Under 16s leave fightback too late against Cobras
Posted by Nobody on 10 October 2013
Brighton Cougars under 16s staged a strong comeback against Angmering Cobra’s last night in the first game of the Sussex Basketball League season. But the new team left it too late to win the game.
The teams traded baskets for the first period at the Cougars home court with the visiting team on top at the end with the score 16-22.
Angmering frustrated the home team with a solid zone defence that benefited from a big height advantage to deter the Cougars from going to work in the paint.
In the third quarter the visitors racked up 21 points compared to the Brighton team’s 8 with the scores 43-24 at the half.
But Brighton Cougars regrouped in the second half and switched to a zone defence with a much more aggressive offence to turn the tide in the second half. The team outscored the Angmering team 20-17 in the third quarter while a successful three point shot from one end of the court to the other by Ollie Barton-Hague just missed the buzzer.
In the final period the Brighton Cougars got on top of their full court press - forcing turnovers and unsettling the visitors - to outscore the Cobras 21 to 11. A time out in the final minute led to an open three that narrowly missed the chance to take the game to within 2 points.
But the renewed performance was too late leaving the Cobras winners 70-65.
Unsuccessful freethrow shooting let the Brighton team down with the players hitting just 27% at the penalty stripe.
But the strength of the performance in the second half against bigger opponents shows the potential of the new Brighton Cougars Under16s squad.
The next game is Friday 18 October against Worthing D&D.
