Tuesday March 21st, St. Peters School.
Last night the Seahawks travelled to local rivals Southbourne SwampDonkeys, in a match that was to define the season. When Seahawks/Donkeys play, surely the only greater rivalry is Duke / North Carolina?
Missing 3 key players, Iraj, Myles and top scorer Henry Cheng, it was time for other players to step up. A quick detour to the Strongman household to persuade Josh to play, and we travelled the mile down the road to the dusty, ice rink at St Peters.
A good pre-game chat and we were pumped for this match up, that could decide who finishes 5th in the league.
However the first quarter was a little slow and stagnant offensively. Their zone defence was working well, as they recognised the threat of Nik inside, and they forced us to turnover the ball way too many times. Jack Xu got us off the mark, Nik added another, and I grabbed my first 3 of the night, but defensively we were solid too. Holding them to just 12 points in the quarter, Gabe & Peter working the perimeter shots, and great back up and rotation from all the guards.
12-7 after one.
The second was our poorest offensively. We got stuck offensively, on the slightly smaller court, struggling to overload and stretch the zone D. With some of our bigs still learning the offenses with each other, we couldn't get the easy inside shots, and Nik was getting good looks, but the stiff rims meant little was dropping. They stretched it to 19-7 before I added an And-1, Gabe got a steal and break and Nik got one to drop. A little run, before a SB timeout halted our attack. Gozim and Jack were playing solid underneath with some great rebounds and holding out their big threats inside and Harry and Henry Lau continued to press the guards into forcing shots. Down the other end, we committed too many turn overs and when we did get the open look, Josh and Harry often finding space in the corners, the ball wouldn't drop.
It was 25-15 at the half, and far from over.
The third... we forgot the set play, as it wasn't working fluidly, lets just run, move, pass the ball and play clever basketball. Defence with our feet, Offence with our heads. And that got us back into the game, with shooters finding their rhythm and players forcing steals and turnovers. Peter got hot from his continual work ethic and grabbed a sweet falling And-1 which cut the lead to 8 (32-24). A quick timeout and the boys were fired up and not going to let this slide. We had fouls to use, and we weren't going to let them have easy baskets underneath, make them work for it from the line, and fair play, they went 5 from 7 in the stretch of the 3rd. Offensively we had started to find rhythm but opened a little as we went Man-to-Man, but soon found our feet. Although the quarter felt good, we somehow still lost it, 16-13 over the 10 minutes, and it was 41-28 after 3.
We now had 10 minutes to save our season. And what a comeback. Defensively we had stop upon stop. Nik, Jack, Josh and Myself underneath, Gabe, Peter, Henry Lau and Harry pressing up top. And offensively the ball was moving and we were breaking the D. I got it rolling with a corner J, Gabe got a great tip in put back on the break, me another running floater, Gabe another 4, and it was 38-43 and belief we had them on the ropes. Henry Lau replied with another deuce and then when Southbourne #24 (CJ Smith) reacted when Nik got a great, clean block, it started to boil over for the Donkeys. I added the free throw, then when Gabe penetrate dribble and kicked, I was in my spot, and wide open. 3. Then the next play, ditto from Peter, found me open at the top and splash, we took the lead 47-45 with about 2 mins to go. [Fins Up for Germon]. Time out SB.
We still had fouls to use and having rehearsed the final minute scenarios in practice we knew what we had to do, stop easy baskets and sensible basketball on offence. They replied with 2 baskets of their own to take back the lead, but again the Donkeys boiled over, with Josh Perry (#5) ejected for a silly reaction to another fair defence, meant I added one from the line, but rattled out the second. But our possession and up step last minute call up, Josh Strongman, whose confidence was building all game, and when he found him self open on the elbow, splashed it, to put us up 50-49 with about 1m15 to go. Their big guy drives and I use a foul to stop the easy basket, and put him to the line, and we add the pressure using a Timeout. But the big man hits both. 50-51 to SB. 36 seconds... Gabe dribbles, finds me in the post, they double team, if not more and then Josh is perfectly positioned, middle of the key, wide open, and somehow my pass gets there and he nails it. 52-51 us. They have 7 seconds to return the favour, but great press D from Peter and Nik, force Taylor Green (#23) into a shot he didn't want it comes up way short and the buzzer goes. Cue celebration. Seahawks win 52-51.
[Scorers: O Wood 22, G Angstwurm 12, P Huang 7, N Colonius 6, J Strongman 5, J Xu 2, H Lau 2]
As a player I was stoked to have a good game, nailing those pair of 3's to give us the go-ahead, but as a coach, Im so proud of the players. We were against the ropes, 3 players down, playing poor basketball, and we dug deep. Every player came on, gave their all and showed maturity beyond their years. We have skill, we know that; but basketball is about IQ and we showed we have that too. Another shout to Chris for helping on the bench and giving us another set of experienced eyes on the court. And fair play to the Donkeys, a great game, played in great spirits, with good tussles but nothing boiling over between players, on a night that had some stakes on it. We both enjoy the rivalry and always good close match ups.