¿Que Paso? (What Happened?)

Sheffield Junior Sharks U18 V Manchester Magic U18

3.15 pm, Saturday February 27th 2010

Springs Leisure Centre, Sheffield

1 2 3 4Final

Sharks: 1512 61245

Magic:1812191968

This was a game that many will want to forget quickly, at least east of the Pennines. The reasons for the home defeat of Sharks will differ between the various people that answer the question: the last opportunity that some of Magic will have of a win in Sheffield, or complacency after the Sureshot Cup triumph. What it boils down to was that Manchester were simply better on the day and so well prepared. They hazarded fewer shots, and they played more as a team to the direction of their coach especially in the second half of the game. There were individual patches of sweet play for Sharks, whether the truly athletic rebounding of Joseph Baugh, the paint-play of John Stewart in some tough-earned baskets, or the stainless steel strength of Mykel Moodie and his refusal to be daunted (a great game by him all round), and the success of the press when it was employed.

There is little to dwell on when a narrative retelling would only compound matters. Better to draw the line under the game’s result and face the remaining three games with a will. With the regular season over in two weeks there is need to regroup and attend to Trafford and Northants, before the closing came against City of Birmingham.

As ever thanks go to the coaches and to the players, to Joe and Alexis Moodie for the taking of the statistics, and for the supporters that had made an extra special effort to attend, even from afar.

‘Nothing's impossible I have found,

For when my chin is on the ground,

I pick myself up,

Dust myself off,

Start all over again.’*

Personal Statistics focusing on rebounds: Joseph Baugh: 17 rebounds, 13 points, 3 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks; John Stewart: 7 rebounds, 16 points, 2 assists; Ben Cepulis: 7 rebounds, 5 points, 2 assists, 2 steals; Mykel Moodie: 5 rebounds, 7 points, 6 assists, 4 steals;

Jim Rose: 4 rebounds, 4 points; Behre Tesfayohannes: 1 rebound; Dave Price, Vonn Tapiz, Oliver Bourne, Louis Francis-Edge.

Next Game: Away to Trafford at the Amaechi Basketball Centre, with a tip at 3.30 pm on Saturday, March 6th 2010.

* http://oldfogey.podbean.com/2008/10/05/fred-astaire-sings-pick-yourself-up/