Thurs 7th Dec
That missed shot, that wayward pass, that silly turnover, that travelling call, that missed free throw, that cheap foul, that missed lay-up, that slip-up on D.... I know that what we're all thinking: I know, because I am too. I went 2 from 6 from the foul line. I airballed a 10ft wide open J from the baseline. I dribbled it off my foot on a inside move.
Thats the way we all think in these agonising loses. We came so close. WHAT IF.... ?
But we really shouldn't. What we should be thinking is:
After 7 minutes it was 19-2. But we turned it around. By the end of 1, the lead was down to 11. We then beat them in every quarter. We turned up. We made it happen. Every hustle ball we fought for, every steal, every interception, every forced turnover, every block. Thats what we should be concentrating on. All of the made shots. The steals, the blocks, the rebounds, that time you went to the basket and got the foul which eventually led to their shooter getting fouled out, that box out, even down to the time when you didn't touch the ball, but were moving off the ball, dragging the defence around. It all adds up.
We should be proud of the way we played. Yeah, we should always look to improve. But without the first 7 mins of the game, we won that game by 17 points.
The Stags were 3W - 2L. But a 2 point loss to the Eagles, (who whipped us by 50). A 17pt win over the Heat (who beat us by 20). A 4pt win over the Classics and a 40 pt win over the Nets! This was no easy team.
In the first, our offence wasn't moving and our defence was asleep. We had scored 2 from the line, that was it. Our heads dropped and I thought that this was going to be another 30+ point loss. It just appeared that we were ready to play; they were cutting us apart and we had no answer. Finally though, Gozim got a great rebound put back for our first basket in open play which kick started a little run. Harry Bates, Iraj and myself helping cut the lead back to 11 at the end of 1.
10-21.
The second was a little to-and-fro basketball. Offensively we gave away too many cheap turnovers, but soon started to find our rhythm and moving the ball much better, penetrate drive and kick. Peter had come alive and was driving well, forcing fouls and getting to the line. Defensively we still had some lapses, but were communicating better and playing higher up to the guards and high posts. Although they had a little run of 6 points around the 6/7th minutes, after that we shut them down and answered with 6 of our own, to cut it to 9 points at the break, 22-31.
Now there was belief. We felt we had the momentum and with some heart and desire, we chipped away at that lead. One basket at a time. Although they again got a few unanswered points to open the half, to take it out to 15, after 3mins, they then were held to just 4 points in open play for the rest of the quarter. Peter and I played high up, pressing the guards, whilst, Iraj, Yera, Myles & Gozim, played solid underneath. Offensively Peter was still the catalyst. Commanding from the top, moving the ball, and opening their zone defence with ease. Chip, chipping away, the lead went from 13 after 4 mins, to just 6 at the buzzer of the 3rd.
The start of the 4th, was some of the best defensive basketball Ive seen us play. Myles, Iraj and Yera gave up nothing underneath. Forced turnovers, travelling, out of bounds, bad passes... At the top, Harry and Peter worked their socks off, and shut down their guards, getting to every ball and contesting every shot. Since the 5th minute of the 3rd quarter, until the final buzzer, 15 mins of play, they had scored just 2 baskets in open play.
When Peter hit another free-throw, the lead was just 2. 42-44. I hit a mid-range banker, to answer to them, and when Peter gets another driving lay-up, the game was tied 46-46 with 2mins to play. Iraj steals, wing pass to me, I miss the fast break lay-up but fouled. Miss one, make one. We're were leading by 1. Now it becomes tactical basketball, a situation that we don't find ourselves in a lot. [The Stags have had 3 close finishes out of 5 so far this season]. We had to control our offence and take the opportunities that we were given. What they chose was "Put Yera on the Foul Line" , and he made the tying free-throw, 48-48, but unfortunately rattled the second. With time running out, both teams had chances to win it, but neither could...again Yera from the line and in reply, #9 Blackburn with a good open look 3, with seconds to go, I was under the hoop, I swore it was in, but somehow it rolled out.... and as the buzzer went, it finished 48-48 after 4, and it was going to overtime.
All we had to do was keep the momentum in our favour over 5 mins and the game was ours. However Stags came out with 3 good shots, and they'd taken control. Unfortunately Iraj, who was playing with great fire and determination, fouled out, followed by Peter, who picked up his 5th on the offensive end with a good stand to take the charge. I replied with a couple of my own, but missed from the foul line (again) on the 3 point play, but the lead was only 4. Myles replied with a good shot, to reply to the Stags, and now we had to get the ball back, so had to send them to the line as quick as possible. It worked in our favour as the crowd got behind us, led by HP and Zedao, forced them to go 3 from 8 down the stretch. However, we just couldn't reply at the other end. I wasted chances with 3 balls, when open drives were available. A great inbounds play saw Harri get a great cut, but when he dished to me, I was still out of bounds with one foot. Yera took a little extra step before the dribble and got called up, even then adding to the woes by making the shot that was ruled out. And although I got one more driving basket, it just wasn't to be. And it finished 54-62.
It feels hideous. Its worse than a 20point or even 40point loss. To go so close and have to snatched away. But we have to be happy with our performance, look at the positives and take that to the Bucks (the Stags 2nd team) on Tuesday for the cup.
[Scorers: Huang 19, Wood 17, Nwokolo 5, Bates 3, Aimeganbetov 3, Rothenberg 2, Safaee 2, Li 2 ]