Bury took to the floor with determination, matching the MABL Championship leaders for intensity on defence, with Chris Stainton and Conor Wilkinson hitting the target for Bury.
The defence of both teams was outstanding, physical but fair, leading to some fouls early on as players attempted to adjust. At the end of the first quarter, Bury trailed 20-15.
Graham Greene brought a spark to the game when he came off the bench, hitting two threes with Mike Nichols contributing on jumpshots and Bart Szareko getting inside. Bury clamped down defensively with Jay Knowles pressuring the guards and Phil Stainton causing havoc as Bury tied the game at 29 at half time.
The start of the second half didn’t go to plan as frustration kicked in. Bury collected two technical fouls to give Preston the free throws to extend their lead to 10 as Bury began to falter.
Ergoli Togo and Stainton hit the target for Bury but the damage had been done as Preston outscored Bury 30-10, taking a 20 point lead into the final quarter.
Although Bury hit five quick points to cut the lead to 15 in a minute, Preston stepped on the gas and cruised to a 76-52 point win.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here