Close encounters...

Sheffield Saints vs Birmingham As

All Saints, Sheffield 29/10/11
Tip 12.00pm

Saints 18 16 21 18 73
As 19 16 16 16 67

This match was always going to be tight judging it by when they met last year in the Sheffield team’s advance to the final 4s, which was a close encounter.

The starting five were Josh, George, Tyler, ConnorD and Kenneth and the oppositions big number 15 won the tip for the away team. Josh and ConnorD soon stamped their authority on the game though as a 6-3 lead was established half way through the first quarter. Marko and Marcus came on and soon they had contributed to take a 9 point lead after 8 minutes. This margin was kept until the 9th minute where (as we’d seen in a few games this season?) the opponents had a last quarter rally. Before the fans and team realised what had happened the buzzer went and a one point deficit was no reward for a lot of hard work.

Josh continued his good form and we also saw Montell getting some good court time this quarter. As David popped up with a trey to level the scores at 23 all at the start of Q2 we knew we were in for more of the same. However, we saw the worst case scenario as Birmingham went on a 12 point rally over 3 minutes. At 35-23 would the Saints dig deep or would heads drop? What happened next got the crowd on their feet as exciting basketball took place, luckily from the Saints. ConnorD was drawing fouls but then Marko’s two baskets which were sandwiched between a pair of Treys from David meant Sheffield replied with an 11 point rally of their own. Still only one point in it at the end of the half and all to play for.

It was more nip and tuck basketball in Q3, but it was good to see that it was the Saints who kept pulling away and Birmingham who had to play catch up we saw Josh, Tyler, George and Marko contribute to getting a 6 point lead before the opponents clawed it back. Then Daniel, Tyler and Marcus open up a 7 point lead before it was again closed. In the last minute there seemed some confusion about the scores; but eventually we saw a 4 point lead to the home team at the end of Q3.

As much as the As tried to chase the game then the Saints made sure that it was just that too much out of their reach. Kenneth played some strong offense under the basket, ConnorD, Josh, Marcus and Marko added to their scores. A mention to David though who showed the importance of 3 point baskets by top scoring in Q2 and coming out as top scorer in Q4 by showing he has more to his repertoire with lay ups and free throws.

In some respects Birmingham seemed to have contributed to their defeat for example 24 fouls to 13 saw them spending a lot of time in foul trouble that took a lot of impetus out of their play. Most of the other stats illustrate the excitement and closeness in the game. Field goal % Saints 48, As 50%, sharing rebounds 30 each but far too many turnovers (Saint 44, As 30). However it is the 11 changes in the lead and 9 occasions when the lead was tied that showed it as a game that kept us on the edge of our seats.

Team and scorers  from Scoresheet

Josh Edwards (19) , David Frost (16), Marcus Welsh (11), Marko Backovic (10), Connor Dixon (8), Tyler Gayle(6), George Naylor (2), Daniel Jenkinson (1), Kenneth Nwose , Montell Gordon, Conor D'Souza-Kelly-DNP, Michael Carnall-DNP,