Basketball returned to the Olympia Building in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, but Teesside Lions were made to endure a frustrating opening night as they slipped to a narrow 76-73 defeat against Yorkshire Dragons II.
In a tense, back-and-forth senior men's encounter that went down to the final possessions, AJ Harris and the Lions pushed hard to inaugurate the new campaign with a home victory.
However, the Dragons showed great composure in the decisive moments down the stretch, executing key defensive stops and converting late opportunities to spoil Teesside's home-coming and escape with a three-point triumph.
Despite the opening-night setback, the Lions will look to take heart from their competitive display as they prepare to regroup and harness their vocal home support for the challenges ahead in the regular season.
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