“You’re digging it round and it ought to be square”*

Sheffield Junior Sharks U18 V Newcastle Eagles U18

Sureshot Cup Round 3

4.15 pm, Sunday, December 13th 2009

All Saints Roman Catholic High School (Goals)

1 234Final

Sharks:18122428 82

Eagles: 2125 1810 74

With this win Sheffield Junior Sharks progress to the quarter finals on the weekend of January 16th and 17th, to play Cheshire Jets in Sheffield (date and times to be confirmed). There’s much that can be said about this game. Enough to say that with Newcastle’s eight three-pointers in the first half, and a lead of twenty halfway through the third quarter there were deep worries of an upset. Clawing the twenty points back and making their own lead of eight points to win, the Junior Sharks have a real achievement which should be recognised. So too should be the collywobbles along the way.

Two missed field goals by Sharks and two missed rebounds, led to a three-pointer being crisply sunk by Newcastle. Not an auspicious start. It took an offensive rebound and a basket from Mykel Moody to restore some semblance of credibility. A steal by John Stewart out of the hands of Newcastle’s Summerbell took John down the court to make a hanging dunk to clear the stain of the tip-attack that came to nothing. Shortly after being fouled John was out of rhythm and missed both line shots. A further steal and another basket from John sat the score for Sharks with a three point lead. Newcastle took back two points, for Ben Cepulis only to counter with a top-notch three-pointer. Things did not move easily and Sharks did not look comfortable. Jim Rose was fouled then to take a point and John added a further two. A five point lead seemed as it might provide the platform to stabilise more. Not so and soon the score was level. Jim advanced the score by two using his fast breaking skill with from a long throw by Joseph Baugh, but Agbo, Summerbell and Wilson speared to a five point lead. A basket from Joseph kept the Sharks in things, and after another Newcastle attack so did Mykel with his basket from an assist by John. At the quarter break it was an unhappy Sharks 18, Newcastle Eagles 21.

The second quarter had the look of desperation at times, and Sharks were held to just twelve points against Newcastle’s twenty five. Coach Ransom made his call again to pass and cut. This, not going out to the shooters and not holding hands up in defense cost dearly. Despite a two from Joseph, Newcastle had a lead of twelve. This ought to have been lesson enough, but it was not. Another allowed outside shot and three field goals saw the Sharks trailing by eighteen. Joseph lessened the overdraft by two, Newcastle added three. A three-pointer when needed from Ben and a successful And-1 from John saw the home side trailing by thirteen. Newcastle played for five more points and John was at the line for two, which he got. Both teams to their dressing rooms; Newcastle joyous being sixteen ahead, Sharks very disappointed with themselves and not knowing how the current situation had come to be. Sheffield Junior Sharks 30, Newcastle Eagles 46. At this point the title of this report might need a bit of an explanation. It does not matter whether a hole in the ground is round or square; it is still a hole. Sharks had dug it and needed to get out.

Reports have it that there were plain words in the break and with a growling resolve by one of the players to the team that they were not going to be beaten by Newcastle. Some supporters thought the deficit of sixteen could be made good and overcome. Others were more doubtful. When Newcastle filed back into the hall in close line with a spring in their step and Sharks players in general did not worries returned.

Within twenty seconds of the restart, Joseph was assisted by Jim for two. Newcastle through Summerbell took his two. John made a three and was fouled in the process for an And-1 which he converted and things felt different, but a Sharks advance and a Newcastle response came to typify the quarter which was to be the third quarter taken by the Tynesiders. The running duel between John and Summerbell continued with another steal by John. A foul against him by Agbo sent John to the line where he was to spend much of the half. This time he failed to convert. Soon Summerbell did convert for two and the score was back to a Newcastle lead to sixteen on its way to a full twenty which is a deep hole of a place for a team to find itself. Wilson got them there after a steal. During this time Dave Price had entered the game for Ben adding height for the rebounding. Pressure on, John assisted Jim who took two. Newcastle’s foul calls increased and Joseph and Mykel went to the line after one another to take half of what they were offered. Mykel passed to John in the paint who had to do a behind the back hand switch to make a left hand lay-up. He was at the line again for a succession of six free throws that added three to the score. There was now a sense that if the score could be levelled by the end of the period that a win would be possible. Joseph scored assisted by Mykel, John scored assisted by Joseph only for Newcastle almost to erase their efforts. The greater determination of the Sharks was growing for all to see and Newcastle was now less comfortable. Line points from John and Joseph and a self-made two points from Ben sent the players to the bench with an overdraft of ten.

Not a crooner, Coach Ransom’s exhortations that the Sharks should make it easy on themselves finally made its impact in the final quarter and then not straight away. In this period it was the typical ‘edge of the seats’ stanza that can make basketball either so exciting and entertaining, or emotionally draining. Sharks’ purpose was better on display, but only after a fruitless two minutes by either team. It was John that made the first thrust in the quarter for a basket ably assisted by Joe. Agbo responded with four points and some exemplary ball protection on the rebounds where he curled massively and low over the ball defying any snatch or steal. Jim took an entirely successful And-1 from a John assist and the trailing score was below ten. It would get better now all the time and move the Sharks account into the black and solvency both in points and reputation. Mykel and Ben drove the score into a Sharks’ lead of one, John pushed it to three with three minutes remaining. Thereafter every point came from the fifteen invitations to take a point from the stripe. The foul calls against Newcastle give the story of what happened to them in the face of the Sharks playing better basketball. Before the game’s end John’s inside play saw Agbo fouled out and Summerbell. Just doing things simply and well can outface most any opposition. At the line John had a season ticket and was joined by Jim, Ben and Mykel. Once again it was Mykel that took the final basket. Sheffield Junior Sharks 82, Newcastle Eagles 74.

Thanks go to Coaches Ransom and Nagle, to supporters that were bedraggled by the game’s end, and to the cool watching eyes of Joe and Alexis Moody with the stats.

Personal Statistics: John Stewart: 34 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 8 steals. , Ben Cepulis: 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals; Mykel Moody: 12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals; Joseph Baugh: 10 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals; Jim Rose: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot; Dave Price: 1 rebound; Vonn Tapiz, Louis Francis-Edge, Oliver Bourne.

*‘Hole in the Ground’, Sung by Bernard Cribbins, July 1962, reaching number 9 in the UK singles chart