Swans and Chickens and a Sefton Star of a Club

Sheffield Junior Sharks V Sefton Stars

2.00 pm, Saturday January 23rd 2010

Fernhill Sports Centre

1 2 3 4Final

Sharks: 18232725 93

Stars:161416 4 50

There were periods in this game of the confident elegance of a team in flight and others of awkward disjointedness as if disturbed from a roost. Passes were sweet, fast and cleanly whistling and at other times the ball was simply handed away like a free sample on Fargate. Baskets saw the net flapping up with the speed of the ball shooting through, or they watched the ball fly past without even receiving a ‘hello’ from the ball. Intelligent play saw two Sefton men taken out by a screen, or they were given freedom of the city. Coaches and some supporters could be forgiven, then, their turretic tics. What we need to develop is more extended periods of fluent play. The game was well taken and won, however, and a points’ difference of forty three points readily accepted, and twenty seven assists and seventy two rebounds made.

The game began with Sefton Stars making the first impression with decisive baskets from Hannaway whilst Sharks’ attempts simply failed to make an impact. The quarter, though, was slow to get going. There would be only twelve points on the board after seven minutes of play. For Sharks John Stewart was first to score off the free-throw line after a foul, followed by Jim Rose cleanly taking two from a Ben Cepulis excellent assist. Sefton responded though themselves being inefficient failed to convert three of four free-throws. Ben made a two well assisted by Mykel Moodie. Sefton advanced their score via their captain (Walton) and moving toward the eighth minute had a lead of four. By this time Dave Price had entered the game for Joseph Baugh. Being fouled, Dave went to the line and coolly sank two baskets. Hannaway and Walton came back at Sheffield again and extended their lead to seven. Walton took a three simply because he was busy enough to free himself and make use of the space allowed. John took matters into his own hands. Two baskets came quickly assisted by Dave and Mykel and in between Mykel displayed his defensive strength again by forcing Sefton’s play of the ball. Dave was fouled again and again he went to the line and maintained his one hundred percent free-throw shooting. John executed a steal high in the Sharks’ territory and loped down court to dunk the ball. With certainty of purpose Jim eyed John free to shoot. He passed and John sank a three to take Sharks four ahead of Sefton. Sefton recovered two of the points, again from Hannaway: Sheffield Junior Sharks 18, Sefton Stars 16. Along the way, it was rebounding that helped make the difference in the quarter with a full nineteen against Sefton’s nine.

The second quarter saw the starting five beginning again. John hustled and worried his way to the first basket within the opening seconds. Soon at the other end of the court Sharks defense was strong with clever screening. A foul denied Sefton free access to the basket and one point was loss as a result. Flip to the other end of the court in an accelerating game, and Mykel loaded the muzzle for a three-pointer from John. Joseph Baugh by now had warmed to the scoring side of the game after his dominance in rebounding. Jim was the assist on this occasion. Mykel Moodie was sighted best able to score and John slickly passed the ball for a sure basket from Mykel who had anticipated the pass. Losses of concentration left a Sefton shooter free (Walton), and three points was the cost. A basket from Joe and an And-1 from Mykel propelled Sharks to a twelve point lead. Sefton made better rebounding of one of their three-point shots and despite the need for repeated attempts being needed took two points. Well sighted again Mykel took another sure pass up the court from John fro Mykel to take an emphatic basket. Soon after, Mykel was rested and Vonn Tapiz entered the game. An interval of Sharks turnovers saw Sefton unable to make profit from it, before Joseph righted things for Sharks with a basket. Ben was soon after fouled and he took the first point from the stripe. A rebound from the second saw John converting it to a basket. Closing the Sharks scoring for the half was Vonn with a two assisted by Jim. Not to be quelled Sefton’s Potter potted a three, and their captain Walton advanced their score to thirty. Sheffield Junior Sharks 41, Sefton Stars 30.

With need for less than an Alex Ferguson team talk at the half the third stanza opened with Sefton insisting on taking the first basket. Louis Francis-Edge then showed his mettle. He took four points assisted first by Joe and then Mykel. John followed up by a three-pointer assisted by Mykel. Sefton still persisted on going for basket and took four. A tear of nine points from Sharks saw Louis, Ben, Joseph and John all feeding at the basket all of them from assists saving the free-throw by Ben. Joseph’s was after a superb long connecting pass by Ben. John’s was a second dunk. Sefton’s Hannaway was fouled and he did not need asking twice about taking both points. He did so reducing the Sharks lead to nineteen points. Behre Tesfayohannes joined his team mates giving characteristic hustle. Mykel and John then did a feature at the Sefton end First Mykel made his own basket and then took one of his free-throws. John was fouled and took one of his free-throws. Sefton came back including with another Walton three-pointer. At the ninth minute John slapped a three again kicked out by Jim seeing the opportunity, and in return John assisted Jim for his basket. Though Sefton continuing the fray Joseph took Sharks to sixty eight points before a final Sefton point saw them twenty two points behind. Again rebounding was strength in the quarter as was the tremendous assists.

Rebounds and assists as much made the fourth quarter Sharks’ as any other; I am pleased to report (20:10 and 6:0). Sefton were restricted to just four points. John opened the final period with a point after a foul. This would be a quarter when Sefton players fouled-out. Ben was fouled in the process of scoring, but settled for the basket. Joseph followed John in the way that these two do so well for one another, and Joseph cleaned up and took two points. John took a rebound and cashed that. Mykel performed a marvellous fast steal and went straight to basket. Louis, assisted by Ben, took a further two making the opening tear twelve points. Sefton took a foul point, and another Sheffield tear began to rip. Mykel muscled and bustled took two points; Ben similarly went all the way through Sefton players and rearranged them along the way for two points. Joe took two points and Jim returning to play was helped by John to his basket. Questioning began as to whether the Sharks would better a hundred points. John assisted Jim a further twice, and despite Shark inviting Sefton to the line repeatedly, John closed the game with just a second left of the clock taking him to a game high of twenty nine points.

As ever the most excellent club Sefton made everyone feel welcomed and players had been early assured that after their toil that refreshments would be available before going home. So friendly and kind a club is hard to find in the league and they deserve more applause for what they do. They can teach bigger clubs a great deal. Exit all, players happily munching hotdogs.

Thanks go to Coaches Ransom and Nagle, travelling supporters, and Joe and Alexis for the stats that lay things plainly open.

Personal Statistics Spotlighting Assists: John Stewart: 8 assists, 29 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals; Mykel Moodie: 8 assists, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals; Ben Cepulis: 4 assists, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steals; Jim Rose: 4 assists, 10 points, 3 rebounds; Joseph Baugh: 2 assists, 14 points, 21(!) rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block; Dave Price: 1 assist, 4 points, 6 rebounds; Louis Francis-Edge: 8 points, 1 rebound; Vonn Tapiz: 2 points, 2 rebounds; Behre Tesfayohannes: 3 rebounds, 2 steals.

Next Game: Home to Stockport Falcons 1, at All Saints Roman Catholic High School (Goals), Sunday, January 24th 2010 at 4.15 pm.