Duco van Oostrum: We Haven’t Won Anything Yet

Duco van Oostrum checks in from Romania with his fifth blog of the Great Britain Under 20s’ 2013 campaign, looking at their upset win over tournament favourites Poland.

U20 European Championship B, Pitesti, Romania

Great Britain 83 (24, 51, 58)

Poland 74 (27, 32, 56)

Gathering from the size of crowd at this group stage match between the two unbeaten teams, this game was different from others at the tournament. There was a real buzz about the place.

The Polish team has waltzed through the games so far, rotating players extensively, never have to quick-step their way to another dance. This Polish team has serious pedigree and the 93-generation carries the label, ‘Polish Golden Generation.’

Second at the Worlds U17, two players in the top 5 of the 93 players in the world waiting for the best time to enter the NBA draft Ponitka and Karnowsky, and four players on the senior team list for Eurobasket (Gielo and Michalak added to the other two), the Polish team would challenge for the title in Division A, let alone Division B.

The Polish have quality throughout and go twelve deep, with athleticism, skill, and size at every position. Great Britain made a statement with the Romania blow out, however, and this was to be the clash of titans in this group.

Omens were not good. Rowell lost his first tip, and Ponitka scores on the first offense. GB immediate respond with a characteristic Joe Hart three and it’s game on. Poland deliver the first punch, literally asserting themselves down low with giant Karnowsky showing off his soft touch and really hurting GB with 6 points; Poland strut up 15-4 and it looks like a long night for GB.

GB switch defenses and start to pick apart Poland’s physical play. Raph hits free throws, Devon and Nick both drain threes and it’s 16-13 Poland—it’s a game. It’s also clear that both teams and coaches want to win this game. Poland are not rotating players. It’s tough out there. Contact doesn’t necessarily mean a foul in this game (two Euroleague refs), and GB don’t mind.

Three consecutive offensive rebounds with attempts result in free throws for Rowell. Height advantage can be negated with quickly timed jumps, especially the way Rowell, Raph, Matthew and Devon bounce above the rim. Zac’s put-back ties the game. Karnowsky then hits his 8th point of the quarter but Nick splashes the three. The quarter finishes 27-24 Poland.

The level of play is different from the other games we’ve seen in the tournament; and what’s encouraging is that Poland for a defensive team have actually given up quite a few points in that first quarter.

The second quarter continues the coaching chess match as players are rotated but ensured of appropriate match ups. GB are winning this battle. Joe drains another three from a Lewis Champion assist, and on the next play draws a charge; Grant MacKay joins the put-back party to show he doesn’t mind some physical play and he puts GB in the lead for the first time 29-27.

Poland responds, but Joe answers back with a ridiculous in-your-face three against high jumping Ponitka. And GB are obviously looking for Joe. On another curl for the three, he gets hammered and knocks down two of the three free throws 34-31 GB. It goes back and forth, but GB seem to have more speed and cause trouble in transition, as Rowell hits yet another put back off a Devon high speed lay up miss with plenty of non-called contact.

Then suddenly it’s points in bunches. A three and an ‘and-one’ for Devon combined with another pull up, and Nick with a three—GB delivers a serious punch and takes the first double digit lead, 47-37. More back and forth in the final minutes and GB have put 52 first-half points up against Poland, leading by 9.

After the high-octane first half, the third quarter is an ugly defensive slugfest. Clearly, the coaches have both made defensive adjustments and it’s having an effect on both sides, but in particular for GB, who can’t seem to get a ball to drop. It’s about survival now and taking more punches.

Joe Hart picks up his 3rd and has to go to the bench and GB stay on 53 points forever, it seems, with Poland creeping closer and closer. At 53-50, Nick finally hits a three, but Poland respond and draw to within two with 2min 40 left. Matthew Don comes in to control the boards, Lewis Champion frustrates the Polish guards with his tenacious defense, and Grant boxes out hard. And everyone just rotates so hard on the defensive end that the Poles just don’t get clean looks at the basket. The difficult quarter finishes with GB only up two, 58-56, having scored a meagre 7 points in the quarter to 15 for Poland.

It’s another gut-check for GB in the fourth quarter, when Kowalsky hits a three and GB suddenly find themselves behind 59-58. Ponitka and Devon exchange baskets as the game within the game also takes shape, with yet another Devon ‘and-one’ giving GB the 63-61 lead. Another three from Poland and GB call time-out with 6 minutes to play.

What a game. To be honest, as supporters we already found this an incredible achievement and thought that we had shown we could play with the best, because obviously Poland were now going to make their final push. The GB coaches and players luckily don’t think like us supporters. They moved their game up a level.

A gorgeous hookshot from Zak over Karnowsky and a couple of amazing defensive stands, with rebounds from Raph and Devon (Devon leads the tournament in defensive rebounds, by the way), and a block from Zak keeps GB in the lead. Devon gets an open look at the three as the defender goes under the P&R—good, up four.

A few scores back and forth, and Nick finds himself on the wing with the ball, shot clock winding down. With the Toronto shake and bake, he creates space and—good, up seven. Immediate response from Poland, a Ponitka three and then Karnowsky closes it to three again with a free throw. GB doesn’t fold, but does the opposite.

Matthew Don grabs a rebound, the play is called, and Devon lets another three fly—good, up six. Next Matthew steals the ball, Nick for once misses the three (he was 6 for 8 from there), but guess what, Rowell grabs the offensive board and puts it in—8 points up, 1.26 to play and Poland call time-out.

Karnowsky adds to his tally and on the inbound Ponitka blind-sides Nick who passes the ball straight to him for the easy dunk. Defibrillator time, for supporters and coaches who seem rather animated—4-point game, 43 seconds left. GB time-out; ball at the hash-mark.

Experience shows as GB play it out flawlessly. Devon punishes the fouls with making free throws and the defense doesn’t let up, Matthew in particular seemingly all over the court. Devon scored 18 of his 37 in the final quarter. Final score 83-74, a nine-point win against the clear favourites. What a result.

Finally time to reflect a bit on what we just witnessed. For one, the standard of this game was unlike anything so far at the tournament. Scouts who had just arrived from the Div A championship said this was an A-division game. GB also had the support from the home crowd (see picture below), who appear to appreciate GB’s relentless style of play.

What’s also evident is that there is just such a will in this team. Every player works so hard. Even those on the bench today were completely part of this experience, encouraging, giving advice, and being supportive. We’ve seen so many games already and team chemistry has become one of our favourite topics. A superbly talented team like Slovakia, for example, has been completely undone by their lack of it since losing the opening game to GB.

The players were also on the same page after the game and it was emphasized in the post-game interview. “We haven’t won anything yet. Remember that Croatia game last year and what happened later.” In other words, time now for ice-baths, food, lots of rest, and focus.

The final group game is against Hungary, whose only loss has been against Poland and it’s another must-win game for GB if they want to finish first in the group. Unlike the players, we could reminisce a bit in our favourite restaurant here in Pitesti about this signature GB win. Two Dutch scouts joined us later and it became one of those magical talk basketball nights that occur during these tournaments. Apparently we had stayed so long that they’d already turned off the coffee machine and it was clearly time to go back to the hotel. Another day tomorrow.

Duco.

Scores and Stats:
Devon van Oostrum, 37p, 3 assist, 9reb, 8 times fouled against.
Nick Lewis, 20p (6/8 3s), 9 rebounds, +10 on court.
Joe Hart, 11p (3/3 3s).
Zac Wells, 6p, 7 reb.
Rowell Graham, 5p, 4 reb.
Raph Thomas-Edwards, 2p, 9 reb, 2 steals.
Grant MacKay, 2p, 1 reb.
John Stewart, 1 reb, 1 assist.
Matthew Don, 6 reb, 2 steals.
Lewis Champion-Alleyne, 1 assist and lockdown D, taking the charge.
Jordan Spencer, DNP
Joe Lockwood, DNP