Bradford Dragons defeated Black Country University of Wolverhampton 83- 62 to go second in the English Basketball League Division Three (North) heading into the Christmas break.

Dragons took a 26-15 lead at the end of the first quarter but bottom-placed Wolves fought their way back by taking the next period 19-14 to give Dragons a 40-34 half-time advantage.

Hosts Dragons got their offence back into gear in the third stanza to lead 63-49 and pulled further away in the final period.

Dragons’ coach Chris Mellor gave a brief EBL senior debut to under-18 players Jack Cawood and Julian Sooboyah and under-16 player Eghosa Osayamwen.

Mellor said: “It is never easy to play a team at the bottom of the division as it is easy to lose concentration.

“At half-time, we realised we had a game on our hands as their guards were quick and athletic and were causing us problems. We changed defence and ran out comfortable winners in the end.”

PD Dohar led the way for Dragons with 22 points, Jake Liebman scoring 15 and Craig ‘Big Bird’ Wilson 12.