of the quarter, 18 - 16.

All ten players on court had found the basket in the opening ten minutes, with Byrne for Rhinos and Johnson for Oldham each scoring six points.

Again the lead continued to change hands throughout the 2^nd quarter as the teams traded basket for basket.

Neither team could take control as they appeared very evenly matched. Oldham scored the last basket before the half-time break to win the quarter 18 – 16 and level the game at 34 – 34.

Oldham scored first after the restart to take the lead, but as in the first half, the teams then made alternate baskets for the score to read 44 – 44 with three minutes remaining in the quarter.

Rhinos then went on an 8 – 2 run, and with the match so evenly poised, this proved decisive. Rhinos took the quarter 18 – 12.

They stretched the lead further at the start of the final period to 56 – 46, and although Oldham did manage to stay in the game cutting the lead to five points with five minutes left, they couldn’t match up with Rhinos’ forwards - Munn scoring ten points personal in the last quarter.

Peter Finbow scored a three point shot in the closing seconds for Oldham to put the deficit into single figures, but Rhinos ran out winners 68 – 60.

Scorers:

Rhinos: Munn 28, Orogbemi 16, Peasley 12, Byrne 10, Jama 2.

Owls: Johnson 23, Finbow 15, Peel 11, Greenhalgh 7, Robertson 2, Pullen 2.