The season finally gets underway

U14 Junior Sharks vs Leeds Carnegie

Sunday 1st November 2009

1.15 tip, All Saints RC School

Sharks 2115 172780

Leeds 12 8 131043

There was a lot of musings about this game and one topic was about the “big men” of the team. Last season it was the Connor Dixon, Josh and Marcus who were the main attacking options and between them racked up a lot of the points on a consistent basis. The fact that the other team members also chipped in with regular points contributed to them being one of the Country’s top teams. This season though there is Marko whose game has come on leaps and bounds as well as Kenneth, another big guy whose game was coming on fast. Added to the brew for this game was the fact that Connor was injured and as the boys get older size starts to level out which means some of the big guys stop looking all that big! Please read through to the end of this report to find out the conclusion to these thoughts.

Another factor in the game was that Leeds Carnegie had been formed from the Leeds Carr Manor team and they had aspirations too. Three of their team had also earned Yorkshire honours so things would be a lot closer than in earlier years.

Anyhow back to the game. Leeds only bite was coming from their number 8 and big man Ben which saw them take an early lead. However Josh, Marcus and Marko soon had the Sharks back where they belong; in the lead. It was support from the lower numbers: David, George, Eddy and Tyler that then helped the Sharks take a 21-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was similar to the first. Leeds were not rolling over and also the Sharks were showing a bit of rustiness from the summer. Kenneth found his feet and got a basket, Josh carried on with his scoring run and by now Daniel was on the scoresheet. However George, Eddy and Tyler were also keeping the Sharks on target with telling contributions. The Sharks took a 36-20 lead into the locker room at half-time.

Quarter 3 is probably one best to forget. Although early on Leeds threat was still their 2 key players and Eddy got a great trey, and then the quarter took a strange twist. A large number of fouls were called and many free throws missed that saw a period where not much happened. This did spur Leeds on though but they missed 6 from the charity line this meant the Sharks took the quarter by the tightest margin of the game, 4 points.

Leeds came out fast for the last quarter but then their influential number 8 was fouled off. The last twist of the game however was still to come. Apart from a basket from Kenneth; David, George and Eddy decided that it was time to “have some fun”. Eddy got a basket followed by George, so Eddy decided to throw in his second trey. Anything you can do thought David who got a trey, George responded with another basket so David got another trey. Great to watch and it sealed the game for the Sharks and their highest scoring quarter.

So a good, but not great victory, however a winning start to the season’s campaign. What about the “big men”. The big scorers, apart from Josh, were all those that you wouldn’t think of as the “big men” of the team. So what does this show? That basketball is very much a team game and anyone in the team can be a match winner and a big man in their own right. Well done to everyone it’s a winning start and everyone got on the scoresheet.

Team and Scorers

Eddy Brownell (17), Josh Edwards (16), George Naylor (12), David Frost (8), Kenneth Nwose (8), Marcus Welsh (6), Tyler Gayle (5), Daniel Jenkinson (4), Marko Backovic (4), Connor Dixon (injured but on the bench).