GB Futures Win Opening Scrimmage

Great Britain Futures got their summer off to a winning start with a 112-105 victory over Lithuania at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford, on Thursday night.

The game was played behind closed doors, and took place over five 10 minute quarters to give both teams a chance to see and assess their players in preparation for their “official” games (for want of a better word; games consisting of four 10 minute quarters) on Friday and Saturday evening.

Devon van Oostrum led GB with 18 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds, whilst Matthew Bryan-Amaning added 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Ogo Adegboye, Kyle Johnson and Ben Mockford added 15 points each, with Adegboye also dishing 6 assists. Myles Hesson finished with 8 points and 6 boards,

Lithuania, who consist of a number of players from last year’s U20 side (1991 borns and later), were led by Saulius Kulvietis’ 19 points, with Augustas Pečiukevičius having 14 and Paulius Dambrauskas and Martynas Paliukėnas adding 13 each.

Notes

• Ryan Richards has not been with the team and isn’t expected to join them. Reasons remain unclear at this point.
• As a result of Richards’ absence, Chris Ayer has been called up to replace him. Ayer was named on last year’s GB senior preliminary squad before being one of the first cuts.
• Ashley Hamilton injured himself in the first minute of the game and did not return. Hopefully wasn’t too serious.
• Both Andrew Lawrence and Shane Walker were absent with sickness. Expected to rejoin the team on Friday.
• Number of highlights throughout the game, with Matthew Bryan-Amaning being the main culprit, as well as an extremely nice dish from Devon to Ovie for a dunk down the lane. Myles Hesson and Jamell Anderson also got in on the action.
• In the fifth quarter (before someone says it, I know you can’t technically have “five quarters” but you know what I mean), Coach Mokeski ran his bench with Ogo playing the point.
• If the game was four quarters, Lithuania would’ve actually won at the buzzer, 90-88, on a Kulvietis lay-up after Lithuania broke GB’s press.
• Despite being younger and far less athletic, Lithuania dominated the glass and at times were picking apart GB’s defence – it is obvious they have played together a lot. Will be interesting to see how GB progress over the coming games.
• GB’s starters: Adegboye, Johnson, Hamilton, Hesson and Ayer.
• All stats listed above (except for scoring) are unofficial and were done by me.
• Lithuania’s roster can be found here for those interested.

Buy tickets for Saturday’s game here.