07/05/2018
SBDC v Newtown Rams
Sun 6th May
Despite a loss in a closely contested game between two evenly matched teams, this game was a success for SBDC.
The team agreed beforehand what success looked like, and that was performing to their expected standards and executing their non-negotiable points of emphasis. Success can not always be determined by the score alone when sometimes a team can win by 20 whilst performing poorly.
The defensive game-plan was executed perfectly, with zero points conceded in transition and very few opposition free throw attempts or offensive rebounds. The ball movement and decision making on offence was good, with the right shots for the right players, but it was just a day when nothing would go down.
Guards Javier Garcia Lopez, David Henry and Chris Ward had very few turnovers and provided confident ball handling and decision making. Javier came up with some crucial plays on a tough day offensively, with some beautiful spin moves and aggressive drives to the basket, and got some big steals defensively leading to easy offence. Forwards Ross Purfit and Michael Martell are two of the most versatile and talented players SBDC has had, and they still had a huge impact on the game despite the offensive struggles that affected the whole team. Big men Jonathan Terry and Dave Powell controlled the boards at both ends and made it impossible for Newtown to get anything inside. Rookie wings Mark Smith and Nathan Walker saw action in their first competitive games at any level, and got more playing time than originally planned as they didn't look out of place or show the nerves you'd expect.
Coach Dave Owen had this to say about the performance, "Every team has had games where the shots just won't fall, and today it was crucial that the players understood this was a successful game for us. To come within one point late in the 3rd and only lose by 6 on a day when you can't make a shot is a testament to how well the guys executed our defensive strategy. I've seen what these guys can do offensively every week in training, and when the offence we know we're capable of is matched with that defensive effort we'll be tough to beat."
