Great Lamptey Mills was tipped by many pundits to clinch their second Junior Ball Championship but they wobbled under huge expectations.
Many factors have being identified as the catalyst that caused them their second title at the El-Wak stadium.
The Abossey Okai based school were by far the most compelling side in the group stages and at the quarter-final stage until new entrants Hoops Care International curtailed their dream of holding the title aloft.
The technical team has being left to rue the lost opportunity after complacency set in their semi-final clash with the Cape Coast based side. It was obvious from the jump ball that the big boys from Lamptey Mills had underrated their opponent who looked very ‘tinny’ on the court.
They gave the ball away too easily and despite their physical pressence on the court, Hoops far outwit them with their glossy passing and awe-inspiring piece of skills. They looked the more determined side and never allowed the pedigree of the defending champions to scare them.
Not even the pressence of their headmaster could inspire confidence in the team after they run riot over most of the teams in the group stages. They had the largest score margins in the competition but lost out at the crucial stage.
Their numerous supporters were left dejected and it was clear that the performance of the team at the knocout stage was unimpressive as compared to what transpied in the group stages.
They went home disappointed even though they took consolation in the third prize.
‘For my money if they had remained focus, they would have won easily’. Owner of Fadama Viking and International scout, Mark Agbo told basketballghana.com
‘They looked the much stronger side but their opponent were quicker and very slippery and that count very much in the game. You could see that even when Hoops were down, they never gave up and kept fighting and that was what won the day for them.’
He added: I don’t want to take anything away from Hoops, but I think Lamptey Mills gave the game to them. But the Cape Coast boys should be commended for their zeal and fighting spirit. It is simply phenomena’.
It was indeed a bitter pill for Great Lamptey Mills to swallow but they must have now learnt their lessons that you underrate any side in the game at your own peril.
They have promised to bounce back and we the team at basketballghana.com wish them well as they prepare to launch an audacious bid for the title next year.
Milo Junior Ball 2010 was sponsored by MILO – the energy food drink of future champions with support from Indomie, Fan Milk, Voltic, GTV and Joy FM and produced by Rite Multimedia, leaders in basketball development in Ghana.
