Co-Captains Zavier McGillivray & Tom Lynch
Basketball
The Scotch Basketball season began long before the first game commenced. Thanks to Head Coach CJ and Assistant Coach Alex Wood, we played multiple scratch matches against the Perth Redbacks’ Western Australian Basketball League teams. At this point, the team did not know each other as well and these tuneup games really allowed us to bond, getting to know our strengths and weaknesses. By the time the first game rolled around, we had already been training for weeks. Coming up against one of the better teams in the first round, Aquinas College, was going to be tough. Although we showed effort, a lack of execution saw us defeated. On the bright side, the only way now was up. We looked around at each other after the game, and I think we all knew that the rest of the season would be different. In the next few games, we built up momentum getting hard-earned wins against Wesley College, Christ Church Grammar School and Guildford Grammar School. In these games, we really came together – our fitness level was possibly the best in the league – and we were winning on grit and outrunning teams. Trinity College was next, and we were ready. It was close all game, but in the last quarter, we banded together and hunted the boards, which gave us the edge in the end. Now, with a 4–1 record, we were set to play Hale School, a team with a similar record.
Hale had a tall squad which meant that our boxing out and defence was crucial. By half time it was close and emotions were running high as we began to get under their skin. An inspirational speech from CJ and Woodsy at the half gave us the drive we needed to continue to fight. A few cheeky charges taken by Maxx Della Franca saw us gain the momentum to take it home. We finished victorious 64–48 and concluded our first half of the season with a 5–1 record, giving us second place on the ladder. After the first week was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the boys were eager to get back, having trained throughout the holidays. The first game against Wesley saw a big win, giving us momentum to take on Aquinas, a top of the table clash, with only a two-day break. A gruelling game against the then-undefeated Aquinas, with the season on the line, saw the Scotch boys exchange hit after hit. With Aquinas up by five points with two minutes to go after trading buckets for most of the fourth quarter, a huge three-pointer from Tim Imison (Year 12, Ross) set the scoreline to only two points. Scotch and Aquinas traded scores for the rest of the game until the buzzer, with Aquinas winning, 64–62. As much as the loss cut deep, we were adamant that we would not drop a game for the rest of the season in hopes that some other team would knock off Aquinas. With the boys full of energy, Scotch remained undefeated with a final record of 10–2 and second place in the Blackwood Cup. While we did not get the fairy-tale ending that we would have liked, it was a great final season for all the Year 12s, leaving everything on the court.
Scotch vs Trinity College, photograph: Thomas Campbell; First’s Taye Barlow playing Aquinas College, photograph: Tiarna Rose; Scotch vs Hale School, photograph: Tiarna Rose
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