SOUTHEND Swifts got the better of their near-neighbours Southend Scorpions 85-58 in the under-15 boys National League South One Conference.

Stepping up an age group, Dan Adebayo impressed for the Swifts and he got the scoring under way as the two sides traded baskets in the early stages.

Swifts eventually pulled away from the Scorpions to lead 42-32 at half-time.

The Scorpions stuck to their task gamely in the second half but in the end the combination play between Joel Bailey, Jacob Thorne and Adebayo proved too much for them to handle as they succumbed to the Swifts 85-58.

Top scorer for Swifts was Bailey with a season high 32 points, including 3 three pointers, ably assisted by Thorne (18), Adebayo (eight) and Matt Kerridge (seven).

Adebayo was playing against Scorpions just 24 hours after shining for the under-14 Swifts team in their impressive 73-63 win at Milton Keynes Trojans in the Boys National League East Conference.

The visitors made a sluggish start and were 10-1 down early on, but Adebayo, who was outstanding at both ends of the court, inspired his team-mates as they came from behind to lead at the interval.

But the hosts came back to lead 53-49 going into the final quarter but the introduction of Thomas Sowoolu, who had been ill for most of the game, turned the match in the Swifts favour as they went on a 21-4 scoring run, 12 points of which were scored by Sowoolu.

Adebayo finished with a personal tally of 27 points and numerous steals and rebounds. Sowoolu (16), Callum Powell (11) and Nick Skinner (eight) were Swifts other main scorers.

The swifts girls team - the under-14s, under-16s and under-18s – were all in action against London Greenhouse Pioneers with all three bagging victories.

The under-14 girls, led by the points scoring of Charlotte Redhead, made a strong start but the Londoners kept in touch until the final quarter when the Swifts passes started to connect with Katie Bennett and Eleanor Butt scoring four points apiece in a devastating spell that took the game away from the Pioneers.

In the under-16 girls South One Conference game, the Swifts dominated from the outset with a passage of play at the start of the second period where they scored 18 points to the Londoners two, and that proved decisive.

Charlotte Ellmore (six) and Zoe Willis (eight) led the scoring during that blitz with Willis leading the overall Swifts scoring with 20 points.

Tia Stack was the next highest scoring with 14.

The under-18s also ran out comfortable winners in the end in their Conference South clash.

Southend were always in control and ran out 85-58 winners to stay top of their division.

Claire Gold led the scoring with 17 points.