TWO of Morpeth Basketball Club's teams have been working overtime in their pursuit of success.

For remarkably in the space of eight days, Morpeth’s Under 14s and Morpeth Magic both featured in games which went to triple overtime!

Magic secured their second win of the season away to the Sunderland Scorpions, but did it the hard way.

There was no doubt who grabbed the limelight, with teenager Eddie Matthew turning in a sensational debut, scoring no less than 38 points in his first game for the team.

And he did so just 24 hours after scoring 13 points for Newcastle Eagles’ Under-18 team in their 90-71 win over Birmingham.

The Magic had the lead almost throughout regulation time before going behind with a minute left. In that last minute the Magic scored to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The first period of overtime was a low-scoring effort from both teams, and the second period ended controversially with a late call for a foul against the Magic. The Scorpions’ No 7 lined up for two free throws with the game tied at 71 and no time left on the clock. Fortunately for the Magic he missed them both, but it would have been harsh on the Morpeth team if he had not.

In the third period of overtime the Magic came out with all guns blazing and scored 10 points without reply to clinch an 81-71 win.

While former Morpeth junior Eddie Matthew was awarded MVP for the Magic by the Scorpions, John Freeman hit 20 points and Lawrie Thompson hit a couple of three-pointers and finished with nine points.

Meanwhile, Morpeth Under-14s experienced something which is unheard of in basketball, with their game against South Tyneside finishing in a draw!

The game had been late in starting because of an unfortunate injury sustained by a player in a previous game on the same court, and so with the teams tied at 16-16 after three periods of overtime, the game had to end in a draw as there was no court time left.

Morpeth’s senior team, the Mavericks, made it two wins out of two when they defeated North East Griffins away 63-79 in a TyneMet Division Two Knockout Cup match.

The Mavericks’ reward for that win is a trip to face old rivals Phoenix in a semi-final showdown, when the Morpeth outfit will be seeking revenge for a narrow league defeat in Birtley in their opening league game of the season.