Leeds Met provided a stern test for the Uni team, playing sharp and well executed basketball at the Edge during the Varsity fixture. It was no surprise Met finished the fixture as victors with a 30 point win despite a tireless and admirable effort by Leeds Uni.

Met started the game off with a well executed play through the paint. Met then rebounded Uni’s first attempt returning the ball at the opposite end for a 3 pointer on the right wing. Uni though responded quickly with Jack Macdonald leading Uni’s reply with two consecutive 3’s.

Leeds Met however dominated in the paint with Uni unable to deal with their size and athleticism. Uni remained determined and disciplined playing on the perimeter where Mike Hinton knocked down another 3. With two minutes left Uni continued to make some nice plays with Jack wowing the crowd with a superb lay-up when taking a hit and adjusting mid-air to finish the basket in addition to making the extra free throw.

Uni however made several fouls giving Met a valuable lead in a tight first quarter. At the start of the second quarter Uni started off well playing tight defence and making efficient drives to the basket with Joe Cooper playing well in the paint scoring 10 in the game. Despite a slow start Met found their rhythm, scoring 15 points taking an overall lead of 7 going into the second half.

The third quarter saw Met dominate, retaining possession and scoring 12 unanswered points. Uni struggled with the pace and intensity of the game with the team committing more fouls. The quarter ended 43-64 Met.

The final quarter saw both teams rotate the starting five with Met impressing with their depth across the court. The Met second string contributed another 20 points whilst Uni struggled to cope with the new level of energy. Fresher Jordan Hardwood of Leeds Uni however showed signs of maturity and composure putting in an excellent performance providing Met with some resilience. The game ended 53-86 victory to Leeds Met.

Author: Joshua Jalal