Standings:
(http://www.buzzerbeater.com/world/standings.aspx?teamid=1...)(38879)Slovakia U21 72 England U21 85A win for us against a decent opponent. As discussed above the tactics made the difference. I can't say I'm celebrating too much as I dislike the tactic but we ended the season with a win and that's got to be worth smiling about at least.
There were several good performances for us, especially defensively. Andrew Reeve did a particularly good job at SG and Nurrish's 5 blocks obviously pleased me. However, it would be churlish not to say Ethan Sanderson was our man of the match. Our offence was built around him and he delivered in very fine style hitting 8 3s on his way to 38 points. Of course fouling out was a negative and his backup Joel Kearney did an excellent job too.
And so the season ends with us 4th in the group, and with a 4-3 record. I said 4-3 was the most likely finish for us before the season started, but that I was hoping for 5-2. I expected to beat at least one of the other three top four seeds, and hoped to be able to beat the four so called lesser teams. However the Switzerland game worried me in advance of the season and they proved me right by beating us. That was the most disappointing result of the season but that we recovered and still finished with a winning season lessened the disappointment.
This is my first season with the U21s and so the first time I've had to say goodbye to all the 21yos. Some coaches like to play a scrimmage or two with the 21yos still in the squad and still with some enthusiasm, but I'm not interested in that kind of falseness so its on to the next age group for us. So its goodbye to these players and I would like to say thank you to everyone associated with these players:
Kevin Forbes; drafted by Stoneleigh Slags, trained by Audax Pistoia(Utopia) and our own LIDLtallfellas for one game.
Malcolm Lambert; drafted by Team Fusio, trained by Healå¤©å ‚(China)
Joel Kearney; trained and drafted by Ipswich Winterwolves(England)
David Farrell; drafted by Mortal Vombats, and trained by Minions 3(Austria)
Andrew Reeve; drafted by Irvine Blackhawks, trained by Orleans Predators(France)
Ethan Sanderson; drafted by Ampliakos BC, trained by CentroAnziani(Italy), schnickser.de(Germany) and Los Santos Heat(Portugal)
Alex Nurrish; drafted by Arsenal 98, trained by El Hospi(Spain)
Julian Wilson; drafted by A Dogs, trained by Spellman(Ecuador)
Matt Coulter; drafted and trained by WTK Trail Blazers(England) and
Stephen Taylor; drafted by BigLex, trained by Victorias Secret(Hong Kong)
Where I've said who drafted each player, I should add not all were sold immediately and so many of those who drafted the players also trained them.