Just not quite the scare we wanted …
For our second home game of the inaugural SLB season, and first North West Derby, M&S Bank Arena still felt like a work in progress, if anything it was a bit of a step back. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great venue with lots of potential, but the court lacked a central logo (which was there last week) and the broadcast camera was still quite far off-centre. I am not sure how they fix the camera as it is placed in the concourse of the stands and there isn’t a better place for it to be. Also, interestingly, but I suppose not surprising in reflection, the top tier of seating was blocked off by large black curtains. It makes sense while the team is still getting its feet in the city, a bigger crowd is needed regularly before opening this back out, however it does add to the intimacy of the arena which is an added bonus. This was despite free tickets for students. I may be being a little harsh on the venue, but I bring these up just in the hopes to see improvement and for the team to be the best it can be. Overall, the jarring setup ended up perfectly matching the chaotic energy of the night.
Paranormal In-activity: First-Half Frustrations
We came out flat, struggling immediately with Cheshire’s full-court press and our own loose ball handling. An early timeout helped steady the ship, but our transition defence remained a glaring issue as Cheshire’s strong backcourt easily cut through our coverage. The game quickly turned physical and incredibly streaky in the second quarter. While we had moments of success driving into the paint, too many bad decisions killed our momentum, including charging into three bigs and simply throwing up a hopeful shot. Personally, I would prefer Roy as my coach, but you have to admit that Cheshire’s loud, aggressive roster matched perfectly with their coach’s energy. Luckily for us, Cheshire couldn’t stay out of their own way, racking up early foul trouble in both quarters, which helped us stay in the game. However, we didn’t help ourselves with silly reach-ins and a soft technical. This brings up another glaring issue: free throws. Shooting 61% (13/21) just is not good enough at this level.
A Nightmare on the Hardwood: Third-Quarter Collapse
The second half is where the nightmare truly started. Pat Robinson initially carried the load, aggressively attacking the rim and getting his buckets. This is precisely what you expect from the league’s (and on the day the world’s) highest scorer, who consistently carries the team when he is on the court. But then the whistle took over, and we committed five incredibly soft fouls in just four minutes. Suddenly, our two best scorers and playmakers, T. Olison and Robinson, were strapped with foul trouble. When they were off the floor, we simply could not match the opposition’s physicality or find ways to play around them. With our offence stalling and bad hands leading to sloppy turnovers, Cheshire capitalised with a remarkable, unanswered 18-point run to close out the third quarter and start the fourth to make the lead nearly 30.
The Final Girl Fight Back: Fourth-Quarter Adjustments
Down on the scoreboard heading into the fourth, we finally started to figure them out. We deployed a much better double-team strategy, tightened up the defence, and spaced the ball effectively across the floor. There were still a few blown coverages, but the fight was clearly there. Unfortunately, the late push wasn’t enough to overcome a 108-117 loss, largely because we simply weren’t good enough at the free-throw line when it counted. The frustration did not end with the final buzzer, though. Post-game tension quickly boiled over into a scuffle, with a thrown ball and angry words exchanged between the coaches and blatant offers to take the fight to the locker room. It was a chaotic finish to a night that perfectly matched the unfinished, gritty atmosphere of the arena itself.
