BASKETBALL GAMEWEEK 1- 8th November

CHS’ Basketball Team Begin Their Season

The NBA season started last week and CHS’ basketball team began their season tonight (Friday 8^th November) at home to King’s School, a team which they beat 38:21 last year.

Morale was high in the CHS team with coach Mr Hermitt hoping for a win from his side, which contained both experienced and inexperienced players, although he was unsure which King’s team would turn up as first time the two teams met last season saw CHS finish as victors whereas second time Mr Hermitt saw his side lose. Mr Hermitt said that the key if CHS were going to come out on top would be teamwork.

CHS’ first reaction was that Kings looked a lot taller and physical with Kings’ smallest player as tall as CHS’ tallest. Despite lacking in height and physicality CHS looked the more organised and well drilled side in the opening minutes which led to CHS putting the first points on the scoreboard following a well worked CHS throw. CHS were unlucky not to extend their lead further after Tom Spender’s shot rebounded off the backboard into captain Matt Finley’s hand’s but his rebound hit the rim before Owen Gough’s shot did the same. Spender did extend CHS’ lead but it was cut back after two free throws from Kings. Despite Finley scoring two baskets with the first a layup after a well worked move and the second being scored from a low position whilst being sandwiched between two defenders. King’s had the advantage after the first quarter following a free-throw, 3-pointer and a basket 4 seconds before the end of the quarter which gave Kings a 16:8 lead over CHS at the interval.  

CHS failed to shorten Kings’ lead in fact they saw it grow as despite Jay McAleer scoring two baskets Kings extended their lead to 9 points. Kings’ still had the advantage after the 1^st half leading CHS 21:12.

It took CHS until the opening minutes of the 3^rd quarter to win their first free throw despite Kings having several, following captain Finley’s drive. Finley himself stood on the free throw line with only the air in front of him and the basket. He was unfortunate not to see his first throw fall instead seeing it roll around the rim. Finley didn’t let the 2^nd one do the same as it went swish. CHS managed to keep the deficit the same, 9 points, after the 3^rd quarter with Kings leading 26:17 with one quarter left.

I spoke to CHS captain Matt Finley in the interval between the 3^rd and 4^th quarter about what he thought his team should do to get any chance of getting anything out of the game, “we are only 9 points down, that is only three 3-pointers. But we need to stay strong in defence and keep their best player out of the game”, something CHS introduced in the 2^nd part of the 3^rd quarter and appeared to work.

However, this did not stop him scoring two 2-pointers in the opening minutes of the final quarter. When Kings began to look weary in the final parts of the 4^th quarter, CHS did not, mainly down to well worked tactical substitution by Mr Hermitt. CHS were not going to give up without a fight this was shown in a great counter attacking drive from Bibo Webb, from deep inside CHS’ half, with him finishing his move off with a perfect layup. Luck wasn’t on CHS’ side when Webb’s 3-point attempt bounced up after hitting the rim and CHS could not convert the rebound.

The game finished 21:30 to Kings but CHS can take a lot of positives from the game but need to improve in areas as well. Nothing can deny their effort though.

Written by Adam Bailey