AN AUSTIN 14 DRIVES TWOS INTO NEXT ROUND OF HANDICAP CUP!

December 8, 2022

TAMWORTH TIGERS 83-120 TILE HILL TROJANS 2 (10-55)

MAKING HIS FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE SEASON IN THE RED WHITE AND BLACK COLOURS OF TROJANS, AUSTIN DICKSON (PICTURED) GAVE AN IMPRESSIVE PERFOMANCE AT POINT-GUARD TO DEFY THE ODDS WHICH HAD POINTED TO A RAWLETT SCHOOL VICTORY FOR TAMWORTH TIGERS.

DICKSON WAS DRAFTED INTO THE SIDE IN ORDER TO FILL IN FOR SEVERAL SQUAD MEMBERS WHO WERE MISSING, AND IN FACT THE TIE WAS IN DOUBT UNTIL MID-MORNING ON GAME-DAY, WITH COACH BEN LINNETT SCRATCHING HIS HEAD AND PREPARING TO CONCEDE AS HIS NUMBERS DECLINED.

AS IT HAPPENS, AFTER DICKSON SAID YES TO THE INVITATION, CENTRE EGIS BALIUNAS RECOVERED FROM A COVID BOUT TO JOIN THE GUYS ON THE FLOOR AND RAY WU ALSO CAME TO THE PARTY, BRINGING PLENTY OF BOTTLE TO ASSIST THE CAUSE.

THE HANDICAPPERS GAVE TROJANS A 45 POINT STARTAT 10-55 WHICH LOOKED AS IF IT MIGHT BE JUST ABOUT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DEFEND, BUT AN EVEN START TO THE GAME MEANT THAT THE VISITORS HAD LOST ONLY FOUR AT THE FIRST BREAK AS TIGERS’ STAR MAN LUKAS BOLDA INCURREDTHE WRATH OF THE OFFICIALS THREE TIMES TO BLUNT HIS DEFENSIVE PLAY.

THE DOOR WAS LEFT OPEN FOR TROJANS TO DOMINATE THE SECOND QUARTER, DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF TIGERS’ TOP SCORER BISHOP, AND THEY ACTUALLY LED THE GAME 88-39 BY HALF-TIME.

THEN IT WAS DOWN TO AUDI GUDLIEKIS WHO STEPPED UP THE ANTE WITH FIVE SUCCESSIVE BASKETS AS BOLDA RETURNED, BUT HIS ARRIVAL WAS ONCE AGAIN CUT-SHORT AS THE FIVE-FOUL MARKER WENT UP AGAINST HIM.

REALISING THE RESULT WAS GOING AS RAPIDLY AS A WINTER SUNSET, THE TIGERS’ COACH TRIED GAMELY TO RECOVER BUT TROJANS BY NOW WERE COCK-A-HOOP AND THE FINAL PERIOD BROUGHT A 23-23 SCORELINE AND THE NEXT ROUND PLACE BELONGED TO THE COVENTRY SIDE.

SCORERS:

TIGERS – EVANS 3, STEEL 0, BISHOP 30, IRVING 7, SOMERS 2, NICHOLS 1, BOLDA 15, MOSS 5, CARTWRIGHT 2, WESTWAY 8.

TROJANS – DICKSON 14, SINGH 13, GUDLIEKIS 11, GODWIN 7, BALIUNAS 11, WU 7, BARR 0, LINNETT 2.