The Galleon - Portsmouth's Official Student Newspaper

BUCS South Eastern 3A

This was the basketball match that played out more like a football match, a ‘game of two halves’. Portsmouth raced into what looked like an unassailable lead, but it had nearly been evaporated at the buzzer by opponents Kingston University 2nds.

The first four baskets were shared in a lively start by both teams. Portsmouth were awarded the first free throws after Jake Thomas’s surge down the court. He converted the second of the two to give Portsmouth the lead at 5-4.

Then the points started to rack up for Portsmouth at a speed the visitors could not keep up with. Sam Clive, Jake Thomas and Valentino Aloba all contributed two pointers. The team was converting well from defence to attack, a tactic that was keeping their opponents on the run.

A stray pass by Kingston allowed Aloba to get his third basket and score another point from a free throw.

The home team held a handsome 18-8 lead after the opening ten minutes. With their fast breakaways and quick clearing up in defence, it began to look ominous for Kingston only a quarter of the way into the game.

Portsmouth bagged the first three baskets of the second quarter and looked very comfortable with a score three times their opponents’.

The scoring started to dry up, which was of no problem to Portsmouth whose lead was consolidated.

The home defence was water-tight, conceding only two points with three minutes remaining in the quarter. Portsmouth were restricting their opponents to limited shooting space, forcing them to shoot from extreme angles from the side, which they were having little luck with.

In comparison, Portsmouth’s long range efforts were finding their target regularly. Timothy Wadsworth scored twice with perfect shots from far out on either side.

At the half-way stage, the home team were coasting 32-13.

Then the momentum shifted, and the away side were an infinitely better team in the third. Portsmouth’s thorough defensive unit was loosening and Kingston began to make better use of their chances.

Despite conceding 17 points in the third quarter, Portsmouth’s 43-30 lead was too strong for the visitors to realistically mount a comeback.

The teams continued to search for new openings and gave their all with the game’s fate all but decided. Kingston scored a basket on the counter and one player was sent flying into the back wall by an eager Aloba.

Kingston continued their commendable fight back and reduced the deficit to only four points.

The match ended thrillingly with visitors Kingston not far away from completing the most improbable of comebacks, but Portsmouth held on thanks to bright performances from Othaniel Loco and Valentino Aloba to secure a 53-47 victory.

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