Despite the Northampton Academy year 8 Basketball team being on the losing end of the score sheet, the Blues came away from their home game against Thomas Beckett stronger and wiser.
The evening began with a positive warm up that put the Academy boys, sporting white and blue jerseys, through the motions. Mr Windsor gave his own motivational pre-match team talk, emphasising his “rule of thumb” for basketball, and urging the boys to be “really positive and enjoy”.
However, the hosts failed to capture the dream start they desired. Beckett scored first from close-range, and doubled their advantage faster than you could say ‘alley-oop’. The visitors certainly started as they meant to go on, claiming 6 baskets in the first quarter, equating to 12 points. The Academy, who found themselves pinned into their key (under their own basket) by the opponents, could only force one towards the Beckett basket thanks to Alfie North’s desperate effort which bounced off the backboard.
With a strong lead, Beckett turned on the style in the second quarter. The team wearing black and red had a handful of outstanding players, and they used their ‘triple threats’ with lethal effects. They scored a bunch of impressive solo baskets, bagging points from fast breaks, to intricate ball control in the key. The Academy struggled again in this period, but some bright sparks in white and blue were trying to galvanize the team, who improved for some sections of this quarter. As a result of four baskets in quick succession, Beckett led 32-0 at the half-way mark.
However, the Academy started to realise their wrong-doings and displayed more aggression on the attack. And it paid off, as Charles Ocowe found space to convert. The Academy smelt blood and started to defy Beckett’s full court press thanks to efforts from Alfie North, George Thompson and Charles. The latter scored again as George Mander forced a turnover, sprinted down the channel and found Charles who controlled and scored first time. But Beckett ran riot before the end of the quarter to score 3 more baskets.
With what is now a fiercely competitive match up, Beckett scored first in the final quarter, but Andrew rippled the net after great work from pocket rocket, Cohen Curtis. The Academy learnt from their mistakes, and Charles kept his calm to coolly increase the host’s tally. However, the Academy couldn’t organise themselves quick enough after attacks and Beckett consistently capitalised. The final score saw Beckett win 51-8.
The Northampton Academy improved massively after the first two quarters, and since this was the team’s first game of the season, the boys have learnt valuable lessons which they can carry through into the forthcoming games. Despite the unflattering score line, the boys have no reason to be ashamed; as Nelson Mandela said, “I never lose, I only win or learn.”
Matthew Bates
21/11/16