Great team, great support, great game, wrong result

Sheffield Junior Sharks vs Manchester Magic

U14s Quarter Final Play Off
All Saints Sheffield
2.00pm 17th April 2010

Sharks 14 11 20 21 66
Magic 21 10 18 23 72

free throw stats:
Sharks 9 out of 35: 26%
Magic 16 out of 29: 55%

As only the second report to be written about a losing match, it takes a while to reflect and to come to terms with what happened. At a very simplistic level you can use the free throw statistics as an answer to why the Sharks lost. If their percentage was the same as Magic they would have won by 4 points.

However this is not the reason why they lost. The reasons are very complex and let’s add a few more to the melting pot: Manchester knew the stakes were high and we are sure we saw every Magic coach in attendance, as well as John Amaechi. This alone must have had some impact on the tensions of the game. The support from both sides was tremendous and it was overheard that this was the noisiest basketball match seen at All Saints. Also let’s give Manchester their due as they were tactically astute. Another factor is that the oppositions have already played in high pressure games this season, whereas this could arguably be said was the Shark’s first.. At the end of the day the fact is the Sharks lost and any post match analysis is between the team and the coach, but what a game!

All the team did themselves proud, played their hearts out and will only come away stronger. Well done to all the squad for a good, nearly a great season.

If anyone wants to re-live the drama of the day, here’s a summary:

The first 5 minutes of the first quarter lived up to it’s billing with Marcus, Connor and Marko taking the game to Magic. Magic as expected responded strongly and the lead kept changing. Connor and Marko then pulled the Sharks away by three and it was 12-9. Magic pulled back to 12-11 and they called a time out. We have already mentioned tactics and something must have worked as a spurt from Magic saw them outscore the Sharks 10-2 in the last 4 minutes of this quarter. Four missed free shots didn’t help the cause (although Connor and Eddy did get points) but there were 7 points to make up.

The second quarter was a bit of a stalemate affair. We saw Kenneth getting some points with a basket and an and one. George and Josh came on to great effect to hold Magic at Bay. Eddy continued having an impact on the game as both he and Tyler registered scores. The Sharks edged the quarter by one and had chipped away at Magic’s lead but not by enough.

If quarter two was like a game of chess then quarter three was like a Beijing Olympics firework display. Connor started to hit his stride and apart from a basket each from Marcus and Tyler he did all the damage against Magic. At the end of the 6th minute the score now stood at 39-39. Seventh minute 41-39 to Magic, eight minute 43-41 to Sharks. Ninth minute 43 all. It was loud and exciting. Again missed free throws meant the Sharks couldn’t take the game away from Magic and they allowed them to outscore 6-2 in the last 90 seconds for the Sharks to be down by 4 entering the last quarter. There was a belief they could win it.

It was all hands on deck for the final quarter. Eddy stepped in with a trademark trey, Marko stepped up a gear and started creating havoc for Magic, Daniel got his name on the scoresheet. The best way to illustrate is by the scores. In the fifth minute Magic had pulled away with an 11 point lead 58-47. By the 7th minute the Sharks had pulled back and were one behind 61-60. In the 9th minute it was 64-64. In the last minute it was 68-66 to Magic. In the last few seconds as the Sharks pushed for an equaliser it was not enough. As they were in foul trouble and gave away fouls we saw Magic convert 4 from 4 in the dying seconds. It was an emotional end to a season of basketball in a game worthy of a final.

Team and scorers

Connor Dixon (27), Marko Backovic (14), Eddy Brownell (9). Marcus Welsh (8), Tyler Gayle (3), Kenneth Nwose (3), Daniel Jenkinson (2), Josh Edwards, George Naylor, David Frost, Montell Gordon, Michael Carnall