Opens Basketball Report

SHORE VS JOEYS (11 March)

Thomas Graetz

This week’s matchup was the last home game at the RAI Grant Center for many of the senior boys, including Brandon Salis, Thomas Graetz, Joslin Barnes, Sam Guild, James McCreery, Jimmy Dougherty and Stef Petrellis in the 1sts, and Luke Wendt and Josh Ashton in the 2nds.

The 2nds proved to be an incredible game, with both teams competing on every possession. Joeys were able to open up a double digit lead after half time, and were looking like a possible upset win over the third place Shore team. However, our boys showed great fighting spirit, and were able to claw back the lead and forced the game into overtime through some great shooting and strong plays inside from Luke Wendt and Josh Ashton.

Overtime again proved to be a see-saw affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither team able to pull away. Nick Riley always looked dangerous in offence, drawing the attention of the Joey’s defenders, and Nic Wendt hit a massive 3 pointer to tie up the match. The game came down to the final two possessions, both teams defending desperately, and the match remained tied forcing a double-overtime!

The second overtime was a great spectacle, with James Boyd, Nic Wendt, Ben Barry and Ben Murray stepping-up big time, hitting some massive baskets to the delight of the crowd. Overall, the Shore boys’ defensive intensity, team play and strong work ethic enabled Shore to pull away, coming out winners 87-78. Luke Wendt led all scorers with 23 points in a memorable last home game for our boys.

The 1sts were coming off a massive overtime GPS-classic game against Riverview last week (see report below) and keen to earn a win in the last-ever home game for many of the team. The boys enjoyed a run through the tunnel to start the match, as well as great support from the crowd, making for some great memories for the team.

Shore started strongly, playing tough defence, restricting Joey’s offence and forcing turnovers. Shore was able to break down Joey’s defence and score in the paint, opening up a commanding 23 point lead by half time.

The whole team competed strongly from the opening tip-off, enabling Shore to run out eventual winners 78-54. James McCreery and Sam Guild rebounded strongly, limiting Joey’s opportunity for second chance points and earning easy points for Shore. Julian Reynolds showed great court awareness in notching up 9 rebounds, and Jimmy Dougherty, Stef Petrellis, and Oscar D’Almeida brought great energy off the bench. Joslin Barnes continued his scoring streak with 18 points, with Brandon Salis (13 points and 4 assists), Sam Guild (12 points and 9 rebounds) and Thomas Graetz (11 points and 3 steals) all finishing in double digits in what was a strong performance from the entire team.

SHORE VS RIVERVIEW (4 March)

Last week, the boys faced a challenging matchup at Riverview’s renowned homecourt, notorious for its packed stands and boisterous support from students and the crowd. The Riverview crowd was well matched by our own Shore cheer squad, which made for an outstanding atmosphere and brought out the best in both teams. The 1sts were playing with just 8 players due to injuries to Oscar D’Almeida (Year 10) and Tom Latimer (Year 11). Our boys brought big time game energy, attacking efficiently and scoring quick points in transition, contributing to a competitive run that stunned the defence and fuelled an incredible first half of basketball. As the game progressed, Riverview’s formidable shooting abilities

enabled them to claw back Shore’s lead, resulting in a nail-biter that demanded the utmost concentration from our boys throughout. The game came down to the final possession, with Shore leading by 3 points with just seconds remaining.

Riverview called time out, aiming to draw up an inbounds play for a 3-pointer to tie the game. Shore defended well, disrupting the play and forcing a tough shot that missed. The long rebound resulted in a desperate scramble for the ball, which fell into the hands of Riverview, enabling a desperate last second 3-point shot that found the bottom of the net and tied the game, forcing overtime. Despite their best efforts, the Shore boys were unable to maintain their momentum, ultimately going down 87-91.

Our team played their hearts out until the last whistle, and everyone can be proud of their efforts. James McCreery (Year 12) and Sam Guild (Year 12) rebounded strongly and were a force in the paint. Julian Reynolds (Year 11) and Jimmy Dougherty (Year 12) provided their usual outside shooting threat, and Stef Petrellis (Year 12) added a spark and quick points off the bench. Joslin Barnes (Year 12) led all scorers with 22 points with Brandon Salis and Thomas Graetz (Year 12) followed closely with 17 points each. The game will be remembered as a GPS classic with high standard play offensively and defensively and an electrifying atmosphere. Overall, the energy and pressure applied by both teams would not have been possible without the support of the countless boys on the sidelines, cheering and chanting until the very end, making it a memorable game to look back on for years to come.

The 2nds faced a similarly competitive matchup, putting pressure on Riverview’s forces and purposefully applying themselves on both ends of the court. Despite fighting until the end and maintaining a relatively short point difference throughout the game, the boys eventually weren’t able to establish a lead in the 2nd half, falling short to a 52-75 deficit. Josh Ashton (Year 12) and James Boyd (Year 11) applied great intensity on court, with Ben Barry (Year 11) leading all scorers with 12 points. It was a valiant effort from both teams, and they can be proud of the heart and determination they showed on the court.

Photos by George Davis (Year 12)