The Exeter side presented a much more physical challenge in the second game of the day, and Tigers took a little time to make the necessary adjustments.
In the first half, against a team very ready to commit fouls, Taunton struggled to get good looks at the basket. As a result, they were limited to 6 points from Hinchliffe and 2 each from Orrells, Gormley and Penny. At the break Exeter held a daunting 26 – 12 lead.
However, Tigers responded superbly to the challenge in the second half, and had the better of the game. The third quarter was a tight battle in which Orrells began to flourish at both ends of the court. Every Tigers player was given time on the court and everyone contributed to an outstanding defensive effort which restricted Eagles to just 4 points. Another debutant, Liam Vickery, rounded off the quarter with 2 points to reduce the deficit to 11 points.
In the final quarter, the Taunton resurgence continued and, with 2:12 left on the clock, they were only 6 points behind. It looked as though the comeback win might have been within grasp, but Tigers just couldn't claw back the final few points.
After the game coach, Matt Nolan, was clearly delighted with the progress the boys are making. Contrasting the situation with the Exeter side, which kept 3 of its players on the bench for the whole game, he said,
“This was another important step forward for us. Everyone got plenty of game time and it was great to see all the lads fighting and carrying on doing the right things under pressure.”