The West Yorkshire Hawks Men closed out their 2025 schedule with a tough 103–87 road loss to the Derby Trailblazers, marking back-to-back defeats and dropping the Neon and Navy to second in the league standings.

A familiar pattern re-emerged as the Hawks struggled to contain Derby’s explosive start. Conceding 32 points in the opening ten minutes, the Hawks found themselves chasing the game from the outset. Despite a few bright moments on offence, the visitors trailed by 14 heading into the second quarter.

Showing their trademark grit, the Hawks responded impressively in the second period. They found offensive rhythm and began to chip away at the Trailblazers’ lead. By halftime, the deficit was down to just five.

But it was the hosts who came out of the locker room sharper. Derby re-established their defensive intensity and capitalised on a few key Hawks turnovers, rebuilding a 14-point cushion by the end of the third. The Hawks’ offence struggled to find the same spark they’d shown earlier, and the momentum swung firmly back to the home side.

The final frame saw both sides exchange baskets in a fast-paced finish, but Derby’s early work meant they were never seriously threatened. Despite the best efforts of Heyes, who poured in a game-high 33 points, and double-digit contributions from Charles Olusunmade and Chris Sibbett (11 points each), the Hawks couldn’t close the gap, falling 103–87.

Head Coach Danny Byrne reflected on the loss: “It is frustrating to once again see us not locked in from the opening tip. It has, again, cost us dearly. There are too many good teams in this division to only play hard for three of the four quarters. We need to now hit the reset button over the Xmas break and be fully ready to push hard in the second half of the season.”

The Hawks Men return to action on 10th January, welcoming Stockport Falcons to the Hawks Nest in a key clash to tip off 2026.