Univ trounce woeful Wadham
It is fortunate for Wadham that Basketball Cuppers operates initially on a round-robin basis. An ignominious trouncing at the hands of a slick Univ side will not therefore be their sole souvenir from the 2004 competition, and the opportunity remains not only to redeem pride but still, conceivably, to progress beyond the group stages.
This match, however, was all about Univ. Propelled initially by the forthright power of Mike Taylor, they quickly asserted their dominance and established a scoring momentum which was never to be interrupted. Wadham's defensive shortcomings were a major contributor to the pattern of play.
Univ, though impressively accurate, didn't by any means score with every shot, but it was their rebounding that ensured they kept possession. It was a very different story at the other end of the court, where Wadham repeatedly failed to capitalise on their not insignificant scoring opportunities.
The crucial factor in Univ's dominance was the extraordinary precision of Dan Woodbridge. The form he showed in pre-match warm-up was repeated with equal sublimity under the pressure of competitive play, unerringly converting any scoring chance into points with the minimum of fuss. Nevertheless, Wadham gave an admirably spirited performance, with the efforts of Tobe Taiwo particularly notable, but their opponents showed far greater ball-awareness and anticipation, enabling them to seize the initiative in any moment of ambiguity.
In the end, Wadham were pleased to have kept Univ within double figures, whilst a few more baskets of their own later in the game ensured that the final score was slightly more respectable than had seemed likely. Univ, probably the best team in Group C, are looking on course to claim the title. If they repeat this form then it is hard to see anyone stopping them.
13th May 2004