It was a Loughborough University double on Wednesday night as Loughborough Basketball 2s and 3s faced up at the Sir David Wallace Sport Hall. It was a fierce contest, however, with a good atmosphere in and around the court with both teams cheering each other on from the bench.
The 2s, playing in purple, quickly asserted their dominance over the 3s, playing in red. When the 3s scored the first points of the match, it was the only time they would be ahead in the match. Number five for the Purples instantly showed himself as a danger man, scoring points for fun, as well as leading the team with skill, passion, and determination. The first quarter ended 26-13 to the Purples and they had established an even clearer lead by half time, with the score sitting at 51-23.
Number 15 for the Purples was undoubtedly key; a big character as well as a big guy. A lot of the Purples play went through him, similar to number five, however he was much more of a physical and vocal presence. An embarrassing moment came for number 15 in the third quarter however, as a dunk attempt spectacularly failed. A mention must also go out to the Reds’ number five, who showed skill in abundance.
The third quarter was similar to the first two in many respects. The Purples dominated, however it was the best quarter in terms of play and points for the Reds, ending 71-36.
As the fourth and final quarter drew the game to a close, the result was all but confirmed with the Purples leading 84-36 in the final five minutes. It seemed as if the Purples’ aim was to make 100 points but they fell short of this target as the game ended with a score line of 89-46.
It was an enthralling game to watch with the superiority of the Purples ultimately shining through. I would not be surprised, however, to see the Red number 12 make the step up to a higher team; although he was on the losing team, he was my man of the match.
-By Tom Short
