Basketball, 23rd January 2013
Leeds Uni 57 – 48 Leeds Met
The basketball Men’s 2nds recorded a convincing win over arch rivals Leeds Met, in the basketball varsity match at the Edge.
Uni led the match from start to finish after opening the scoring after just three seconds. Rather confusingly both teams were wearing white kits, somewhat matching the snowy conditions outside. Yet there was nothing frosty courtside, as a competitive game broke out that was highly entertaining.
Uni quickly established an 8 point deficit over Met through a combination of free throws and 3 pointers. The skill and accuracy of the Leeds players caught the Met side off guard, as it looked like they did not expect such confident work so early on.
Brendan Jennings playing point guard was instrumental with his impressive range of passing as he dictated Uni’s offensive plays. Met were struggling to keep the game competitive after wasting several good opportunities to score, having a seemingly legitimate 3 pointer ruled out for a foul, only to be overturned by the umpire.
Despite Uni enjoying most of the play Met were dogged in their play as they were determined to peg the scores level.
At the half way point Uni led 31 – 24 with all to play for.
Just like the opening two quarters, Uni started the brighter, the crowd favourite Sandeep Iyer took the game beyond Met recording 13 points in total, converting important free throws under pressure as Met had threatened to stage a comeback. Iyer’s finishing combined with Doug Barker making crucial blocks and steals with Gima Nwana keeping the defence tight. At the end of the third quarter Uni had an unassailable 51 – 36 lead.
The efficency of the Uni’s set pieces allowed them to play coordinated moves against the away team, they quickly exploited any gaps available in the defence and found their way into scoring positions frequently.
With the game beyond doubt, Leeds Uni saw the game out 57-48, with local bragging rights cemented for another year. Their focus is now on a promotion push in the league after a good first half of the season.
Any win against Met is always a reason to celebrate and the Leeds players can feel the pressure of their season lifted slightly as they continue their incredibly successful year. Not bad for a team without a coach.
At the buzzer Uni were in good spirits, Iyer, upon hearing he had scored 13 points joked “this is the best day of my life”. Leeds Uni’s Gima Nwana was in philosophical mood after the game stating that Kevin Durant had inspired the team to victory.