P.R.I.D.E – Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Determination, Enthusiasm
Due to exams and injuries the under eighteens travelled to Gwent for another U18 National League game with only three fit players and Andre and Anton carrying injuries. The player's started the game with a resignation that they would lose, but this changed because of some early fouls.
The fouls meant that Coach Brock had to drop into a zone to protect the players, and the players adapted to the zone brilliantly shutting down the Gwent offence, as the frustration built for Gwent Storm got themselves slowly back into the game and with five minutes left of the second quarter the score was 30:36 to Gwent, but a couple of minutes of turnovers ruined all the hard work and by half time Gwent had established a lead again: 45: 36
In the second half there was a Breeze - Chris Breezy Daniels finally arrived, its been a tough season so far for the rookie but today he found his feet offensively, and hit his Storm career high of 16. This offensive explosion and the continuing good work in the zone again reduced the gap and with four minutes left there was again six points in it.
The game effectively came to an end shortly after the Breezy three which closed the gap to six when McMiller rolled his ankle again, and the adjustment to only four effective players sawGwent quickly rack up some points as Storm struggled to get out to all the outside shooters.
The game in the fourth quarter saw Bristol make once last attempt to regain the lead with some fantastic transition basketball and a undersized McMiller now filling the middle of the zone and Pritchard creating numerous options offensively in his thirty point haul, again it took several minutes again but Storm reduced the lead to ten, but for the final minutes it remained like this as Gwent controlled and closed out the game.: 84 72
A gutsy game and strong performances from everyone, just not enough to take the win