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SPORT Basketball

SENIOR A BASKETBALL Manager: Dr Mike Field Coach: Ben Sheat Team: Josh Book, Nic Book, Jordan Braithwaite, Tom Davidson, Wil de Geest, Nale Fifita, Tom Harrison, Jono Henderson, Conner Jenkins, Jeremy Kinley, Cameron McCarthy, Daniel Metherell, Fletcher Miller, Aidan Palmer, Hamish Patterson, Mason Whittaker The Senior A team had a good season and built on the foundation from 2018. With several major injuries and inconsistency in line ups, the team battled through and achieved some positive results through adversity. Highlights include winning a number of close games, including four games in overtime, while also getting back to the Thompson Trophy semi-finals. A very inexperienced squad, with only two players from the 2018 team, started the 2019 season at the inaugural Middleton Invitational tournament. The team showed plenty of positive signs for future games, however, battling to take 3rd place at the tournament, including taking down St Andrew’s College 88–87 after Fletcher Miller hit a buzzer beater to win the game. After finishing 7th in 2018, the team were looking to make a large improvement in 2019 in the Thompson Trophy. They battled early in the season before earning 4th seed by the end of the round robin. The team drew St Thomas of Canterbury College in the quarter- final. Down 30–44 at half-time after a poor start, they managed to find a spark and stage a huge comeback, eventually winning 83–73. This meant College was in the semi- finals and facing a showdown with

MiC: Dr Mike Field

performance in the final against King’s High School resulted in the team winning the South Island title, the first time in College history that we have won this tournament. Grateful thanks to our external coaching staff who have helped our players grow this year. Head coach Ben Sheat not only led the Senior A team, Thompson Trophy team and South Island tournament team, but also frequently stepped in to coach other teams and was present at numerous other games throughout the season to ensure he had an overview of the coaches and players across the school. Ed Book was head coach of the U17A and Junior Premiership team and was assistant coach to Ben’s three teams. Rob Churcher continued to work with our Saturday teams, taking the Senior B team for the U20 grade and Schick Cup tournament. Tom Crutchley coached the U17B for most of the season, and Scott Kitto was the U15 coach and assistant coach at the Junior Premiership. Jane Lattimore and Richard Floyd offered their coaching assistance on Friday nights for the Year 11 White team. Off court, the sport was well supported by our new Friends of Basketball committee, who were instrumental in helping the teams through their rapid growth and organised a number of successful events. Thanks to the Friends of Basketball, we had an inaugural season launch event, a successful fundraising raffle (with an iPhone as the top prize), and a highly enjoyable prize-giving to mark the end of a very strong season.

This was another positive year for basketball at Christ’s College. The sport continues to grow and our teams achieved some great results. College had a record five Saturday teams competing in the Canterbury Basketball Association club competitions. Students who wish to compete at the top competition in the sport now have access to a team in all age categories. There was such demand and talent in the Year 10 and 11 age groups that we entered an U17B team for the first time. The opportunity to develop these players has added even greater depth to the sport at College and is a positive sign for success in future years. Our Friday night teams, who play in the Canterbury school sport interschool competition, were an enthusiastic mix of boys across all age groups. Five of the seven teams made it to play-off rounds, with Year 11 White going all the way to the final, and Senior White winning their final to be top of the grade. The Friday night programme was particularly well supported this year by regular coaching sessions with the Canterbury Rams. Winter Tournament Week was also a busy one for basketball, with three teams competing at various locations across the South Island. The Senior A team went north to Nelson for the South Island tournament, the Senior B side had the opportunity to compete in the Schick Cup, which was held at Cowles Stadium, and a junior team travelled to Dunedin for the Junior Premiership. It was the juniors who shone most that week, with very convincing wins throughout the tournament. A strong

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