COACH Chris Mellor was disappointed with Bradford Dragons' performance as they fell to their second defeat of 2018, going down 80-69 at Loughborough Student Riders in Division One of the National Basketball League.

In only their second season in the top flight, Loughborough are currently second – only two points behind leaders Team Solent Kestrels but with two games in hand.

Meanwhile, the Dragons have struggled to find consistent form this season and find themselves in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Rihards Sulcs missed two free throws at the start of the match and Loughborough doubled their lead to 4-0 before Ricky Fetske put Bradford's first points on the board.

Jermaine Laing and Sulcs followed up with a couple of lay-ups, while Rafi Saipe hit a single from the free-throw line to leave the Dragons 7-4 ahead.

The lead swapped hands throughout the remainder of the opening quarter but a couple of late baskets from Spaniard Joaquin Calvo ensured Bradford entered the first break with a 16-14 advantage.

Yet it did not take long for Loughborough to take control of the game in the second quarter and with only two-and-a-half minutes of the period played they were 26-16 in front, with Bradford still to add to their tally.

The Dragons gradually worked their way back into the game and, with only 90 seconds of the first half remaining, they had reduced the gap to two points at 30-28.

However, a three-pointer from Lucien Christofis, followed by two from Max Richardson, sent the hosts back to the locker rooms leading 35-28.

Sesan Russell bucketed an early three to lift the hosts' lead back into double figures and although Bradford showed occasional glimpses of a comeback, the Riders had soon extended their advantage to 49-35.

In the final minute of the period, Calvo sank another couple of lay-ups, but it was not enough to stop the hosts from carrying a 15-point advantage into the final quarter.

Sulcs opened that period with a lay-up but Loughborough captain Jonas Dieterich answered with a three.

The Dragons went on an unanswered run of their own to bring themselves right back into the game at 67-64. And although Loughborough stretched the gap to five points, Marcus Gooding – who has struggled to replicate his scoring form of last season – hit a three-pointer to put Bradford within touching distance at 71-69 down.

But it was not to be and there were to be no additions to the visitors' tally as Loughborough closed the game out with an 11-point win.

Sulcs took the game-high score with 24 points (plus eight rebounds and three assists), while Calvo also put in an impressive shift with 14 points (two rebounds).

Fetske just failed to record another double-double with nine points and 14 rebounds.

For the hosts, Russell recorded 19 points, followed by Reis Pinnock with 13.

Mellor said: "We were playing catch-up most of the game and we didn't play with the necessary intensity until late in the game, which was disappointing."

The Dragons now face key fixtures against two of the bottom three – Kent Crusaders and Leicester Warriors – and failure in those could drop Bradford into the bottom two and facing potential relegation.

Yet with the division being as tight as it is, wins against these sides is likely to boost the Dragons back into the play-off spots.

Kent, promoted back into the top flight this season, visit the Dragons Den' on Saturday.

The Crusaders won the reverse fixture and will be keen to pull themselves out of the drop zone, while Bradford will be just as hungry to put some distance between themselves and the bottom two.

The following weekend, Bradford travel to face a Leicester side who are currently level on points with the Dragons but three places below them by virtue of points difference, making this another game Mellor's men can ill afford to lose.

* THE Dragons' under-16s lost 80-40 at Durham Wildcats (Great Osobar 20pts, Olufemi Bright 16).