Watt take 3rd spot

The men of Heriot-Watt took on a talented Strathclyde team last Wednesday night, in a match to decide third place in Scottish Conference 1A. The home side came out on top by a narrow margin, earning an 88-85 victory at Riccarton through inspired play from Bastien and Dentoux, who contributed 22 and 24 points respectively to the cause.

In spite of the efforts of Ali Hornell (21 points), Ifedade Thomas (22 points) and Jamie Frew (20 points), Strathclyde could not withstand an inspired home team, who secured third place, and qualification for BUCS competition, on the back of this result. With Stirling and Glasgow the run away leaders of this division, this was a match between the “best of the rest” in Scotland, with the Watt team earning that title through a fast-paced, high-scoring brand of basketball which has seen them rack up an average of 81 points per game in Scottish Conference play this season.

After a poor start to the season, which saw the Watt drop their first five games, things picked up towards the end of the season, with a five-point victory away at St. Andrews proving to be the catalyst for this change. A three-game win streak, including Wednesday’s victory over Strathclyde, has propelled this Watt side into the post-season, and, with memories of hugely successful Heriot-Watt basketball teams fading fast, this team has a chance to make a bit of their own history this season.