Team BC Basketball began their season with an away trip to Yeovil College. The opening quarter of the tie was a cagey affair as both teams looked nervous with turnovers happening at either end of the court. Yeovil found some confidence and rhythm to knock down the first important shots of the encounter.

Team BC responded with some well-structured offences to keep the scores level. Team BC began to force a presence by attacking the Yeovil basket with strong drives to the hoop, only to be met by consistent fouling by the Yeovil team. This led to many BC players going to the free throw line on nearly every offence of the first half. However, they failed to be capitalise on the free shots, scoring only four of 16 free throws in the first half.

Yeovil began the third quarter in a reserved fashion as a few players were in early foul trouble form the first half. This allowed Team BC to attack the Yeovil basket as some smooth screens and cuts for Joe Cattell and Tim Gumbs to score at close range to narrow the deficit. Yeovil maintained the lead most of game despite some excellent help defence coming late in the game from Team BC.

It would come down to the final, frantic, five minutes of the fourth quarter with Bridgwater down by eight, as coach Joe Mills called for a time out to set some expectations and change in tactics. With BC coming out in a full court press and securing rebounds which they failed to do previously, leading to a fast break and a change in momentum.

With the game swinging towards Bridgwater, Rob Macintyre stepped up to nail a three point shot to bring the scores closer. Yeovil now panicking, started to foul again leading to Gumbs shooting one out of two free throws to bring the game within two. Yeovil responded with a bombardment of team passing plays to bring themselves up by eight again and significantly reduce the game clock. With a minute and a half to go BC held another time out to re set the expectations and game plan. Team BC came back out strong with three close range efforts to bring the game back to two within moments of the restart.

After some needless turn overs by Bridgwater, with ten seconds left Gumbs took control of the game and drove to the basket only to be met by a hard foul by the Yeovil centres. With two seconds on the clock and a packed Yeovil sports hall. Gumbs stepped up to try and level the game, during the first missed free throw Yeovil were unable to control their bench, leading to a halt and confusion between coaches and referees. This resulted in a bench technical for Yeovil meaning a restart of the two original free throws and an extra technical free throw to follow. BC missed their first two free throws and a chance to level the game with a possession in their favour waiting. Macintyre stepped up to score the technical shot and bring BC within a point. After a brief time out Bridgwater had a play set for a last second shot to win the game but Yeovil stood firm and put pressure on the BC shooter, causing a miss and leading to BC losing the game by one point.

Coach Joe Mills called his players in after the game setting out positives and areas to improve for next time but emphasised that scoring nine out of 26 free throws is where the team failed to capitalise a win from this game. Joe said,

“This is a young team with a developing mentality and needs to find a leader within the ranks to take control of the team on court when times get tough.”

Players Scores: Gumbs 18, Macintyre 16, Cattell 6, Harding 4, Zamojda 2, Hodge 1

Next week Team BC Basketball face St Bendan's College at Home, Wednesday 30 September.