Age-Group Clubs' match reports: This week;  Northants;  Southend;  Solent;  Other.

 

12/04/03  UNDER-20 FINAL FOUR London United Richmond College under 20’s win National Play off Championships Richmond College, part of the London United development structure won the National finals held at Brunel University at Uxbridge in two incredible games. The semi final was played in the morning versus the northern conference champions and much fancied favourites Manchester. Richmond started the brighter team leading by 9-0 as Tarli Gill hit the first three pointer of the game in Richmonds first offence. He then managed to twist his ankle rendering him unplayable for the rest of the day. This was a blow to the team although with two senior team players Walid Mumuni and Steve Vear in their final years as under 20 players the squad still had experience on their sides. Steve Vear stepped up his game to a level that nobody had seen from him this season. He single handedly took Manchester on, on his own as he kept scoring at will. His tenatious attitude was a constant thorn in the Manchester team who started to get their game together by the second quarter. They moved into a 14 point lead at one time with great offensive play from youngster Callum Jones. Vear's never say die attitude kept Richmond close until they eventually took the lead back again by the mid way point in the last quarter after Vear and Keyvan hit almost every shot they took. The game had swung in Richmond’s favour with 3 minutes remaining on the clock and with a 6 point lead, until Callum Jones stepped up to nail some bog shots in the lane. The scores were at a one point gap with Manchester trailing and 30 seconds on the clock. Jones was patient and penetrated to be fouled by Mumuni, fouling him out and to get two free throws. He nailed them both and with 12 seconds remaining Majewski and Schiller called a time out, one point down at 91-90 The decision was to have Vear penetrate to the basket trying to get a lay up or foul. That exactly what happened as he used his ability to get his defender in the air and foul him in the act of shooting. With 0 seconds on the clock and with no line up and one point down Vear had all the pressure on him to make both shots. The young point guard proved himself once again by nailing both shots sending the crowd wild. The Manchester favourites were amazing contenders in one of the best under 20 final four games to be seen in the country. Richmond then had the task of meeting Middlesborough in the final who had easily beaten Westminster by 30. The Northern team looked to have everything in their line up with some very big lads and great athletes. Richmond started poorly and the theme continues for some time trailing by 10 points for most of the game. Middlesborough rebounded very well and Richmond struggles to keep them off the boards. However once Majewski applied the famous half court trapping press in the last quarter Richmond were able to turn the game around. Mumuni scored well going to the hole and once again Vear came up with a NBA range three pointer to put the Ricmond team up. Middlesborough then responded with their own three point effort levelling scores with 27 second on the clock at 80-80. Richmond were patient in the last offence of the game with Vear controlling the ball on the point. With 5 seconds on offence remaining he passed to Walid who span on his defender to lay up inside and with only two seconds remaining it was all over. The well supported London team mobbed the MVP Steve Vear and Mumuni and ran out as the under dog Championship winners for the second time in two seasons. Majewski and Schiller were very proud of their young players that bodes well for the future of London United. Steve Alexander from the England Basketball set up presented the prizes to the winners at the end of a great day of Basketball and dancing entertainment.

12/04/03 Mixed results for Manchester's Youth Teams. It was very disappointing that the Club’s promising Under 20 team were beaten by one point, 93-94 by Richmond in their Play-off Semi-final in London this weekend. The Under 16 girls were defeated in a close game by their old rivals Stockport in their Quarter Final game, the final score being 70-77, but the others all advanced to the Semi-Final stage. Outstanding were the Under 16 boys. The Manchester team beat Derbyshire Arrows 122-47 and the Trafford team overcame Notts Nova by 76-61.This means the Club have two teams in the Final Four, with a chance of them meeting in the Final. The Under 18s beat Sheffield by 79-38, so they join the others in the Final Four, as do the Under 14 girls in the BAM league, who beat Doncaster by 87-30. As last year, these Final Four games will take place at RAF Cosford on the weekend of the 3rd-5th May. Again, the Club’s supporters will be most welcome. Furhter details will be found on the Club’s website.

12/04/03 NATIONAL UNDER 14 GIRLS QUARTER FINAL NORTHANTS FLYERS 46  SOUTHEND SWIFTS 61 Southend Swifts achieved a unique treble in English basketball by getting all three age group girls teams to the play off final fours at RAF Cosford in May.  The under 14 team clinched their place with a comfortable 61-46 at Northampton Flyers on Saturday. The under 14 event is run as a passerelle tournament, which means that in the opening two quarters no player may play for longer than 10 minutes.  This ensures that all players at this youngest age, get the opportunity to compete.  It can, however, mean that scores in the early part of a match give a false impression and such was the case as the home side moved out to an early 8-2 lead.  The introduction of Swifts taller players meant that the visitors took the initiative and baskets from Jane Barclay and Emma Hart gave Southend a 14-11 first quarter lead. A 14-4 run at the start of the second quarter consolidated matters for Southend, with captain Abbi Dempsey and Tasmin McCarthy leading the way.  Flyers replied with a 6-0 run of their own before four further points from England trialist Barclay took the half time margin to 32-22 in Swifts favour. After the hosts scored the first two baskets of the third period, Southend made a stunning 18-4 stretch over the remainder of the quarter to hold a 20 point lead; Dempsey and Hart again making telling contributions. Unsurprisingly, the final period saw slightly less intensity from Swifts, but they had enough in reserve to end the game with a comfortable 15 point margin.  Dempsey 17 and Hart and Barclay 14 apiece had led the way that saw all of the players get valuable court time. The under 14 team will compete at RAF Cosford on Monday 5th May following the cadets on the Saturday and the juniors on Sunday.  Whilst it is a unique achievement (this being the first time the under 14's have had their own finals), Swifts will not want to return empty-handed from the finale of an excellent season.

12/04/03 “Knights and “Flyers” crash out of the Play Offs.  There was more disappointment for the Northants Schools Basketball Club with two more teams slipping out of the Play Offs   Junior Men’s National League Play Off Quarter Final East Durham Academy            82 - 65             Northants “Knights” The Northants “Knights” have failed to make the Final Four of this season’s Play Offs after slipping to a 17 point defeat against the East Durham Academy. The “Knights” made the long journey north without three key players and the rest of Barry Powell’s team found the going pretty tough against a team who have already recorded two wins against the county team. For the “Knights”, Carl Rowland was missing with a recurrence of a back injury, Joe Forde was sidelined with a fractured ankle sustained in the previous weekend’s College Championships while Mikey Taylor was with his family on a house hunting trip in America.  Without three major offensive players the “Knights” only hope of beating East Durham would come from their highly acclaimed defensive intensity. In fact that intensity was completely missing in the first two periods of the game with the “Knights” leaking a massive 53 points while managing just 21 themselves. The county boys did turn things around in the second half which they won 44-29 but the damage had been done in the first two quarters. In the 82-65 loss Chase Morton scored 18 personal points, Will Guerry battled hard for his 10 but no other “Knights” player could get into double figures as the team’s hopes of a third successive appearance at Final Fours disappeared.   RAF BAM Under 14 Girls Passerelle Play Off Quarter Final Northants “Flyers”                     46 - 61             Essex “Swifts” Like the “Knights” the unbeaten Northants “Flyers” also failed to reach the Final Four Play Off Tournament after a lacklustre performance against Essex “Swifts”. In fact the county girls made a good start to the game quickly going into an 8-2 lead but then numerous errors gave the initiative to the Essex girls. At half time the “Swifts” led 32-22 which was extended to 50-30 after the third quarter. At this stage with the game as good as over, the “Flyers” suddenly began to show their true form and took the final period 16-11 to reduce the deficit to 61-46 at the final whistle. In the 15 point loss Hannah Scott-Evans top scored with 14 points while Natasha Wesley and Kirsty Viera gave good support with 12 and 10 respectively.

Pawprint Basketball Services

“serving basketball right”

 

e-mail: webmaster@pawprint75.co.uk

Webmaster: Pawprint Basketball Services