MEN'S 10-GAME RUN COMES TO ESTONIAN END
08/14/2008 Great Britain's ten-game run came to a bitter end as they let a 14-point half time lead slip to Estonia, who walked out 77-70 victors.

Great Britain's ten-game run came to a bitter end as they let a 14-point half time lead slip to Estonia, who walked out 77-70 victors.

Joel Freeland and Pops Mensah-Bonsu both finished on 13, with Nick George also making double points (12) while Estonia were led by Janar Talas (17), Tanel Tein (13) and Gregor Arbet (11).

Britain's starting five, Mensah-Bonsu, Jarret Hart, Nate Reinking, Andrew Sullivan and Freeland, got GB off to a flying start and with just over two minutes on the clock they already had an 11-0 lead.

However Estonia soon reduced the gap to one as Talas sunk a couple of threes and then both Gert Dorbek and Kristjan Kangur making their free throws. Freeland recovered in time from a poor pass at the end of the first to ensure GB went into the break leading 22-16.

In the second quarter GB extended their lead, thanks in short to being on fire from the three-point range, one from Sullivan and a pair each for Reinking and Leven had Estonia on the backfoot.

Captain Sullivan released George for a dunk and the Manchester-forward did not disappoint, dunking to the delight of the Italian crowd. Half time could not have come soon enough for Estonia, as GB extended their lead to 15 before they entered the locker 47-33.

Britain had dominated the first half to such an extent that not only did they limit Estonia to a run of six but not one of the opposition came close to double figures.

Mensah-Bonsu only played six minutes of the first quarter, with coach Chris Finch choosing to give the rest of the bench a run out. However the 24-year-old returned to court for the second half and he combined well with Hart to make the basket and draw the foul.

Estonia continued to chip away at Britain's lead, taking the third quarter 15-9. In the fourth they led for the first time in the game when a Kangur jumper made it 65-64. With only 1:47 on the clock Talas once again scored from the three-point line to make it a two-point game, but Mensah-Bonsu converted a pair of free throws to level the score.

Arbet sunk both British hearts and a three-pointer to give his team a five-point lead with only 0:31 remaining. Freeland missed a lay up and Midgley was off target from the three-point range as Estonia did enough to retain the lead and end Britain's ten-game unbeaten run.

Thanks to British Basketball for this match report.