Can't complain with our performance tonight. We took it up to a much stronger team, and were still in it with 6 minutes to play.
The game in five
1. Our offense got off to a good start, with Walker scoring 14 points in the first quarter, and Rieffel chipping in with 6. Noone else on the team scored however, and we lost all momentum when the bench came on. This was the story of the night - the starters would keep us close, but then the bench would kill us. Indeed we only got 9 points from our bench all night.
2. Walker remained the focal point of our offense, and took alot of shots in the second. Sadly he barely hit any, scoring only 6 points for the quarter. We only scored 15 points for the quarter, which killed any chance of making the game competitive. The third quater was closer, but sadly we weren't really within striking distance entering the fourth.
3. That all changed as Walker went dead set nuts to open the fourth, scoring 15 points in the first six minutes to drag us back within 10. Sadly, we weren't able to keep that momentum going, and we ended up losing by 20.
4. Where was the game won and lost? That's easy. Rebounds. I didn't expect to grab many offensiv boards with Walker at PF, but I didn't think we would give up so many with the defensive switches. It wasn't just the number of boards we gave up, it was that most of them were tipped back in for easy twos. My count suggests we gave up 19 points on offensive rebound tip ins. That hurts.
5. Taking away the tip ins, our defense actually did a pretty good job. Considering China pulled a high prodigious inside shot rating, I can't be too disappointed with the effort there.
Darby Walters medal
3. Leigh Reiffel. This bloke just keeps contributing each week. Considering he wasn't the focal point of the offense, he scored alot of points, did it efficiently, got a few assists, and grabbed 50% of our offensive board. With 1.
2. Lionel Walker. Wasn't his most efficent shooting effort. But he was expected to carry the offense on his shoulders, and didn't do a bad job of it. His three point shooting and ability to get to the line was a real highlight.
1. Vladimir Shishaev. Noone else really scored alot of points. So I'm giving the one vote to Shishaev because he was facilitating the offense at PG, and his job was to get Walker the ball. He did that. Got a few assists, and converted from his trip to the line. Did all he needed to do.
8 - Leigh Reiffel
6 - Dylan Scoggins
3 - Scott Schneider; Brent Degas; Darren Lonergan; Vladimir Shishaev
2 - Lionel Walker
1 - Jone Bogan
0 - Keith Anderson
Rudolph Radford medal
3. Vladimir Shishaev. Stopped his opponent from scoring, and stopped the ball from getting inside easily. Their PGs combined for just 5 assists and 11 points on the night. Also grabbed some defensive boards. Which is more than I can say for the rest of our team.
2. Scott Schnieder. The opposing PFs got a hold of him more than I would have liked. But without him on the boards tonight... I shudder at the thought.
1. Lionel Walker. Noone else really stood out here, but he did a decent job at SG at preventing the ball from getting inside, so he gets the vote.
5. Lionel Walker
4. Scott Schnieder; Vladimir Shishaev
3. Darren Lonergan; Leigh Reiffel
1. Brent Degas; Keith Anderson; Dylan Scoggins
Jackson Mansfield medal
Reiffel extends his lead, but there is a logjam on 7 votes waiting to take his place.
11. Leigh Reiffel
7. Dylan Scoggins; Lionel Walker; Scott Schnieder; Vladimir Shishaev
6. Darren Lonergan
4. Brent Degas;
1. Jone Bogan; Keith Anderson