If you had the opportunity to watch UWC play over the last few years they would have given you hope that they were making progress in the right direction. But this year, their team doesn’t look like they have the energy, passion or commitment to compete with the likes of Montana Vikings, who showed that they are in a class of their own.
In a game that was marred by countless mistakes from both teams, the team with the better quality and sound game plan came out on top. Vikings were never in danger of losing this contest. If this was a boxing match, UWC would have thrown in the towel in the first round.
The start of the game set the tone for the rest of it; it was all vikings from the first whistle with a string of layups to get them in the groove and some open three pointers off some decent sets. Vikings started with a full court press and they never stopped harassing the ball to try and take if off the opposition. UWC had 2 good guards and they were getting the odd basket here and there but it wasn’t enough to stop the punishment.
Scores by quarter:
Q1: Vikings 29 – 8 UWC
Q2: 51 – 19
Q3: 80 – 31
Q4: Vikings (100+) – UWC 51
It became too easy for the Vikings in the last quarter even if the 2 UWC guards were trying to keep them in the game with some excellent three pointers.
I have now watched 2 Vikings game in Cape Town this year and there are some unsung heroes in that team, the likes of Kirk who I have decided to nickname the “Silent Assasin” and Lyle who has stepped up his game this year even if he tried a bit too much when he lost his concentration.
For UWC it’s back to the drawing board for coach Quentin Rapitse, they need to come up with a better plan if they are to avoid it being Vikings vs. CPUT AGAIN in the finals at the end of the season.
For the Vikings, coach Craig Daniels would have spotted some of his team’s weaknesses like the loss of concentration during periods of the game and his team’s lacklustre defending for some of the easy baskets that UWC scored. They have the size and speed to compete for the crown again this year, but now they have to make sure that they are focused for the whole game.
Article by Victor Shakineza
