Thurs 26th Jan.
The Seahawks returned to action after a good game vs the Bandits, with a home fixture against the Portsmouth Jam. We had studied the tape from last years fixture and knew the way to beat them was to run, run and run some more. The offence could find holes in their slow zone D and exploit them. A good training session just before the game solidified our triangle plays and we were ready.
And it showed. The first quarter was ALL Seahawks. (although they started with an easy basket off the tip off) Nilkas opened our scoring from a well worked play to inside, I added another couple, before Gabe, who played an absolute blinding MVP game, opened his account from an easy steal to fast break. If they managed to set their D, we moved the ball, and when Henry found his range from beyond the arc, twice, they had no reply. If we played our running game, pressed the guards, got turnovers, or ran the transition, we scored with ease. It was 18-5 and we were cruising before they called timeout and we got a little broken up. Inside we again couldn't compete on size and strength but Niklas, Iraj and Jack were doing a great job on containing them if they could. Somehow, they got a 11-0 run to actually take the lead by the end of 10. 20-22.
The second quarter was more of the same. Seahawks running, Jam going inside. We were playing our basketball and it was working. Although the scoring column is all 22, 5, 15, 23 (Henry Cheng , Gabe, Nik and Myself) everyone was doing their bit. Henry Lau and Peter played great press D, forcing turnovers and releasing the other guards. Jack was solid in D, getting stops and sizing up with the forwards. Iraj was running and gunning and with his great spin move was getting great looks but couldn't get the ball to drop; and Alvaro, in his last game as a Seahawk before returning to Germany, was playing well down the wing getting open looks. We pulled it out to 39-30, then 42-37, but a long range lob and hope on the buzzer saw them tie it 42-42 at the half.
After a rousing team talk, we knew that we were not just here to make up the numbers. This was a game we had the chance to win, and deserved to win. Iran put us into the lead, and a lead we wouldnt give up until the last minutes. Nik and Henry added more, until Jack opened his Seahawks account, with massive cheers from the crowd. Niklas, clearly under pressure all game then fouled out, we were undersized in the forward position, but Myles, Jack, Iraj, all stepped up and played solid D. They closed it to 2, before our run and gun game stretched it back out to 10, 62-52 by the end of 3.
We believed we could win this game and seemed to be in control, but with a slight disadvantage under the hoop, we knew we still had to work for it. Iraj was now finding the bottom of the hoop and with myself had stretched it to 12 point lead. They continued to work inside, with Valdas (12) driving and scoring and Vytautas (11) showing his strength with put backs. They switched to a man-to-man D, which slowed our offence, if they got set; in transition we still had the game by the horns. With about 5 to go, we had the 10 point lead, after Gabe added 2 from the line to his tally, but a timeout slowed us, and with most of our players being in this situation for the first time, we had to learn fast. We ran when we needed to, and slowed it when we had the chance. Myles hit a great running floater, but then the ball just wouldn't fall. It was 77-69 before we unfortunately dried up. Our tactic of sending the big guys to the line and not allowing them easy 2's was working, but fair play to the big centres on hitting their shots (5 from 7 in the last 3 mins) but it wasn't over. But Henry was getting looks but couldn't make them fall, and when i turned the ball over by clipping the line with my heel on a post spin move they capitalised and took control. At 77 - 79, we now had to play "stop the clock" but unfortunately fouled the hot shooting Valdas, and somehow we missed both! but they followed with a rebound and put back, 77-81. On the offence they read the play well, and got a tip to my shot, (when looking back, i should have hit Gabe open on the wing!) and when they another couple of free throws under pressure, it was over, except for a Gabe alley-oop tip in on the buzzer.
It ended 79 - 83.
[Scorers: G Angstwurm 26, O Wood 14, H Cheng 12, N Colonius 12, I Safaee 5, H Lau 2, J Xu 4, P Heung 2, M Rothenberg 2]
It is absolutely gutting. In a game we should have won. In a game we controlled for the vast majority. In a game, where even the opposition said we should have won. Did we throw it away in the last minutes? Maybe.... but in reality we played amazing Seahawks basketball. We ran, we scored, we played solid D, only giving away baskets we couldn't contest. And we we were there at the end. We were there to compete for the win, in a senior league. Its a massive improvement. There were a few silly turnovers, mainly travelling calls, but from a coaches perspective, we did what we needed to.
Next we face the Winchester Nets. Also without a win this season. This is foot of the table grudge match. If we can play like that against the 3rd team (behind Classics and Bandits) then the W must come against the Nets. Bring it on.