Cheshire Phoenix ended their weekend on a high note after securing their first BBL win under new head coach John Coffino.
The Nix claimed a 66-48 success over Leeds Force at the Northgate Arena on Sunday night, bouncing back from an 83-67 reverse at Worcester Wolves on Friday evening.
In Friday's clash at a packed University of Worcester Arena, the Nix were slow out of the blocks and ended the first quarter 23-13 down, with Wolves' Robert Thurman leading the charge for the home side.
The second quarter saw a rejuvenated Phoenix side take to the court, with David Aliu, Brad Karp and Gareth Murray finding their range to help Coffino's men go in the locker room at the half-time break 45-38 down.
But the Wolves, led by the hot hands of American Thurman (22 points) and Frenchman Remi Dibo (15 points), moved through the gears in the third and fourth quarters, keeping the Nix at arms length with some sharp shooting and solid defence and ending any hopes of a fightback.
Former Phoenix centre Donatas Visockis made a valuable contribution off the bench for his new side, claiming 10 points and six rebounds from his 15 minutes on the floor.
Karp and Murray both hit 17 points for the visiting Phoenix while Demond Watt picked up 10 points and 12 rebounds against the Wolves, one of the teams fancied to be battling it out for silverware this season.
But Coffino's charges dusted themselves down and fought their way to their first win of the season on Sunday night with a professional performance against BBL newcomers Leeds.
The Nix bossed the contest from the off and came out of the traps firing on all cylinders, going in 19-7 to the good at the end of the first quarter.
They extended their advantage to 13 by the half-time break, going in to the locker room 33-20 up against the Force, who have found the BBL heavy going in their opening encounters.
The Yorkshire visitors did rally to reduce the arrears by four at the end of the third quarter to make it a nine point game going in to the final stretch, but Aliu was in excellent form as he drained 18 points to lead the charge, making three from four from beyond the arc.
Karp took a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds while fellow Chicagoan Watt helped himself to 14 points and nine rebounds during the contest.
Having endured a tough start against two of the most fancied teams for honours in the BBL this season in Leicester Riders and Worcester Wolves, the morale boosting triumph over Leeds showed glimpses of the talent that exists within Coffino's squad.
With Taylor King still to come into the Nix fold, the weekend threw up plenty of reasons to be positive for the Phoenix faithful heading in to next Sunday's BBL Cup home clash with the Durham Wildcats (5.30pm).
