Two home wins restored York Vikings Basketball Club’s Under-14s to the top of the England North East Conference with two games to go.

Mike Atkinson opened the scoring for the Vikings in their first game against Rotherham Hawks, but Rotherham turned things around with two quick baskets.

The Vikings capitalised on quick defence to build a 14-4 lead with Callum Saxon, Charlie Harvey, Atkinson, Harry Dodds and Damon Preston all sharing the points en route to a 17-9 first quarter lead.

The second quarter was much the same, with the Vikings winning 13-8, though several players took shots too early.

But after half-time the Vikings came out on fire and literally broke the game open creating a 20-point lead within minutes before finishing 41-17 up going into the final quarter.

A loss of intensity by Vikings marked the final quarter, but they still finished 47-40 victors, with Dodds and Atkinson leading the scoring.

York Vikings were far more consistent in the second game, where they accounted for Barnsley Leaders 49-27.

The tone was set by all five starting players each scoring, with a three- pointer notched by Callum Saxon.

The Vikings defence controlled the ball and the rebounds until a last-minute basket by Barnsley opened their account, but Chris Ross quickly retorted to finish the quarter 19-2 up.

The Vikings continued to slice through the Barnsley defence demonstrated by Josh King’s cut and reverse lay-up but the Leaders’ Zak Danks, kept his team in the game scoring nine points, including three of six free throws.

However, by half-time the Vikings eased to a 35-11 advantage.

Barnsley hit the ground running in the third quarter and opened up the scoring, but York’s Preston made three of three inside baskets, followed by three notched by Harvey.

Preston finished the quarter off with another power basket to seal the emphatic conquest.