Basketball Sport
“Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha.
I
n 2003 the basketball fraternity at Trinity College indicated that the future looked bright. While the 2004 Blackwood Cup season was one of mixed success, it demonstrated that the bright future is still approaching, and at an exponential rate.
excelling at this level saw a healthy rotation of players through to the First V team. The Third V personified the importance of application and commitment to the College. The “career Thirds players” are to be especially applauded for their week-in week-out efforts.
Our First V squad began their quest during the 2003 Term Three holidays. This pre-season training has become an important component of our preparation for the upcoming season. It reveals amongst the players a desire to dedicate themselves to the team and allows for the further development of a unified approach to the season. At the beginning of the season, the squad set the goal of winning the Blackwood Cup. This was not an unrealistic goal given the talented group of players on the roster. However, at the end of the day, Trinity finished in third place on the table behind Aquinas, who brought home their third successive Blackwood Cup, and Scotch, by virtue of a massive second-half turnaround that took Trinity by surprise.
Trinity experienced outstanding success in the younger age groups with our 10A, 9B and 9C teams remaining undefeated, while our 9A and 8B teams sustained just one loss to tie for first place in their respective competitions. The 8As completed a solid start to their PSA careers, finishing in second place. All players put in great efforts this year and with continued hard work further success is bound to eventuate.
At their best the Trinity First V was unstoppable. The team was second only to Aquinas at the offensive end of the court. Surprisingly, for such a strong defensive unit, it was lapses in defensive intensity that cost the team in key games. However, this could not detract from some stunning performances. Joel Wagner (Captain) and Jarrad Prior (Vice-Captain) led from the front throughout the season, with consistent application and an approach that motivated all members of the squad to contribute above and beyond the call of duty. The Second V had an exciting season, with a number of close victories and a stumble only at the last hurdle with a loss to Scotch. The fact that players were
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Under the guidance of Coach Myles Kelly, our basketball players are developing an increasingly professional approach to the game. There is less room in the squad for individual glory and a greater emphasis on the development of team focussed basketball. The great efforts of all other coaches and managers are to be applauded. In particular, Mr Andrew Osnain and Mr Tim Redden should be singled out for the enthusiasm they have brought to Trinity basketball. Both teachers have put in many extra hours of coaching and support for the benefit of the players. As we now look forward to the 2005 season, our players should remember the words of former NBA centre, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.” Brad Nugent Manager First V
BASKETBALL FIRST V Back row: Mr Brad Nugent [Manager], Michael Vulin, Nathan Eaton, Stephen Martin, Samuel Musulin, David Smith, Robert Huddlestone, Mr Myles Kelly [Coach] Front row: Adam Moorby, Luke Rogers, Jarrad Prior, Joel Wagner, Daniel O’Sullivan, Dwayne Sampi
