Dec22

Written by:
22/12/2011 21:30 

 

I got a call on Monday 21^st  November from Tommy in Strabane asking if I would come up to the Basketball National Games on Saturday as a player. They were short of a few players as some were injured and others had to drop out because of work or other appointments. I said ‘no problem’ and that I would see them all on Saturday.  So then on Saturday morning I went down to St.Conals Hospital just after 5am and got the bus with the North West Club. It was a long trip down to our location just outside Dublin where they were holding the Basketball Tournaments. We got into our dressing room and got ready to do our warm up out on the floor. I haven’t played for a while due to my knee and foot injury so this was my chance to see if I am fit and if my knee can take the pressure. Then we found out that two of the best teams were not here and it was a shock to us and everyone else on the team. Still we went out to focus on winning the National Cup and to bring it home for the 1st time. 

There were 6 teams but 4 of them were low ability and it would have been unfair to beat them and someone could have been hurt. So we played against a very good Dublin team and got our division out of the way. We were then told we had to play the same team in a two game match and winner takes all but if we won one & lost one, it would be down to points. We got right into the game and going into the 3rd quarter we were 16 points up to nil. They found it really hard to get a score against us and we put up a good strong defence. They eventually came back into the game and got a few scores against us but it was too late as we went on to win that game.

Then we had lunch and I read my book to pass the time. We then got ready to come out to win the 2nd game and win the National Cup for North West. Again we got off to a perfect start and I got the opening score and got a few more scores but then the game was turning into a man to man marking and it was hard this time to get a score. We were starting to miss a good few chances to put the game to bed as the Dublin team came out strong because they didn’t want to lose this game.

Then I got on the ball from a free and bounced it, no one came near me so I went for a 3 pointer and it dropped in nicely. Everyone was up off their seat and even the coaches were jumping around for me and it was a sweet 3 pointer and I got it, it was the only one out of the two games. The whistle went and we won the cup for the 1st time and everyone was pleased and over the moon. The hard training everyone had put in for the last two months paid off and I did well with my injuries. My knee wasn’t too bad so I hope now in the New Year it will be sorted and I can get back playing. I got some good photos and a team photo also. Then we heard that the girls team won the cup too so North West did the double and we were all proud to win it.  Also the standard of basketball that was played was fantastic, all thanks to Bill Lee and Tommy and the rest of the coaches who believed in us to win the National Cup.