BASKETBALL: Patton wins BBL three-point Trophy

RYAN PATTON is the BBL's new three-pointer shoot-out champion.

He and fellow American Thunder team-mate Jon Woods were leading the BBL Trophy Final celebrity sideshow event and set to fire it out in the final against each other at Guildford Spectrum on Sunday.

But one other competitor from the BBL clubs was left to shoot his opening round. That was Newcastle's Irish bench player Brian McCotter, and the dark horse dramatically outscored Woods to steal the showdown spot against Patton in the final.

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In BBL hit-rate this season, Woods weighed in with a 30 per cent record from 88 attempts, McCotter with 35 per cent from 15. Patton, whose 44 per cent comes from 175 pots at the basket, bore out the form-book to take the final by three baskets.

But it was all new to him. Left-hander Patton explained: "It's only the first time I've ever entered a competition. It's been fun to be part of this and it was nice to get a cheque as well as a trophy and a basketball."

He won 350. The format all through was five shots from one corner, five from the other, five from the top of the key, five from your preferred position (Patton chose the top), then shoot from anywhere else until the clock completes its overall one minute's time allowance.

Patton added: "Having scored the most in the first round (15 out of 25: 37 per cent) I got to choose whether to go first in the final. I went first so I could put a target figure in Brian's head and put him under extra pressure."

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