KAA to represent RBKC in U14 Basketball Championship

by Vashti Turner  on November 14, 2016  in  Sports

Match Reports by Miss Demeester

Player of the tournament, Jeriel (9 Kidston), spearheaded KAA in back-to-back victories last week. The first game finished as a perfect result, 30 – 0 against the host team. The team were dominant in every aspect of the game winning the majority of the rebounds, linking up superbly leaving their opponents in a dazzle. Haytham (9 Dyson) and Zinedine (9 Balon) scored two baskets each, Cameron (9 Balon) managed one basket whilst Jeriel managed an impressive 10 baskets scoring a total of 20 points.

In contrast, the second game was more challenging. The boys brimmed with confidence and underestimated their opponent almost to their detriment. The first quarter finished with KAA trailing by 6 points. Marching off with the score at 6-0, not much was needed to be said during the first quarter interval as the boys realised they could not afford to be complacent as they had a mountain to climb and a game on their hands.

Still positive and with intent, the boys marched back onto the court with the aim of closing the deficit. They managed exactly that, Cameron won our first rebound of the game setting free Kadeem (9 Kidston). Whilst displaying great agility and tricky dribbling skills, debutant Zaid (9 Simmons) burst forward into space receiving Kadeem’s pinpoint accurate pass scoring a lay-up.

The delight was short lived as our opponents quickly counter attacked scoring a two pointer serving as another lesson to be learnt. The teams began to cancel each other out with some solid defending forcing both teams to shoot from the three point line. Cameron was the only player to succeed at scoring from a long distance adding three valuable points to our score. The second quarter ended 8-5 to our opponents.

Third quarter began with a high tempo, Jeriel utilising his speed and power to take the game by the scruff of the neck, allowing KAA to score ten points and concede only two. The tide had turned as the third quarter ended 15-10 to KAA.

The players identified that the fourth quarter was about defending tight as a unit and snatching points whenever possible. The team did exactly that, conceding three points whilst adding four more to their tally to end the game with an exhausting yet well-deserved 19-13.

London Basketball Championship here we come!