THE WildCats produced one of the performances of the season when they overturned a 15-point final quarter deficit against a team destined for the Premiership. .

There had been no signs of the drama to come as Bury and Bolton put behind them the loss of their influential point guard, Sean McKie, to the Manchester Giants. With Chris McCormick absent for family reasons two of the WildCats' effective players were missing but after only three minutes Bury and Bolton led 7-0.

With the National League's top scorers Chris Harper and Ted Hotaling leading the Cardiff offence they were quickly back in contention and by the end of the first quarter the WildCats only led 25-23.

Anthony Crow matched the three-point shot by Piotr Krneta to tie the scores 32-32 but then Cardiff severely punished the WildCats' many turnovers. The Phoenix began to play with passion and enthusiasm and the WildCats went into the locker room trailing 43-56.

But after a half-time team talk by coach Neil Bradley the WildCats sprang into action.

Larry Spencer sank a '3' and within minutes the gap was down to four. Then Cardiff surged 15 points ahead and at the start of the final quarter Bury and Bolton looked dead and buried.

But the WildCats sank seven superb points to put themselves within touching distance but, with only three minutes left, Cardiff still led 86-93.

Hotaling , the Phoenix sharpshooter, had to sit out the rest of the game after a fifth foul and Larry Spencer found some space in the disorganised defence and it was suddenly a one point ball game.

Two more stunning scores by Nigel Yates and an accompanying foul shot eased Bury and Bolton four points clear and, with seconds left, Howard finished off the scoring that sent the Phoenix tumbling into the fires of a 99-94 defeat. Tomorrow, tip-off 7.30pm, the WildCats travel to the Horwich Leisure Centre where they face the Nottingham Knights in the second round of the National Trophy.

With the noise bouncing off the walls the intensity of support for the WildCats was overwhelming. It was as if their was a sixth player on court and the Phoenix visibly crumbled under the onslaught.

There had been no signs of the drama to come as Bury and Bolton put behind them the loss of their influential point guard, Sean McKie, to the Manchester Giants. With Chris McCormick absent for family reasons two of the WildCats' effective players were missing but Nigel Yates showed why he was selected for last year's All Star team and after only three minutes Bury and Bolton led 7-0.

With the National League's top scorers Chris Harper and Ted Hotaling, who average nearly thirty points each per game, leading the Cardiff offence they were quickly back in contention and by the end of the first quarter the WildCats only led 25-23.

Anthony Crow matched the three-point shot by Piotr Krneta to tie the scores 32-32 but then Cardiff severely punished the WildCats' many turnovers. The Phoenix began to play with passion and enthusiasm that transformed the game and quick fire scoring soon had the WildCats trailing by a dozen points.

With regular visits to the free throw line Cardiff pushed home their advantage, and despite Nigel Yates rounding off what he started, the WildCats went into the locker room trailing 43-56.

A half-time team talk by coach Neil Bradley reminded everyone, in no uncertain terms, of what was expected and needed. Cut out the turnovers, play some 'D' and run the offence were the simple instructions and the WildCats sprang into action.

Larry Spencer sank a '3' that touched nothing but net to set the ball rolling. Within minutes the gap was down to four but then Cardiff surged ahead and at the start of the final quarter the Phoenix led by fifteen and Bury and Bolton looked dead and buried.

The Phoenix is a fabled mythical bird of great beauty that consumes itself in fire in the Arabian wilderness before rising from the ashes every 500 years. Having lost all their previous encounters there was a fear that it could be that length of time before the WildCats dowsed the flames of the Phoenix.

Bury and Bolton's offence dragged their opponents all around the court and Nigel Yates and Ian Howard opened the backdoor of the Cardiff defence for the simple score. Getting on the end of some sharp incisive passes by Anthony Crow and Richard Moses the WildCats sank seven superb points to put themselves within touching distance.

Gradually the lead was cut back but with only three minutes left Cardiff were still 86-93 ahead. Driving through traffic for another basket Anthony Crow forced the fifth foul from the dangerous Ted Hotaling and the Phoenix sharpshooter had to sit out the rest of the game. Larry Spencer then found some space in the disorganised defence and it was suddenly a one point ball game.

Crucially two more stunning scores by Nigel Yates and an accompanying foul shot eased Bury and Bolton four points clear. Deftly passing the ball around before Cardiff could foul to stop the clock the WildCats used up as much time as they could.

With seconds left Ian Howard finished off the scoring that sent the Phoenix tumbling into the fires of defeat as the WildCats won 99-94.

Bury and Bolton points scorers: Nigel Yates 25; Larry Spencer 23; Anthony Crow 19; Richard Moses 18 and Ian Howard 14.

This Saturday, Tip-Off 7.30pm, the WildCats make the short trip to their second home at the Horwich Leisure Centre when they face the challenge of the Nottingham Knights in the Second Round of the National Trophy.

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