BRADFORD Dragons secured a comfortable 84-59 victory over Team Newcastle in weekend one of the inaugural L Lynch trophy.

The new trophy pits 16 teams, 14 from Division One of the National Basketball League and two invited teams from NBL Division Two, Myerscough and Charnwood, against each other.

Competing in four regional groups of four, each team plays each other once, with the top two in each group heading to the quarter-finals.

The Dragons are joined in Group D by Division Two champions Team Newcastle, Derby Trailblazers and hosts Myerscough.

In their first game of competitive action since March 8, the Dragons controlled proceedings from start to finish in the Myerscough bubble.

Facing off against Newcastle, the Dragons showed no signs of rust in a game they never allowed the North East side to get comfortable in.

The Dragons’ starting five was Dave Walsh, Andreas Lycoudis, Jermayne Laing, Albert Margai and recent addition Tyme Regent-Bascombe.

Regent-Bascombe did not take long to score his first points in Dragons colours, as he knocked down a two-point jumper on the first offensive possession of the game.

The new boy looked comfortable on his Dragons debut, scoring eight points in the opening period.

Heading into the second period up 20-16, the Dragons then really turned on the style, with a dominant 28-point quarter to stun Newcastle, while only conceding 10 themselves.

Sharing the scoring all night long, two of Bradford’s new additions, Uche Umekwe and Edvards Karlis Gutmanis, got in on the action, scoring their first buckets in Dragons uniform.

Threes from Matt Armstrong, Dave Walsh (two) and Gutmanis increased the Dragons’ lead further, as they led 48-26 at the break.

The third quarter reverted to a low-scoring affair, as the Dragons maintained control of the game.

Going virtually bucket for bucket with Newcastle, Bradford led 68-44 heading into the final period.

Umekwe scored six of his 10 points in the fourth, while Armstrong also added two threes, as the Dragons secured a blow-out 84-59 victory in Game One.

The Dragons’ outstanding team defence forced Newcastle into 22 turnovers, as they never allowed their opponents to get comfortable on the evening.

Regent-Bascombe led the team with 13 points, six rebounds and three steals in 23 minutes of action.

Laing scored 12 points, while Umekwe provided a great boost off the bench, racking up 10 points and eight rebounds.

Next up for the Dragons is another L Lynch trophy fixture, on Saturday, this time against Division Two side Myerscough.

The fixture again takes place in the Myerscough bubble, albeit with Bradford somewhat unusually billed as the home team.

The group stages will then be completed the following weekend, with the Dragons facing up against Division One rivals Derby.