CT vs TV Spartans (play-off) 16/3/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 21 - TV Spartans 41

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 10 - TV Spartans 15

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Dan, Sean, Josh R, Josh H,

Points scored: Josh R 9, Sean 6, Joe 2, Sol 2, Dan 2

Thunder more than doubled their score compared to the last time they faced TV Spartans, which sounds like a better tactical approach to playing against zone defence.  A cracking 3-pointer from Sean and an almost-3-pointer from Joe along with a basket from Dan and baskets from Sol and Josh R kept Thunder's score respectable.

After a tough season, Thunder will be going down to the second division next season, which should see them return to winning ways.

Josh R. is moving teams - probably to Heaton Venom - which means this is most likely the last match report I'll write for Thunder.  I'm not sure how long the lads have been playing - four years?  Thanks to everyone past and present, player and parent.  It's been lots of fun.

Here are a couple of photos from times past (when Cheadle Thunder won yr 5/6 Div 1).

All the best,

Iain.

CT vs Heaton Hawks 9/3/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 18 - Heaton Hawks 44

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 7 - Heaton Hawks 16

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Sean, Josh R, Dan, Josh H, Sean

Points scored: Josh R 8, Sol 7, Joe 3

CT vs Heaton Falcons 09/3/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 19 - Heaton Falcons 35

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 6 - Heaton Falcons 19

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Sean, Josh R, Josh H, Dan

Points scored: Josh 8, Sol 6, Joe 5

CT vs Heaton Venom, 2/3/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 26 - Heaton Venom 35

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 13 - Heaton Venom 11

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Sean, Josh, Tom

Points scored: Joe 10, Josh 8, Sol 4, Matt 2, Sean 2

The first half was a good one for Thunder who were four points clear at one point, but Venom were able to up their game in the second half and Thunder struggled to reply.

We had the now-traditional player fouled off (which we almost always get with this one ref, and never seem to even come close with any other ref), but that didn't disguise the problems in the second half.

Thunder's marking was far too loose, allowing Venom players clear space and letting them break away from their marker too easily.  Our shooting was sloppy in the second half and we weren't getting people into the key to pick up the rebounds.  The result was too many occasions when they took easy baskets or picked up the offensive rebound, and Venom scoring nearly as many points in the second half as Thunder did in the whole game.

There were some good moments, but Thunder's tactical weaknesses are being exposed too regularly by the opposition.

CT vs TV Spartans 23/2/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 9 - TV Spartans 33

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 6 - TV Spartans 15

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Dan, Sean, Josh, Josh H, Tom

Points scored: Josh 5, Sean 2, Kane 2

A very disappointing and frustrating game in which Thunder were well-beaten.  The game highlighted Thunder's tactical weaknesses.  TV Spartans played zone defence, which is fairly easy for a well-drilled team to defeat (you take the longer shots and get men around the basket for the rebounds).  Unfortunately, Thunder struggled, and that's a lesson to learn for future training sessions.

Fixtures 23rd Feb - 9th Mar 2013

Saturday 23rd February: Thunder vs TV Spartans - 1.30pm, court 2

Saturday 2nd March: Thunder vs Heaton Venom - 1.30pm, court 2

Saturday 9th March: TWO GAMES
              Thunder vs Heaton Falcons - 12.40pm, court 1
              Thunder vs Heaton Hawks - 2.20pm, court 1

CT vs Heaton Hawks 2/2/13

Final score: Cheadle Thunder 32 - Heaton Hawks 39

Half time score: Cheadle Thunder 11 - Heaton Hawks 23

Thunder team: Joe, Sol, Matt, Dan, Sean, Josh, Josh H, Tom

Points scored: Josh 9, Sol 8, Joe 8, Sean 7

Heaton Hawks points scored: Josh (#30) 29, Seb (#10) 6, Rahul (#15) 2, Adam (#7) 2

Games between Thunder and Hawks tend to be odd affairs, and today's was no exception.  Hawk's number 30 is several inches taller than everyone else on the court - and a decent player - and the final score largely reflects his efforts.  Thunder struggle against taller opposition and may need to get some tactics to better deal with that!

Thunder struggled in the first half as the Hawks number 30 piled on the points (scoring 20 of their 23).  

A stronger team effort in the second half saw Thunder narrow the gap to just five points, before a late basket from Hawks just before the buzzer.  In the second half Thunder simply worked harder, in attack and defence. Sol, Joe and Sean were strong around the basket in attack, working well together, with Dan, Tom and Josh H all playing their part, especially in defence.

Thunder did best when all five players on the court were doing their bit.  In defence, the team were far more successful at putting Hawks off their shooting in the second half.  In attack they were much busier, making strong runs into the key and picking up a lot more offensive rebounds.

The final result was in truth a lottery.  There was only one referee on the court, which resulted in a good deal more dodgy decisions that we'd normally see: he can't be everywhere at once and there's a reason basketball matches have two refs!

The two top scorers (our Josh and their Josh) were both fouled off, with several of the fouls being questionable at best.  As it happens, our Josh was fouled off with 16 minutes still on the clock, theirs with 3: had decisions gone the other way it could easily have been the other way round, in which case Thunder would almost certainly have brought home the victory.

So a lot of positives, especially in the second half in which Thunder comfortably scored more points.