The Barnet Bulldogs basketball team have progressed into the last 16 of the U18 National League play-offs for the second consecutive year, after a triumphant 83-63 victory over Lewisham Thunder at Woodhouse College, Finchley.

After a slow start, Aaron Williams opened up the offence for the Bulldogs. Thanks to effective defensive and offensive contributions from Bintan Delano and point guard Prince Lartey, the Bulldogs quickly found their rhythm, preventing any Lewisham points for the last five minutes of the quarter, closing it out with a 22-12 lead.

The second quarter saw momentum change from side to side with Lewisham reducing the lead to just nine points by half time.

The third quarter saw much more controlled play by the Bulldogs as they were able to increase their lead to 19. The offensive surge led by playmaker Prince Lartey resulted in back to back offences from a vibrant Sean Dzwairo and Tayo Oyefusi.

In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs remained an offensive threat and defended well to end the game with a well-deserved win.

Captain Chuck Duru led all scorers with a game-high 29 points, whilst Sean Dzwairo and Bintan Delano contributed 18 and 14 points respectively.

The Bulldogs now face a tough test with an away trip to Sussex on Saturday to face Worthing Thunder, the top-seeded team in the southern region of the country. The Bulldogs will be seeking to avenge last season’s elimination at this same stage, with the reward being a home tie in the quarter finals.