Nov 10th, 2016
On a night where we knew it was going to be damage limitation, against a team formally playing Div1., the Seahawks knew we had to play our style of ball, and give it our all. And as a coach, i can say that I was super proud of the performance.
The Bandits were big and strong, and knew exactly how to play to their strengths, going inside relentlessly, but we knew we had the legs on them and if we could execute our offence, in our style could rattle them. And it worked. Our offence worked in transition and our quick, small style worked in getting us good looks. Henry Cheng opened the account by nailing a 3ball, with Luke, myself and Gabe adding more to the tally, in a physical first quarter. Defensively we worked hard, and didn't allow cheap baskets, stopping the inside ball, but sending them to the line 9 times, where they shot less than 50%. It was 11-19 after one.
The second was more of the same, we hassled and consistently pressured their bigger, more experienced players. Game was controlling the game, running well, and using Henry and Luke to affect. The bench players, showed strength in depth, with every player giving their all. Henry Lau was consistently pressuring on D, and likened to a "Defensive Assassin" by one spectator. Although some may feel we could rely on our outside shot against a team like this, we kept driving at them, using our quick first step, and often going to the line. I went 6 from 6 from the stripe to add to my tally. Defensively, there was nothing we could do about the size under the hoop. M. Gorman, #10, added 14 to his tally in the quarter, all from 2 ft. It was a respectable 22-39 at the half.
In the second half, it continued in a similar direction, but again praise due to the younger players coming off the bench. Avril Canovas, suiting up for the first time as a Seahawk, started the 2nd half and earned his minutes. Hassled on D and then swished a J from 15ft to open his account much to the crowds delight. Harry Warren followed suit, adding a bank shot to his name, and playing his normal "never stop running" style. Josh's confidence in his ability was growing as he faced an old Dorset Storm foe, as he swished one from the corner. Myles worked himself into the ground, pushing up on D, causing turnovers and adding a deuce to his tally and newly joined big-man Nik Colonius, worked relentless on D under the basket, and then opened his tally in the 4th - meaning that every Seahawks was on the scoresheet, (I think for the first time ever) and proving the depth off the bench and all-round performance on the night. I finished the game in style, adding one 3 from my spot on the wing, and then one on the buzzer, teetering, before getting the roll. It was 33-64 after 3, and a strong 4th saw us almost match the Bandits, 18-26 in the quarter, and finishing by keeping them below triple figures, at 51-90.
Although the scoreline says otherwise, (should we be happy with a 39 point loss?) praise is due all round. Not once did I feel that any player was not giving their full on the court. Every player was pressing on D, collapsing and helping underneath, and getting around the perimeter on shots - I'd love to know the stats on how many shots they took from outside the key, because it sure wasn't many! On Offence, every player ran and ran until they couldn't run anymore. Every transition we had them back pedalling and confused and the offence worked to get open looks. Head of Sport, Richard H-P said it "was the best all round performance we have given" and "until the final buzzer we never let the scoreboard dictate the way we played". And then praise from the very sporting Bandits, at the end of the game, showed what we can look forward to for the next months.
[Scorers: O.Wood 20, L.Germon 9, H.Cheng 5, G.Angstwurm 5, J.Strongman 2, H. Warren 2, M.Rothenburg 2, N.Colonius 2, H.Lau 1]