Vanbrugh dominate in basketball clinic
Vanbrugh 26-12 Derwent
Vanbrugh stormed to a convincing win over struggling Derwent to set the early pace in college basketball this weekend. Fielding an experienced team, they dominated every facet of the game and looked deserving of the victory, even affording to substitute star player Sam Tuck mid-way through the second half.
The college will be keen to build on this victory and make a serious challenge for the basketball title this term in what has become a hotly competitive area of college sport. 2008 has seen the introduction of set benches and an electronic scoreboard for the first time at college level, emphasising the growing reputation of basketball within the university.
The match itself was controlled by Vanbrugh point guard Richard Williams whose speed and dribbling skills were too much for a shaky Derwent defence, causing them numerous problems in the first half. Williams’ fluent combination play with David Merifield and Tuck had built Vanbrugh a convincing lead by the half way stage and it appeared that there was no way back for Derwent.
The efforts of guards Kevin Bates and Luke Steers in the second half were all too late for Derwent and Tuck’s dominance in and around the key limited Derwent’s big men, Paul Mertenskoetter and Andrew Marriott to very few chances at the basket.
Vanbrugh will take a good deal of confidence from this performance, but will face much tougher competition during the term from other, more organised college teams. After the first round of fixtures, college basketball appears to be headed for an exciting term, with Vanbrugh joining Alcuin, Goodricke, Halifax and even Wentworth in vying for the title of college basketball champions this year.
