Hull gained a shred of credibility in the Varsity competition during the men’s 1sts basketball match on Sunday.
Within seconds it became obvious that York had their work cut out against this calm and confident opposition, so the home team adapted and played a strong defensive game to prevent Hull from dominating the match. The score after the first quarter was 13-6, and although York were loosing they were not far behind at this point in the game.
During the second quarter, York increased their score by 10. They worked hard for rebounds and tried to keep possession of the ball. But this could not match Hull, who flew ahead and by the end of the second quarter were winning 42-16. Their game became a performance; with flashy long shots, clever tricks and nimble footwork, Hull were unstoppable. But York worked well together, their fitness was good while tactics and communication was noticeably better than their opponents.
It’s fair to say that both teams were well matched. The problem was, however, Hull’s arrogant, gum-chewing top scorer Nick Despotou, who joined their team this year after playing semi-professionally for the Greek national basketball team. The Hull team simply ran around him while he scored time and time again. The home team’s squad were well practiced and played to a high standard, but Despotou was simply in a league of his own. The team were unstoppable, yet Hull was still missing one “vital member”- the President of basketball for the University of Hull Liam Ladley. This absence was fortunate for York, as Ladley could have made the game even more challenge, as his squad consider him to be an “essential” part of their line up.
When the score read 73-36 with only one quarter still to play, a Hull win seemed inevitable. But the opposition’s attitude became lackadaisical and repeatedly made basic errors, so the home team jumped at these chances had a really successful quarter. York managed to find space around the key and worked the ball around with well positioned and well practiced play. The home team fought hard and did everything they could to keep the opposition from shooting but in doing so gave away many free throws. York marked the opposition tightly and were always quick to intercept so the fourth quarter’s score reflected this; Hull scored 28 and York were not far behind with 23.
Nevertheless, the final score was an impressive 101-52 to the visitors. While the home team gave it their all and pulled out all the stops, the game was single-handedly won by Despotou, who was later awarded Hull’s ‘Player of the Tournament’. York’s captain Ben Barrett commented that the game has been “good preparation” for the team as they have to play Hull twice more in the next two weeks for BUCS league. When asked his opinions about this year’s change in opposition, Barrett replied- “Why is it against Hull? I’d prefer if it was still St. Johns”. Perhaps this is because of the 98-39 victory they enjoyed last year.