The FIMBA GB +50 Men started their championship preparations at the weekend with their first game against a very youthful looking M50 Rochdale Rockets team. Both teams boasted GB players with experience from Malaga and the game promised to be a hotly contested.
Head Coach Dom Short took the opportunity to combine a big powerful front court with Gregory and Everitt standing 7 foot each, with the guile and craft of PG Danny James and it proved a winning combination as the FIMBA GB team dominated the board and were a long range shooting threat.
Rochdale matched up in a man defence and were ripped apart as Andy England and Phil Jebb threaded sublime passes through the holes and James hit from long range. Gary Poole and Jason Clarkson put on a display that showed why they were selected. Up against another GB 50 player, Poole breezed past him at will, found the open man and locked him down to the point of being subbed. Clarkson’s court IQ and awareness was also evident and, despite just returning from a long holiday, it’s only a matter of time before his skills come to the fore. Assistant Coach Mark Taylor also took to the court and was an outside three point threat and, in the event he plays, this will be invaluable for the 50’s.
When Rochdale returned to their zone, the game became a closer affair and with calls going against the FIMBA team and the extremely youthful players finding their stamina, they pulled ahead and took the game 55-49.
This game was about the players finding the chemistry and team building rather than winning, although losing is a little painful we can take comfort in the fact had the youthful player not been available this would have been a convincing win for FIMBA 50’s, we were that good
Coach Williams
