Lion Down at the Palace

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Friday 28 December 2012 at the Crystal Palace Sports Centre
Result	London Lions 88 Cheshire Phoenix 92
Competition	BBL Trophy (knockout cup competition)
Hopping	Number 14 on the hoophopping list.  I called it courthopping until today, but like both clubs here, I have changed the name.
Pre-match preparation
This was an impulsive trip in an attempt to put a safe distance between me and an industrial supply of Quality Street and other health foods. Unfortunately it brought be closer to a hotdog stall. The sides have similar league records around the 50:50 mark so it should be a competitive game.
This match in one sentence
The Lions made too many unforced errors and Phoenix kept cool heads at the end of a strange game played in a rather muted atmosphere.
So what?
Phoenix go through and Lions are out.
The drama unfolds
There were only seven Phoenix players suited and booted for action, which did not bode well, and my heart sank when Lions took an early grip on the game, scoring 2 to 1 and opening a healthy lead.  Whether complacency set in, who knows, but Phoenix battled back to 22-22 and then took the lead with a three from Gabe Haskins.  One more Lions score kept the margin at one point at the end of what had turned out to be a high-scoring first quarter.  26-27 at the end of the first quarter In the second, Phoenix pulled their lead out to eight at 29-37 and here is my scene-setter clip which has Lions’  Adrien Sturt scoring one of several personal and Lions threes, but Phoenix matched the scoring rate and the clip ends at 38-45.  Lions are in purple. Another run of threes, however, including two more from Sturt, brought the Lions back level and we reached a beautifully symmetric score at the halfway point.  Sturt’s personal tally was now 22.  50-50 at the end of the second quarter By the time I took my next clip, midway through the third, it was still too close to call at 56-56. The period ended with the visitors holding a narrow two-point lead.  66-68 at the end of the third quarter In the final quarter, Phoenix had the veteran Shaun Myers back on court.  They successfully defended two periods of 24s shotclock time and then Myers hit a three to give them a lead of 71-76.  They were able to hold the lead at somewhere in the five to seven point range as the time ticked away.  Here’s a clip, and by the end of it the score is 78-83. The play became somewhat scrappy and tense and coaches began to utilise the timeouts.  Phoenix still held their 7-point lead at 78-85 with 2min31s on the clock.  The body language of the Lions and their coach increasingly showed frustration as plays were not executed and the unforced error count went up.  This clip takes us down to less than a minute to go, and Lions have got it back to a 4-point game. Phoenix ran down the clock as much as allowed by the shotclock rules.  Chez Marks added a point from a freethrow so the margin was 83-88 as the clock showed 23 seconds of playing time.  Here’s another clip from this critical stage of the game. Sturt’s three got the score to 88-89 with eleven seconds to go but Lions lost possession on a final critical play, and were then forced to foul to stop the clock again with 2.9 seconds remaining.  Chez Marks kept his nerve and sank both free throws to seal a morale-boosting win.  For Lions, Adrien Sturt led all scorers with 31 (and 9 rebounds) and #15 Tayo Ogedengbe (who turns out to be a friend of a friend of a friend I now see from Twitter!) had 20.  The bulk of the Phoenix points came from Jerome Gumbs with 24 and Myers with 23, but the latter's 13 rebounds were also a big factor in the game.  Final score 88-92
The programme
Something random
I continue to get the feeling that top-level basketball is struggling in this country at the moment and the clubs are not as secure as they were a few years back.  Cheshire have had two incarnations in the same season!  Earlier this year I dropped in to see them at the Northgate Arena one Sunday afternoon as Cheshire Jets.  A few weeks later they were under new management and ownership as Cheshire Phoenix, continuing with the fixture list.  Last season, Lions (as MK Lions) had moved to a new arena as plans for a new home alongside the football stadium melted away – but this also proved unsustainable and the franchise has decided to relocate to the Copper Box when it is released as an Olympic legacy venue.  They have become London Lions and so this Crystal Palace season is very much one of transition.  I’d enjoyed many hoops nights in Milton Keynes over the years – but this one had all the atmosphere of Pluto.  The fact that MK has lost a sports team to south London has caused some wry amusement amongst my football followership.
Hopping for Moorfields Update
Nothing to report – hoops don’t count for this purpose!
What Next?
Maybe, if there is a dry enough bit of England, groundhopping landmark #500 on the lifetime list on Saturday afternoon.  At the time of writing (11.57pm on Friday night) there are pitch inspections scheduled in most places I would be interested in, and I will again be using the randomness of Twitter to decide where, if anywhere, I will be going.

Lions Use Their Escape Claws at Leicester

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Saturday 21 January 2012 at the John Sandford Sports Centre, Leicester
Result	Leicester Riders 75 Milton Keynes Lions 77
Competition	British Basketball League
Hopping	I am here because of its proximity to my earlier hop to Gresley, and I reckon this is the 10th venue on my lifetime courthopping list.  For historical reasons, Lions are the BBL team that I follow more than any other.
This match in one sentence
Riders will be rueing their sluggish start, otherwise Lions would not have had chance for the penultimate play that took the points in front of a sellout crowd.
So what?
This was only the second defeat of the season for the home side.  They are 3rd on 8-2 while the Lions are in mid-table with a 6-7 record.
The drama unfolds
In the words of a Riders supporter during the first period, “We’re getting killed here.  This will be a cricket score.”  Both teams have signed veterans to steady their ships recently – first appearances for Robert Youngblood for MK and Yorick Williams for Riders.  Both are well known to BBL watchers.  Youngblood’s first points were a slam-dunk that got the Lions fans to their feet.  Demarius Bolds and Howard Crawford were again very solid, and Nuno Pedroso looked comfortable as the visitors went to a nineteen point at the end of the first quarter.  This is almost unheard of, and this clip has the closing minutes.  Lions are in yellow.  10-29 at the end of Q1 Lions got into foul trouble in the second, rapidly running up a 0-5 foul count with 6m30 left and giving Riders lots of opportunities from the free-throw line, as well as slowing the game down.  A personal foul was called against an incensed Lions’ Bolds, always the centre of attention and leading to a few minutes on the bench and a few wise words from the assistant coach in his ear.  Riders gradually reeled the Lions in and the first half finished on a ten-point margin, down from sixteen only two minutes earlier.  The clip again has the closing moments.  35-45 at the end of Q2 My third clip came earlier in the period, finishing with 6 minutes to go and the score at 42-51, still a nine-point margin after an even phase of the game.  Lions called a timeout with 3m50 to go and the score at 48-53 as the tide was definitely turning.  Riders got as close as two before Bolds seized a rebound and then drove the whole length of the court for two, and Pedroso scored just before the buzzer to make the margin six points.  Nevertheless, Lions were looking nervous and Riders were looking confident.  Rob Paternostro, the Riders coach (whom I last saw being animated and passionate for Birmingham Bullets a few years ago) was, er, animated and passionate again.  56-63 at the end of Q3 MK slowed the play much more than I have seen them do at home this season.  One pass inside from Youngblood to Crawford was faster than anything seen all evening and got gasps of appreciation.  With eight minutes to go, it was 60-67.  Lions had another timeout at 66-70 with seven on the clock, and there was no score for another minute.  However, Riders’ execution was better and they got to within one score again with a full five minutes left, at 68-71.  Here’s a fourth-quarter clip. Lions still led by four at the three-minute mark but the final clip tells the story of an astonishing last minute.  The first score in the clip is a steal leading to a drive and two by Cameron Rundles, and so Riders took the lead for the first time in the game at 75-74.  The final score shows the ball being worked to the right for Adrien Sturt to drop in a three, as calm as you like, leaving time for only one play which the Lions were able to repel.  One of the best climaxes to a game that I have seen.  You were fortunate, Lions, but I guess you’ll take the road win.  Final score 75-77
Man-of-the-Match
Despite that closing three from Adrien Sturt, I have to choose Daniel Northern of MK Lions.  Not only 16 points, but also 18 rebounds.
A snippet from the programme
Flinder Boyd explains his unexpected departure from Riders in a letter to the fans … “I wanted to thank you for welcoming me back for my second stint in Leicester.  I’m going to miss being a part of the club, but my departure isn’t basketball-related, it’s for personal reasons.” Well, that’s cleared that up, then.
What I learned today
Driving in Leicester when you don’t quite know where you are going could officially be described as “interesting”.  I still refuse to have a satnav.  It’s much more social to have other drivers shouting helpful advice.
What Next?
Not sure, watch @GrahamYapp on Twitter for details, but definitely thinking about Three Bridges v Gresley on Saturday next in Sussex for an FA Vase replay.

Lions Maul Wildcats

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Friday 10 December 2012 at the Basketball Arena, Milton Keynes.
Result	Milton Keynes Lions 87 Durham Wildcats 74 The first time that these two clubs have ever met.
Competition	British Basketball League Championship
Hopping	A second successive MK-based tangent for this blog, but whilst I was a total hockey virgin, I do have previous with the BBL but not in the last five years or so.  The Yapplets and I were fairly frequent visitors to the Lions, Leopards (then in Essex) and Tigers (then in the Thames Valley) of the time.  Gotta love the big cats.  However, this is the first time I have seen the Lions at their new venue.  The BBL is the highest level of club basketball in the UK and the majority of the starting fives are from overseas and/or have gained citizenship rights over their playing careers.
This match in one sentence
Milton Keynes woke up in the second quarter and took control with a crowd-pleasing performance from Demarius Bolds including an outrageous three-pointer at the end of the third.
So what?
There are 11 teams in the league – Lions now have a 3-4 win-lose record and are one of several teams level in mid-table.  Wildcats are the newcomers to this level this season and with a 1-7 record have yet to find their feet.  Newcastle Eagles look to be in charge with an 8-0 record this morning.
Something random
I can’t quite work out why basketball isn’t doing better in this country.  It’s probably because TV interest has waxed and waned, and all down to money.  MK has been one of the few stable franchises in recent years.  The Lions club still has many of the same non-playing faces that I recognised from five years ago, but it has managed to move on.  The new venue is better than the old one, and the club’s links with schools look to be exemplary.  The community side of a basketball club’s operation seem to be a much higher percentage of their activity than say, a football club.  Their crowds are up, with a high proportion of youngsters in attendance. Club owner Vince Macaulay exudes basketball.  He has been league chairman and club coach over the years and now, I see, is co-commentator and general event animateur as the clips will confirm. When I last saw the Lions, they were playing solid basketball based on defence under the master tutelage of BBL legend Nigel Lloyd.  The 2011-12 lions are coached by Mike New and it looked to be a more athletic higher-tempo style.  I’m no expert in this game – I understand the rules on paper, but when the refs make the calls I have hardly ever spotted the fouls myself.  For a supposedly non-contact sport, there is a great deal of contact! Finally, old habits and all that, a mention for “Majestix”, a dance group from Icknield High School who made a brief appearance at half-time.  Great performance.
The drama unfolds
Lions got the ball from the tip-off but Wildcats intercepted a lazy pass and broke for the first basket of the evening.  That set the tone for the first quarter.  Wildcats led 21-7 at one stage and coach New used an early time-out to reset the team.  Demarius Bolds showed a few signs of what was to come.  Here’s the last action of the quarter.  16-27 The Lions were altogether more efficient and effective in the second quarter and amassed 30 points.  The clip, again the closing stages, shows the moment they took the lead in the game for the first time.  Three of the four-point margin came from an on-buzzer foul.  (A player gets three free throws worth a point each if fouled in the act of shooting.)  The chances of that long-range shot going in are low (but see below) so it seemed at the time a needless three points to give to Bolds.  46-42 The third quarter was 20-17 to Lions who therefore extended their lead to seven points.  The quarter ended with the most outrageous three-pointers I have ever witnessed live.  Watch this one if you watch nothing else!  66-59 In the fourth quarter, Wildcats narrowed the gap to six for a short while but in the end New was able to send on the support players for some court time as they saw out the game comfortably.  It was never dull because Bolds stayed on until the last minute, when he finally sat down with 37pts against his name.  Here are the closing moments.  Final Score 87-74 This pic of the final scoreboard shows the number of fouls committed by each player as a light next to their squad number.  This is important because a player is not allowed to continue in the match if they reach five.  The 4 is for the 4th quarter and the 5 and 6 at the bottom were the number of fouls committed by each team in the quarter – this affects whether a foul automatically gives a free throw to the opponents (i.e. when it reaches five). The match score is self-explanatory and I am 99% certain that the other lights next to the timer are for counting the timeouts called.  One other piece of kit not shown is the shot clock – in this league teams have 24 seconds to get a shot in the air or they surrender possession.  With rebounds, steals, assists and such-like, this is another stat-rich game for those so inclined.
Man-of-the-Match
Bolds nails a free throw Demarius Bolds by a street but credit to Daniel Northern for 15 rebounds in the match.  For the Wildcats, Mike Capocci top-scored with 22pts and was supported by a good all-round performance from Ralph Bucci.
A snippet from the programme
From Mike New’s notes: “(The Wildcats’) slow and controlled style of play is in contrast to our open court high-tempo style of basketball and so we must be aware of the game being played too slow for our liking.” … and so the Lions found themselves 9pts down at the end of the first quarter to the faster and more mobile team at that stage.
What I learned today
I can safely recommend an evening of top-flight basketball as a fast-and-furious, loud and brash, fun family-friendly experience.  If nothing else, standing next to the players at the end of the game (such as MK's 6'11" Adrian Sturt) is always rather entertaining if you are 5'10" like me.  I’ll certainly be going back to the game from time to time.
What Next?
Back to footy groundhopping this afternoon!  Unfinished business in the Middlesex League ... I will be watching Willesden Constantine at Kodak (Harrow) which was a team selected by Facebook friend Rob Summerfield but thwarted virally up to now.  Seriously tempted by some ice hockey at Slough to follow!