Merton Hawks U12 Update 06.04.11

Firstly a BIG thanks to all the parents who came to the games on Sunday. I know it was Mothering Sunday but being a mum myself I missed my lie-in too!!!!

ALSO PLEASE READ ALL THE BLOGS AS I HAVE ADDED SOME DETAILS FROM THE PLAYERS AND THE NEWS CLIP FROM CBBC. THE BASKETBALL CLIP IS AFTER THE SPACE SHUTTLE CLIP.

What can I say about these two games??? What can I say,,,The boys and girl had won 8 out of 8 and we wanted them to win 10 out of 10 but the first team that stood in the way was Cobham.If we managed to get pass them Spelthorne was waitng in the wings.

You can read Armands' take on the game.

Cobham vs. Hawks

When I first heard that we were playing Cobham, i thought "Oh no! They're good because we played them and we barely beat them in O.T."

However that didn't stop us from winning. I believe that it was a good team effort both on defence and offence. I think I did a decent job rebounding and trying to find teammates ready to score. With performances like that I think we could be a hard team to beat.


Atoms vs. Hawks

As it was our last game, I was more determined to do well than ever. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to turn the determination into points. I injured my ankle challenging a shot and I had to be carried out. I was deeply dissapointed when I realised I wasn't in the position to return.

It was really tough watching my teammates from the sideline when I could be helping them to win the game. However, I never once doubted that the team won't come out victorious. When the last buzzer went off, I couldn't stop smiling. I was proud of the effort my team had put in despite my abscence.

Thanks Armand.

Armand said it all. I was so proud of that team, and not just the ones who were there but our missing players as well. Without everyone playing as a team we wouldn't have made it to the end. Also coach Jeff.He got the defences moving on this team, and when I couldn't shout, thank you parents for stepping in.

This was the score from the second game which was against Spelthorne.
And not to forget Lee. He coaches the team without pay. Every session he's there teaching the team how to play. The only reason Lee couldn't be with us was because the Under14s and the U16s were all playing on April 3rd. The Surrey league as now been update, so to see the team at the top click onto the link below:
http://surreybasketball.leaguerepublic.com/Index.do?selectedSeason=4855848&selectedDivision=2695154

Now all the team has to do is win the cup final. I believe this is being played on Sunday 8th May. Eventhough its the Easter holidays there will be a practice seesion next Thursday (14th) at Harris, as normal. Please come and support the team at the cup final, and thanks for reading the blog.

Merton Hawks U12 Update 13.03.11

Well this was it. We were finally going to play against Cobham...The American School...but first we had to face Mole Valley Phoenix U12. They were good but all our guys played game and we came away with a win. Everyone plyed their part and the final score was 27-41 to Merton Hawks.

We had a half hour break while Cobham was waiting for their full team to arrive. Let's just say this was a sign of things to come.....The tip off started the game ....and Cobham scored...We came back and missed, Cobham scored again. The parents cheered Merton on but Cobham came back. It was time for a time out. Now I can not tell you what was said during that time out (no neither I or coach Jeff was swearing) but needless to say when our team got back on the court, boy! did they play. We started to pull back that lead and make our own plays work.

To the parents who were there and held my hand when I couldn't look (some coach I am!!) they know what we went through. At the final whistle the score was 29-29. Was it to be a draw game , or would we have to play overtime. Considering the Saturday night game of the Nets v Raptors went to TRIPLE overtime we just wanted to finish and go.

2 minutes of game play would decide the winners.As I said to the parents and players there, and I now say to the parents and players reading this...I make no apologies for keeping the same five on. This was a game that we HAD to win, and though they were dead on their feet we needed 2 minutes of play from our players.

The players on the bench were cheering, the parents on the side were cheering.  The otherside were calling time outs!!!!   I have to say the boys and girl! done good. With 30 seconds to go we scored..the bench went wild but that wasn't the end of it. With 20 seconds to go the otherside called a time out...This was it. We needed to get the ball and score again, or keep them from scoring. Win, win, win was coming from the bench, and our players got the ball and that clock ran down and....what a noise...Merton Hawks had won 31-29. One of the most intensive games I have ever watched and helped coach.

Ofcourse the team saw it all differently to us lot on the side lines. This was Wissam take on the day:....

BASKETBALL GAMES!

When we played against MV Phoenix I knew that we were going to win firstly because we beat them before and secondly because there was a big skill difference between us and them.  In the first quarter we took an easy lead however we started to loose our concentration from then on. We won the game with quite a big score difference between us.

The next game we played was against Cobham who were a good team. At first they were winning by about nine points but then we skilfully caught up by the time we reached the second and third quarter. In the fourth quarter it was beginning to seem like anyone’s game the final score was 29-29 which then left to overtime. We had two more minutes to win, and in that time we scored one more basket and also beat Cobham.

Thanks Wissam. This, like the team, was so understated, but so right....

Now Merton Hawks have 2 more games to play. I sorry to say that these games are on April 3rd. Why am I sorry... This day is Mothering Sunday and being a mum I know its the one day I could count on a Sunday morning sleep in....but as the team will be playing Cobham first then Spelthorne, and it starts at 9.15am...Well I hope I'm not the only mum who will be supporting the team.

If you click on the link below it will take you to the Surrey Basketball website, in particular the Under 12 division.

http://surreybasketball.leaguerepublic.com/Index.do?selectedSeason=4855848&selectedDivision=2695154

Thanks for taking the time to keep up with the team!

Merton Hawks U12 Update 04.03.11

The BIG GAME!

Ok the big day has arrived. Today some of the Merton Hawks team will see the game at the O2 arena. The New Jersey Nets v the Toronto Raptors. Although we all made our own way there we all met someone we knew, whether at the tube station, on the train, or in the queue at the O2. The game was fantastic but I'll let the picture tell you that!!

A great time was had by all !!

Merton Hawks U12 Update 25.02.11

On Friday 25th February 2011, a group of players from Merton Hawks Under12, Under 14 and Under 16 team went up to city hall to promote Basketball Week. As one of four adults accompanying this group I have to say that I was very proud of the way they behaved all the way there, during the event, and all the way back home. Two of the players wrote their take on the day and this is how it went ;

NBA Week Trip

On Friday 25^th of February the Merton Hawks went to London Bridge to take part in some drills and games in front of a camera. The setting was very simple, just a bit of concrete and there was a hoop on the back of an NBA pickup truck. To be honest we all thought it was very budget but it was adequate to do layups and play killer with.

    Some members of the team were filmed dribbling around and doing skills, and some were interviewed for Newsround and CNN. The mayor Boris Johnson was even there!   

    Even though everyone was expecting something a bit more impressive, it was very enjoyable. But I think the only reason everyone went was because we got free NBA week T-shirts, were on T.V, and got free NBA tickets to the Raptors V Nets game!

Thanks to Reece for his input on the day.

Another player who captured the day was Jayden.

On 25^th February 2011, Merton Hawks’s club consisting of U16’s, under 14’s and under 12’s, age groups went to the Mayors office in London to celebrate basketball week. We played plenty of games, including, killer (a basketball game). We also were doing many drills, lay-ups, jump shots, chest passing and bounce passing. Some people got interviewed featuring two under 12’s Reece and I. Boris Johnson came and he also was interviewed. After he decided to take a shot from the free throw line, he took ages…. But he got there in the end. Also, Ricky from newsround took a shot from the free throw line, it took awhile too for him to get it in. We all thank Lee (head coach), Warren (Under 16’s coach) and TJ’s mum for taking us to the event.

 As well as going to the event, everyone who participated got free tickets to the Nets v Raptors game. 

I would like to think that our guys did this session more because of their love of basketball, but I have to admit that the added bonus of NBA tickets was a winner. Although the day started out grey, as you can see from the picture the sun came through for the boys and girls of the Merton Hawks Basketball team. If anyone as not seen the Newsround report I have a copy and will try to edit it onto the blog at a later date.