The Medway Crusaders men’s team kept its playoff hopes alive after splitting a pair of games at home on the weekend in VCARS.co.uk Division One action.

On Saturday a short-handed Medway team faced off against playoff-bound Tees Valley Mohawks and came away with 87-76 loss. The men had been the better of the two teams in the first half of play and lead the game 41-38. A big second half, however, by the visitors saw them run away with the 11-point win.

After blitzing Tees Valley for 37 points away before Christmas, Disraeli Lufadeju again led Crusaders attack with 28, while captain James Harris contributed 16 and Cole Hobin 15.

With nothing less than a win required to stay in the playoff races, the men returned to the floor at Medway Park on Sunday and defeated the visiting Hemel Storm 72-63.

The hosts quickly shook off the previous day’s loss and blitzed Hemel from the opening tip. Crusaders scored the first 11 points of the game before the visitors could reply with a basket, and went on the finish the first quarter up 17-9. A resurgence from Storm in the second period meant Medway led the contest by a single point, 32-31, at halftime.

After the break Crusaders always looked comfortable, never relinquished the lead and ran out with the nine-point win.

Lufadeju once again top-scored with 19 points and is now second all-time for points in a Crusaders season, first all-time for a non-import player. Harris had 15 on the day and Lukas Volkis, playing with an injured hand, added 14.

Hobin had a sensational game come up one assist short of a triple-double. He had 12 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists. The Canadian is now second in rebounds in one season for Medway Park and third in assists. He needs 16 assists over the team’s final three games to break the record.

Sam Betts, who is retiring at the end of the season at age 28, had a stand-out weekend. Used sparingly all season long as he battled through a number of injury set-backs, Betts played a total of 60 minutes over two games, far and away season-highs for him, and contributed in all aspects of the game.

“I feel pretty positive about this weekend despite splitting the two games. On Saturday we had to work with a very short rotation and credit to our guys, we made it tough for Tees Valley. It was unfortunate that we just ran out of steam in the last few minutes,” says head coach Craig Nicol.

“In the game against Hemel we came out rejuvenated and executed well in the first quarter to give us a big lead. Hemel did well to fight back into the game by half time but I felt like we controlled the game well in the second half. Retiring Sam Betts was vital in our efforts this weekend playing 60 minutes across the two games being a leader on the floor.”