Well when you have been around basketball for as long as I have it is easy to think you have seen it all, but I promise you, you haven’t.

Last Saturday night the Cheshire Jets were taking on the Glasgow Rocks at the Northgate Arena in another BBL Championship encounter.  Having seen both the Jets and the Rocks this season, I just knew this was going to be a great game.  I made my way to Northgate nice and early and took my seat in the stands.  There was an excellent crowd in the house to support the home team and only a couple of people there to support the visiting Rocks.

Perhaps one of the things I love most about watching basketball is having someone knowledgeable next to you to discuss the game as it progresses. 

There were a number of players in the house from the Everton Tigers who were playing the Rocks in Glasgow on Sunday, less than 24 hours away. 

Also there were Head Coach Tony Garbelotto and Assistant Coach Henry Mooney plus mikeshaft.com favouritee Donna (pictured above) that star of Merseyside basketball on and off the court. 

I am delighted to say that I was sitting just inches away from Henry and his explanation of what was going on on the floor was an absolute joy.

Starting the game for the Jets were Myers, O’Reilly, Hamilton, Peterson and Marks, while the Rocks began the game with Sapp, Copeland, Yanders, Parillon and Murray. Surprisingly Player/Coach Sterling Davis would take no part in this game. Henry speculated that he was probably saving himself for the Tigers.

The first quarter of the game ended 20-19 with the Jets leading by 1.  The biggest lead was at 10-16 as Gareth Murray made a lay-up.  Sapp had 3 assists but to be honest it was all a very tame affair.

At the half it was 32-39 in favour of the Rocks who were looking quite comfortable.  They had shot 16 for 30 (53%) from the field and had made 3 of their 5 attempts from beyond the arc. 

The Jets on the other hand were shooting a miserable 39% from the field but had made 4 from beyond the arc. 

Well the last time I saw the Jets was in that encounter against the Newcastle Eagles (read all about it here) and it was in the 3rd Q that they really made their move to get back into the game but tonight was going to be different. 

Try as they might they could not dent the Rocks lead.  Not only could they not dent it, they could not stop it increasing.  At the end of the 3rd the score was 43 to the Jets and 64 to the Rocks. 

The Jets were poor, shooting just 29% from the field while the Rocks were pretty outstanding going 8 for 13 at 62%. Sterling Davis’ guys were moving the ball around and scoring at will.  Henry pointed out to me that both teams had played almost exclusively zone defence and the Rocks were simply making more from outside. 

Personally I was shocked at the number of times O’Reilly had been open yet he passed up on the three.  Mind you at the end of the game he’d had 11 attempts from the arc.

And so to the final quarter and it was more of the same as the Rocks took the lead out to 23. 

With 5 minutes to go it was 21 points and this one was over. Fortunately, nobody remembered to tell the Jets and it was now that they would start to play.  When James Hamilton picked up a T for saying something to one of the officials Head Coach Paul Smith benched him and the 5 on the floor would have to see it through.  There would be no more changes.

I wish I could tell you the XYZ took control of the game and won it for the Jets but no 1 player took control.  The Jets simply started to mix up their defence and force the Rocks into taking some ill-advised shots.  Further more they also forced a couple of shot clock violations.  The full house was going wild!

I suggested to Henry that if O’Reilly got going then the Jets were going to win.  Everybody stepped up and big shots from Myers, O’Reilly, Marks and Peterson would slowly reel the Rocks back in.  Stephen Gayle was tenacious on defence forcing turnovers and generally making a nuisance of himself.

The Jets were down 2, 72-74 with seconds left in regulation when a Chez Marks lay-up tied the game 74 a piece. Oh BABY!

OVERTIME!!!

The Rocks tried their best in the extra period but to be honest they didn’t have an answer.  A three from Myers and one from O’Reilly plus a bunch from the line by Chez Marks saw this one home for the Jets.

Perhaps the biggest play of the OT was a defensive stand by the Jets who knocked the ball out of bounds off the Rocks player.  The call by the officials was absolutely right but some of the Rocks players didn’t like it. Suddenly there is a whistle and a Technical foul on Copeland.  The Rocks were down just 1 at that point.  Marks made the free throws and now they are down 3.  On the inbound Murray commits a foul, Marks steps up and they are down 5.

It was all over.

The final score was 88-83.  Myers (7 for 18) and O’Reilly (7 for 14) led the scoring for the Jets with 20 a piece while Chez Marks added 19.  The Jets had missed just 1 from the free throw line going 16 for 17. 

The Rocks were led by Yanders with 24 and Copeland with 18.  The Jets had taken an amazing 40 attempts from the arc making 10 while the Rocks had gone 6 for 21.The Jets are turning the Northgate into a fortress and having seen three fantastic wins for the team in the past few weeks I am still at a loss to explain have they are achieving these victories.  I will say this; once the Jets realize that if you don’t get into a hole you wouldn’t have to dig yourself out, they are going to be one of the top teams in the BBL. 

They are in the semi-finals of the BBL Cup and nicely placed in the top 4 of the BBL Championship.

Looks to me like the good times are back at the Northgate Arena.

Later

Mike S