Varsity Basketball 2010: Men's 1sts

In a game predicted to be the highlight of basketball at this year’s Varsity, York found they had a much easier game on their hands than previously expected after St. John lost to York Seconds.

The game started with St. John eager to prove themselves after their dramatic loss earlier in the afternoon but they were once again eclipsed by their opponents from the start. Rodrigo Donadi gave a strong performance within the key, grabbing four defensive rebounds, and used his strength to his advantage when taking on the opponents on offence. Several other players also started the game well but it was point guard Dan Baark who quickly became the crowd’s favourite during the first quarter. Showing skill and confidence never before expressed in a competitive game, he scored eleven points in the quarter, almost half the team’s points, and took a steal to top things off with. Ben Barrett grabbed two steals, along with a good steal by Captain Dane Vishnubala, creating a pattern that would continue throughout the game. St. John’s two strongest players, their starting guards, did keep St. John in contention, along with a temporary slip-up in defence by York, but the quarter finished in York’s favour 23-20.

The second quarter began to establish York’s lead. Baark continued to play well, hitting both free throws, whilst David Nalton continued to maintain a strong defensive partnership with Ben Barrett, who made a nice block towards the end of the quarter. President Marcus Johansson continued his consistent play for the team, scoring seven points in the quarter, along with Deniz Ekren once again playing strong within the key. The steals continued for York, with two more for Barrett, along with an impressive full court press at the end of the quarter. First Ekren snatched a baseline inbound for an easy basket and then the subsequent inbound pass by St. John was stolen by Johansson for another easy lay-up. The quarter finished with a communal total of five offensive rebounds for York and the score in their favour 39-26.

The third quarter saw continuation of the full court press by York, ironically a tactic used by St. John to win a friendly against York Seconds earlier this season, to great effect. Johansson connected from downtown twice and several other players helped extend the lead throughout the quarter. However, the strongest play by York came from their seemingly insatiable quest for offensive rebounds and steals. Already on thirteen defensive and six offensive rebounds, York took five more defensive rebounds and an impressive nine offensive rebounds, something which hardly happens in a competitive game. York’s communal steal total continued to grow from nine to an equally impressive fourteen with Johansson stealing two and Nalton taking three. St. John, to their credit, did continue to play hard but they simply could not match York and the quarter finished 57-32.

The final quarter saw a rapid extension of York’s lead as St. John eventually succumbed to the stronger team. Sergio Black, a player who has been relatively quiet in past games, found his footing in the final quarter and used his athleticism to his advantage, flying past the opposition and scoring eight points, two defensive rebounds, two offensive rebounds and one steal. The team as a whole continued their strong offensive play but it was their defence that continued to shine in the final quarter. York grabbed seven defensive rebounds, along with four more offensive ones, and stole the ball nine times. This brought the communal totals for the team to twenty five defensive rebounds, eighteen offensive rebounds, and twenty four steals. Even more impressive than these numbers was one player’s stats for the final quarter. Johansson scored fourteen points, grabbed an offensive rebound, and stole the ball six times. These six steals helped set York up for the final hammering of York St. John’s basketball teams. In all three games teams from the University of York overshadowed their opponents through their motivation, teamwork, and several impressive individual performances, to which the Men’s Firsts gave a fitting conclusion in the final quarter.

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