Bristol Flyers Prevail Through Double Overtime

BBL Championship

(Flyers – G. Thomas 32, Bradley 27, Edozie 13; Phoenix – Jackson-Cartwright 31, Ochereobia 15, Sayers 14)

Bristol Flyers came through double-overtime to beat Cheshire Phoenix 98-94, taking a share of eighth place in the BBL Championship and making it three wins in four league games, bouncing back from defeat in last week’s BBL Cup Final.

They were led by an inspired double-double of 32 points and 16 rebounds from Gentrey Thomas, who spent the game in a shootout with Cheshire’s Parker-Jackson Cartwright, himself finishing on 31 points and 11 assists.

After leading by as many as ten points in the second half, Flyers looked on the verge of defeat twice. Levi Bradley forced the extra period by making all three free-throws after being fouled on a long-range shot with nine seconds to play, and Raphell Thomas-Edwards had to score with two seconds remaining in the first overtime to tie the game again.

But spurred on by a raucous sold out home crowd, Flyers saw the game out in the second extra period. The teams traded baskets and were tied four times heading into the final minute, when Josh Rogers hit a massive three-pointer and Gentrey Thomas followed that with an ‘and-one’ play that decided matters.