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Photos: Emilien Tortel
It was all about black and yellow in the Main Hall this afternoon, as York’s men’s basketball 1sts team ‘travelled’ to face York 2nds.
The match was a case of David vs. Goliath as the 1sts showed their class to record a comfortable win, while the 2nds put in a spirited effort in a game which was far from a walkover. In fact the 2nds made a brighter start, some sloppy play from the 1sts allowing the 2nds to take a 3-2 lead after two minutes.
A tactical time-out was taken by the 1sts, and it soon paid dividends. The scrappy start with a number of fouls and loose balls was transformed.
There was a better intensity from the 1sts, pressing high up the court when the 2nds took possession, and making the most of their size advantage to drive up to the basket for a series of easy two-pointers. They took control of the match and led 26-9 at the end of the first quarter.
The quality of play improved again as the second quarter began. There was a fast pace to the game, which seemed to suited the 2nds more as they kept in touch with the 1sts.
A switch from man-to-man defence to zonal defence also helped out the 2nds as the 1sts struggled to find as many gaps through which they could drive to the basket.
The 2nds remained vulnerable to the quick break, however, and had the 1sts been more clinical with free-throws their lead would have been far bigger. As it was, the 1sts led 42-21 at the half.
The second half was much the same story. The 2nds put in a valiant effort but couldn’t match the physicality of the 1sts. 1sts point guard Janis Zicans took a stranglehold of the game, controlling the ball and dictating play when he was on the court.
There was an interesting incident in the third quarter when a player came on for the 2nds who was not on the official team-sheet. The scorers alerted the referees, who gave a technical foul against the 2nds. Fortunately for them, it did not affect the score as the 1sts were once again wasteful at the free-throw line.
By the final quarter, the 1sts were in full control. They made the most of having a bigger squad, rotating their players to an extent that the tiring 2nds could not match.
With a taller squad, the 1sts also began to dominate in terms of rebounds. They showed their class having the lion’s share of the play, and the points. The game finished 90-39, a respectable effort for the 2nds, but ultimately a comfortable win for the 1sts.