By Dion Stergiopoulos
After a hard-fought quarter-final loss against Newcastle Falcons a week prior, the St George Saints Youth League Mens Red team faced a win or go home situation, in their elimination final against Hawkesbury Jets last Saturday.
The Saints were once again back home in front of a packed-out Hurstville Aquatic and Leasure Centre for the second week in a row, taking on the 17-5 Jets as they looked to keep their championship hopes alive.
The game was a battle from the opening tip with both teams fighting tooth and nail to take control of the contest early with their defence, with the Jets forcing nine turnovers to close the first quarter with a slim three-point lead (17-14).
The Saints found their offensive groove in the second quarter lead by Dylan Akosah, scoring ten points for the period to help the home side regain control of the game.
St George continued to apply the defensive pressure, forcing ten turnovers as neither team gaining a significant advantage heading into the halftime break (38-37).
Crucial defensive changes for the Saints allowed them to continue to force turnovers (30 total for the game) and slowly build their lead.
The Jets would not go away, with the combination of shot making and Saints’ foul trouble allowed the visitors to claw their way back into the contest.
Dylan Akosah continued to be the bright spark for the Saints, finishing the game with a massive 27-point, 20 rebound double-double as the home side finished the third quarter up by only five points (61-56).
The Saints made a massive effort to assert their dominance on the boards after a poor rebounding performance against Newcastle a week ago.
The 68 to 45 rebounding advantage for the Saints was made possible by an outstanding 31 offensive rebounding effort to propel the home side into a strong position to win the game.
As the final quarter went on, the game slowed down and the Saints’ defence took over to close out the contest with a 78-69 victory to progress to the Waratah Senior League Finals next weekend August 23 & 24 on the Central Coast.
The Saints will be out for revenge as they face a rematch against Newcastle Falcons in what will be a stellar Semi-Finals matchup.
Key contributors
- Dylan Akosah – 27 points, 20 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
- Abdul Hamid Banse – 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals
- Maper Maker – 9 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 blocks
Saints assistant coach Angelo Tsitsos was impressed with the team’s response following last weeks’ quarter final loss.
“Through the past week of training, our goal was to take control on the boards and establish ourselves in the game with our defence and physicality,” he said.
“Whether shots were falling or not, our defence must remain solid in order for us to win playoff games.”
The past two weeks have been massive for the St George Basketball Association with the club overwhelmed by the community’s response, with close to 300 fans packing out Hurstville Aquatic & Leisure Centre for both finals games and making it an event to remember for years to come.
The St George Basketball Association would like to thank all the VIP’s and sponsors for their support to make the last two weeks an historic moment in the club’s history.
- Ashvini Ambihalpahar MP, Federal Member for Barton
- Zhi Soon MP, Federal Member for Banks
- Mark Coure MP, State Member for Oatley
- Maria Nordstrom, CEO Basketball NSW
- Representing The Premier of NSW, Councillor Leon Pun Georges River Council
- Representing The Mayor of Georges River Council, Councillor Christina Jamieson
- Representing Club Rivers, Jenny Holt, Community Engagement Manager
“A special thank you to NBL, IAthletic, Club Rivers, Marvel Skip Bins and Pancakes on Rocks for their support for Raffle ticket prizes and our Major Sponsors City Ford Rockdale and Club Rivers. A special thank you to Keith Martin the MC for the quarter final matchup against Newcastle and Kirkland Ivory for being DJ and MC last Saturday,” said St George Saints treasurer George Aliferis.
“General Manager Valerie Stoddart and President Ray Barbi on behalf of the Board of SGBA wish to give a big thank you to all the SGBA supporters that helped us create history and all our sponsors for their support.”
The Saints will prepare for a rematch against Newcastle Falcons in a Semi-Final matchup at Niagara Park Stadium on the NSW Central Coast this Saturday 23 August, with the winner progressing to Sundays Grand Final.
