Q1: 4-11

From the whistle, the Tropics were quick to demonstrate their high energy playstyle, with Parker - no.45 getting the first points on the board for them. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they were unable to hit on their first play, however a travel from the Tropics forced the turnover. This led Davis - no.24 to utilise some great basketball IQ to get a quick assist and keep the Hawks competitive. The Tropics’ energy was palpable, however, as Martyn - no.3 drew a fantastic charge - tanking it like a pro. With Reddington - no.52 hitting a quick pullup jumper, it was clear that the Tropics had not lost that winners’ mentality. It was clear that Coach Claffey’s rotation of players worked to keep this high going, managing the energy of the team to keep the speed of play up.  

Q2: 11-14

The second quarter would prove to be difficult for the Tropics. This was capitalised on by the Hawks, with the team starting the quarter by breaking their long-cold streak. Although the high rotation of players from the Tropics made it harder for the Hawks to read the play style, they were able to claw back their deficit from the first quarter thanks to a 3 point shot from Brown - no.30 and some great scoring in the paint from Amo - no.7 being an anchor once again for the team. 

Q3: 16-24

After a poor scoring second quarter, the Tropics would have to show resilience to keep their closing lead ahead. This time, it would be the Hawks with a low scoring start to the second half. Martyn would pull up off a beautiful dime and would continue to be a confident shooter for the Tropics. With 3 minutes remaining in the quarter, the Hawks would utilise some pristine ball movement to get a few points on the board. Thanks to some high fouling from the Tropics, their lead did not surpass the 10 point differential, and the Hawks were able to stay in striking distance as they went into the final quarter. 

Q4: 31-41

The Hawks would start the final quarter with a quick floater from Davis, as well as another two from both Amo and Miles - no.10. This would prove to be a highly competitive final quarter, with the Hawks now 3-3 from the field. However, Reddington would provide some high energy defence for the Tropics to keep the lead, as well as great scoring generally to compete with the Hawks ball movement. Miles would get a 3 from the wing and a beautiful mid-ranged shot to bring the Tropics’ lead down to only 6 points. Unfortunately for the Hawks, the Tropics would finish the game by hitting a fantastic 3 and ultimately closing out with a 10 point lead to win the game. 

It was a slow start for both teams, however the scoring in the final quarter was a testament to the continuous energy on the court all evening. It was a great first game for the Tropics and an unfortunate loss for the Hawks, yet it highlighted the need for consistency for both teams as they were 28.3% and 35.6% from the field respectively. 

Miles - no.10 proved to be a critical player for the Hawks as he led the game for scoring. Miles also stepped up to be the boost that the Hawks needed in the final quarter and brought the lead down significantly. His consistency from the field pushed him ahead of others, yet still remained a team player - getting rebounds and assists throughout. 

The Hawks now have some down-time to work on their development, whilst the Tropics go up against the highly competitive Oddities next week. Could this be the biggest game of the season so far?

You can find out first hand by joining us at 6:45pm on Thursday 10th of October at The Deans College, Lincoln.

See you there.

NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: 

Tropics vs Oddities & Bombers vs Lightning

Tropics Highlights:

• Player #50 led the Tropics with 13 points, shooting 60.0% from the field (6-10), and added 5 rebounds.

• Martyn (#3) contributed 8 points, shooting an efficient 66.7% from two-point range (4-6), while also securing 9 rebounds and dishing out 1 assist.

• Jordan (#43) scored 7 points, shooting 87.5% from the free-throw line (7-8), and contributed with 5 rebounds and 4 steals.

• D. Reddington (#52) added 4 points, shooting 100% from the field (2-2) and grabbed 1 rebound.

Hawks Highlights:

• B. Miles (#10) was the top scorer for the Hawks with 15 points, shooting 58.3% from the field (7-12), including 1-1 from beyond the arc, and added 2 rebounds and 2 steals.

• J. Davis (#24) added 4 points, shooting 33.3% from the field (2-6), while grabbing 9 rebounds and contributing 1 steal.

• Amo (#7) contributed 5 points, shooting 40.0% from two-point range (2-5), and added 5 rebounds and 1 assist.

Team Performance:

• The Tropics shot 35.6% from the field overall and 80.0% from the free-throw line.

• The Hawks struggled offensively, shooting 28.3% from the field and 33.3% from the free-throw line.

• The Tropics dominated the boards, grabbing 28 total rebounds, compared to the Hawks' 25.

• The Hawks had 7 steals, while the Tropics led with 11 steals and caused 16 turnovers from the Hawks.

Scoring by Quarter:

• Q1: Tropics 11, Hawks 4

• Q2: Hawks outscored Tropics 7-3.

• Q3: Tropics 10, Hawks 5

• Q4: Tropics edged the Hawks 17-15.

Final score: Tropics 41 - Hawks 31