Up and Down

Sheffield Junior Sharks V Derby Trailblazers

3.15 pm, Saturday, January 16th 2010

Springs Leisure Centre, Sheffield

1 2 3 4Final

Sharks: 33152324 95

Trailblazers:1716 724 64

With effectively a month’s lay-off from competitive games one of the interests of the day was as much about relative player fitness as familiarity with team tactics. As it turned out, in this first win of the new year, there was no issue with fitness, more that Derby was allowed to be troublesome and that team play was sadly less evident than would be liked. Given the nature of this fixture Coaches Ransom and Nagle made use of the full bench and for the first time this season every player reached the score sheet. A win with a points’ difference of thirty one is always welcome. The hope is that the game will have helped to blow away the cob-webs in readiness for the Sureshot Quarter Final.

The first quarter was relatively good from Sharks with thirty three points posted in response to seventeen by Trailblazers. Pass-and-cut was an early lapse, however, prompting Coach Ransom to remind everyone about what was required. This and missed attempts and a turnover, allowed Derby to strike first with their England 1994, Guddemi. Sorting themselves out Sharks made their first decisive act in a Mykel Moodie steal, and an unanswered run of twelve points by Sharks reminding everyone that this was their court. Ben Cepulis opened the scoring, alternating with John Stewart, twice, who was mixing it in the paint. Joseph Baugh launched his first three pointer of the day to sink it nicely, and John made his first visit to the stripe taking a point of the two available. The good thing to observe that there had been a four assists to this point in the quarter. With a welcome, Jim Rose entered the scoring off a Mykel assist. Then, after a dunk by John, Jim came back and took two consecutive baskets of his own making. Ben stole the ball and motored a good length of the court to take two. Along the way Guddemi for Derby was a veritable Thorne, puncturing the Sharks repeatedly including a three in his quarter total of nine. Mykel was lured into his second foul of the game and mindful of his foundation importance to the team was withdrawn to return to good effect later. Vonn Tapiz entered the game. With the score at twenty four to twelve, Joseph let fly once more off a Ben assist. Assisted by John, Vonn hit the scored sheet. John was fouled once again and invited to the line again for two, and again the basket declined one of his attempts. John was rested and Dave Price entered the game, before Ben took another two points. Getting free, Derby’s Higton shot a secure three and the sense of the time slipping away was clear, though not before Vonn was fouled and he went to the line taking a point and the score for the quarter to Sheffield Sharks 33, Derby Trailblazers 17.

The second quarter was a poorer period of play with just two assists, and a single steal and five turnovers. That Derby took the quarter with just sixteen points tells it all. Ben advanced the score by four before being substituted by Berhe Tesfayohannes. He scored within half a minute of entering the play. Joseph notched a two pointer before Derby was at their strongest. Dave Price came onto court again, replacing Joseph and soon got into foul trouble. Soon after, George Brownell took a welcome place within the play. Soon his potency resulted in a basket. In the last minute of the game, John took a basket and Dave sank a convincing three from an assist from John. The game paused for the half: Sheffield Junior Sharks 48, Derby Trailblazers 33. Derby’s odd zone play and various targeting of Sharks players had had some effect, but the Sharks simply let things happen.

In the roller-coaster of play Derby was constrained to just seven points in the third quarter, against Sheffield’s twenty three. This time Derby’s finishing was weak and their assists the fewer. Sharks invested more in assists and committed to just one turnover, giving them the better ingredients for success. John opened the scoring helped in the process by Mykel who made no less than three other assists in the quarter and maintained his characteristic toughness in defense. Derby replied to John, through Guddemi, which was no surprise. Jim Rose returned to scoring and sank a two, before Ben did the same, added too by Jim. By now the fifth minute of the quarter, Jim passed the ball to John who took a three point shot and threaded it through the net. Jim retired a while to allow Conor space to play, now rested from his previous game with the U16s. After settling down he made an important assist and fed the ball to John for another And-1 basket. Still without answer, Joseph each went to line for a point and then a further basket. Along the way Mykel stole the ball. Ben was rested and Berhe came back into play taking two points off an assist from Mykel. Derby’s captain Hallam eventually had moved to basket for two points before Joseph slapped a three on the opposition again off Mykel’s help. Guddemi sealed an And-1 for Derby after a foul by John, before a Berhe basket with just twenty eight seconds left of the stanza. Sharks rested a moment: Sheffield Junior Sharks 71, Derby Trailblazers 40.

Mykel crafted the first basket of the final quarter after another of his steals. Then Ben ‘on tour’ took the next nine points consecutively either as field goals or from the stripe. Derby’s Daykin could not take the one way traffic and sank two three and a two in quick succession. By now the quarter was at it mid point. Both George and Vonn returned to the floor. Soon Vonn had taken two points assisted by the able Conor, who then took his own three-pointer to take the score to eighty seven. Not to be out-done, Derby being rallied by their travelling supporters, lifted and made a real game of the last five minutes. A resounding And-1 for them, two great free-throws from reliable George, then saw Derby’s captain asserting himself again. George responded off an Oliver Bourne assist. Again Derby game back with a run of seven points before a lovely hook shot by Oliver from under the basket pushed the score to ninety three maintaining the thirty one point lead. Again without surprise Guddemi took advantage of being fouled and sank both free-throws taking their final score to sixty four. George had the pleasure of stapling the game closed and shut with a further of his baskets. The quarter was halved with Derby showing exactly what they can do when fired. They doubled the Sharks’ rebounds, just as a measure of what is meant by the comment.

Neither team can win praise for their lay-up or shooting performances. That said, for Sharks mention must be made of Ben’s game high twenty one points, of Mykel’s exceptional seven assists and six steals that made such a difference and underpinned so many other players. Jim joined three others on double points, and Conor his ability to assist, shoot or steal. John needs mention for his untiring anchor role and refusal to give-in, as well as his own nineteen points. Joseph, again, gave thrill with his long shooting George came back from injury showing the team and the club what a wonderful contributor he is, and Berhe his best game since his own return to the club. Vonn showed stability and steadiness, Dave sat in a pool of sunlight outside the arc and shone, and Oliver delighted with his lovely hook shot.

Thanks go to the coaches and to supporters. Thanks, also, to Joe and Alexis Moodie for the difficult and concentrated task of keeping track of the stats of the game.

Personal Statistics: Ben Cepulis: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; John Stewart: 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal; Joseph Baugh: 16 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots; Jim Rose: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; George Brownell: 8 points, 4 rebounds: Berhe Tesfayohannes: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Vonn Tapiz: 5 points; Conor Faulkner: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; Dave Price: 3 points; 3 rebounds, 1 steal; Mykel Moodie: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 steals; Mykel Dave Price: 3 points, 1 rebound; Vonn Tapiz, Louis Oliver Bourne: 2 points.

Next Game: Away against the hospitable Sefton Stars at Fernhill Sports Centre on Saturday, January 23rd with the game scheduled to be played at noon.