Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
University of Leeds Men's 2nds 54 - 57 University of York Men's 1sts
For the first three quarters York quickly grabbed and held onto the lead, extending their lead to as much as 12 points in the second quarter, with Rodrigo Donadi constantly attacking the low post and David Nalton making some smart cuts for easy baskets.
York looked all set to win the game comfortably, but at the beginning of the fourth quarter Leeds came out with a changed offense, sinking shots from outside the key and beyond the arc, rapidly closing down the lead York had built up during the game. Fortunately this late charge was too little too late, and York were able to retain their lead, albeit by a narrow margin, and bring home the win.
Once again, as has been a recurring theme with the Men’s 1sts this year, their strong defence supported their offence to lead them to victory. Ben Barrett was once again noted by captain Dane Vishnubala for his exceptional defence and Brendan Moran showcased his talents for the first time in a BUCS game, grabbing a double-double on rebounds, which caused serious problems for Leeds at both ends of the court. Through his play he proved he is not simply playing second fiddle to Edward de Moraville and can be considered a starting centre in his own right, winning himself Man of the Match in the process.
There were a few problems for York during the game. Deniz Ekren, known for his strong hustle on defence, was fouled out late in the fourth after another solid defensive performance. Indeed, Man of the Match Moran flirted with fouling out for much of the game but managed to keep his composure and stay on the court until the final whistle.
Our quick start and good composure won us the game.
Leeds, on the other hand, were far too impatient and indisciplined, with two of their starting five fouling themselves out and another poking York’s Marcus Johansson in the eye. This was the first of two unfortunate events to happen to the President during the game, the other occurring in the fourth where he fouled a three point shooter who sunk the shot and the following bonus from the free throw line.
The close final score does not reflect the true nature of the game. York dominated for the first three quarters, out-gunning Leeds on offence, and fielded a strong defence which won them the game by holding firm against Leeds’ last-ditch surge. As captain Vishnubala commented: “It was a good all round team performance with our solid defence, quick start and good composure winning us the game”. A win started this double-header just the way York wanted to and promises for a good return leg at home next Wednesday.
Teamsheet: Dane Vishnubala (c), Jassen Liu, Ben Barret, Samuel Bentley, Marcus Johansson, Brendan Moran, David Nalton, Deniz Ekren, Rodrigo Donadi.
University of Hull Women's 1sts 52 - 55 University of York Women's 1sts
For the first three quarters Hull were firmly in control, at one point extending their lead to 7 points over the visiting side, but never quite managing to pull away. The hallmark of York’s offence, their fast break, once again proved effective with Daphne Barkshire consistently scoring, something she is already well known for in the college games, but this did not give York the edge they needed, and they struggled to control the game for the first three periods.
At the start of the fourth York switched their defence from a zonal system, which was used to great effect against Newcastle, to a man-to-man defence. This clever change broke Hull’s rhythm, allowing York to grab control of the game and bring home a much needed win. Marta Marščionkaitė made a free throw with only minutes remaining in the game to extend York’s lead but it was the defence that sealed the win.
Hull, lacking coherence and unable to break down the defence, lost a game had they looked certain to win. Women’s President Kate Smith applauded, “A good team effort by all players,” and pointed out how important it was to have kept in touch with the opposition’s score throughout the match. And the whole team clearly delighted in having beaten a team they had previously lost to at home earlier in the season.
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