Basketballers Do Balby Proud!
Friday 28th May 2010
 The basketball league came to a close recently with Balby’s first season in the Doncaster league proving a great experience for all players.
Since Maths supremo come basketball legend Mr Aboaja came onto to the scene the fortunes of a hard working squad really came to fruition. It wasn’t that the effort wasn’t there, it was simply a case of Mr Clark’s dictatorship approach to the coaching and gameplay which players couldn’t hack. His military drills and punishments prior to every game certainly scared the opposition, however they did little to enhance the playing ability of a great set of lads.
Mrs Singleton, who had originally set up the club, was unfortunately called away for most of the season on pregnancy duties. However the troops did her proud as they battled and scrapped throughout every difficult match.
Bearing in mind this was the team’s first ever season in the league compared to several years of previous schools they started off really well. Unfortunately victories just escaped them. Defeat at Armthorpe 24-28 was close but they took heart from the experience. A closer defeat at Campsmount 30-28 was hard to swallow as it came in the last seconds with possession given away cheaply. An 18-18 draw was played out against Rossington with the lads confidence growing however this took a huge knock in the next game versus Edlington. Some very good players dominated the Balby boys in size and strength eventually completing a 39-8 victory. Much was taken from this defeat, particularly the way Edlington kept passes quick and simple.
Unfortunately, after some positive training the Balby lads went to play in the deepest darkest depths of the Don Valley gym! Having had the luxury of our own ample sized sports hall to practice in, adapting to a court a third of its size proved difficult. With Don Valley undefeated at home all season, it was easy to see why as they squeezed out any space Balby could create and were effective on the break. A 36-18 win was probably deserved.
 What the Don Valley defeat did do was increase the aggression within the Balby camp. We are a very ‘nice’ team often letting opponents out muscle us and physically dominate. After some very harsh lessons had been learnt, the time had come………………. Balby’s final two games against Ridgewood and Hayfield also coincided with the pre match words of wisdom from coach legend Aboaja. It seemed all the lessons of simple, quick passing, close range shooting and being more physical had been learned. Both sides were deservedly beaten. Ridgewood were shocked as Balby racked up the highest total of the season 42-12, and after leading for all the match Hayfield nearly nicked it at the end before Balby turned the scores around with seconds remaining to win 18-17.
Certainly the season ended on a massive high. All players have developed since the year began and all are more enthusiastic about the game now than they ever have been. The key is to maintain this dedication and continue to learn how to improve both individually and as a team. I have been proud to be with you all on the journey and wish yourselves and coach Aboaja all the best next year.
The players; Lewis Hallam (capt), Divas Thapa, Beant Singh, Hakeem Horrison, Kurt Watson, Roshan Singh, Luke Edwards, Matt Clarke, Scott Perkins, Jack Summers (mini me),Luke Beresford, Joe Bennett, Colliston Edwards.
Mr Clark
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