SLIDESHOW: Bassetlaw Shield Basketball Action - Worksop v Retford

WORKSOP kept their 100 per cent record intact with a nail-biting victory over local rivals Retford, to retain the Bassetlaw Shield.

Steve Lawes’ men won by a single point at the English Institute of Sport to emerge victorious from the second all-Bassetlaw clash of the season.

The delighted player-coach said it was a fitting result to cap a fantastic year for Worksop, who sit proudly at the top of Sheffield’s Division Two.

“This is a great way for us to end the club’s most successful year ever,” he said.

“We won the SBL Plate in June and have not lost a game so far this season.”

“This is a good time for the club and I congratulate our players on their well deserved success.”

Retford started in determined fashion, employing a full-court press from the start.

Worksop took a while to adjust and Retford raced into a 4-0 lead.

Mark Boot led the Worksop challenge in reply and netted twice in quick succession to take the sting out of Retford’s early spell.

An Adam Kingswood lay-up gave Worksop a 6-4 lead before Retford re-asserted themselves with a 6-0 run.

Player-coach Lawes came off the bench to steady the ship and hit a short jump shot almost immediately to take the score to 10-8 at the first break.

Brett Shelton found some success early in the second period with two strong inside scores as the sides traded baskets to reach 16-16.

Worksop continued to attack the Retford basket and were rewarded with a clutch of free throws as they drew fouls.

Successful shots from the line by Lawes, Boot and Kingswood, followed by a neat hook shot from Shelton over Retford’s 6ft 6ins centre took Worksop into half-time 24-22 up.

Worksop hit the ground running after the break and a baseline drive and lay-up from Andy Fagan sparked a 10-2 run featuring three successive scores from Luke Richardson.

Lawes and Fagan added more points as Worksop’s lead peaked at 38-28.

Retford sank three free-throws to bring the score back to 38-31 at the final break and Worksop’s scoring touch deserted them in the fourth with only two long range jumpers from Lawes keeping them ahead as Retford ate into their lead.

And they came to within a point at 42-41, but Worksop stayed calm and stretched the lead with a two from Boot and one of two at the line from Richardson.

Retford got back to within one point with seconds to play, but Worksop were able to keep possession to run the clock down for the win.

Worksop scorers: Lawes 13, Boot 10, Richarson 7, Shelton 6, Fagan 4, Kingswood 3, Jurijs Kamaltdinovs 2, Mark Rowland, Martins Evalds, Adam Drabble.

SLIDESHOW: Click the play button to see pictures taken at the game.