FURY U12 TEAMS HAVE A BALL IN INVERNESS!!

The inaugural MONSTERBALL competition was held this week-end in Inverness and Fury’s U12 Boys and Girls teams took part with some excellent results in what was the top boy’s competition at this age group in Scotland this season. Inverness Lions hosted and ran the event that saw Scotland’s best U12 Boys teams compete with Ireland’s top team/club – Templeogue. 24 Fury players and a fantastic contingent of parents made the trip north and enjoyed the Highland hospitality of John Kerray and his hard working team who did a fantastic job running the event. BS Officiating stalwart Tom Stobo was also on hand to ensure some great officiating – that matched the play over the week-end. Fury Boys who won the East/Central RDL took on the hosts Inverness Lions in game 1 of a 6 game schedule. The matches played full court on 8ft rings that were state of the art in the Inverness double hall venue made for a great on court situation. Fury started slowly not helped by an injury to key big, Ben Adams. However the talented Falkirk side bounced back from 12 down to lead the Lions in the 4th period at 44-42. The games were running clock – 4 × 7 minute periods and as time ran out the game was incredibly tied at 50 apiece. A golden basket saw Lions score literally straight away to take the game. In game 2 – Fury defeated Aberdeen’s Beacon 41-22 and then finished day 1 with a convincing 50-20 win over West Lothian Wolves. Day 2 started with a big game over West of Scotland Champions St.Mirren and while Fury again started slowly their fast breaking basketball soon had the huge crowd on their feet and cheering on ‘The Fury’. With the match tied in the final period it was anyone’s game but it was Saints that edged ahead in the final minute taking the game 50-44 – in what had been another classic Fury-Saints match. Fury then defeated Stirling Knights 50-19 in game 5 and with their final game of the regular competition against Templeogue from Ireland, the Sony sponsored side needed to win by 6pts to reach the Grand Final which would see them face St.Mirren. Playing some of their best basketball of the competition Fury stunned the Irish side with a 16-11 lead. A combination of fast break basketball and outside shooting gave Fury a great chance of pulling off the win they needed to reach the Final. However free throw woes in the second saw Fury 3 from 14 from the line on the 8ft hoops and down by 3 at the half. The third saw the first time appearance of the competition of a very talented Irish guard for Templeogue, who had not been able to make day 1 and had travelled over to Inverness on the Sunday making the Fury match for half-time. His appearance ensure the Irish side maintained their lead and running out 56-36 winners. The grand final saw Templeogue defeat Saints by 14 in what was another great advert for U12 basketball. Fury’s team for the competition was – Ben Adams, Mackenzie Gray, Leo Serafini, George Henderson, Jack Shand, Andrew Melville, Max Macauley, Mathew Shanks, Riley Kirk, Kai Mungall, Glenn Beattie and Jack O’Donnell. The Boys team was coached by Fury Headcoach John Bunyan with Linda Jane Gray and Steven Shand assisting. Dean Serafini was team manager. Throughout their 6 games all players made a great contribution with Shand, Adams, Henderson and Serafini Fury’s big scorers. P6 Slamannan pupil Jack Shand was named in what was a very talented competition All Star 5- with Shand’s outstanding ball handling impressing the coaches from the other teams. Players from 8 different primary schools represented the Fury side who mostly all trained together for over 3 years together. But it was not finished there for Fury as they won the 7 team skills challenge that was run over the 2 days. The challenge saw all teams going head to head on a team combination of ball handling, passing, lay-ups and shooting with the Falkirk side taking the trophy! On the Saturday a three team girl’s competition took place with Inverness Lions, West Lothian Wolves and Fury battling it out for honors. Fury defeated Wolves in their first game in a golden basket shoot-out after the match had finished tied at 25 apiece. Fury were however defeated 41-15 by a strong Lions side as the home side won the girls event. The All Star 5 saw Fury’s Emily Dagger make the 5 after impressive displays in both games. Fury’s team in Inverness was – Chelsey Hughes, Emily Dagger, Rowan Brockie, Rose Tyrell, Eleanor Thom, Chloe Munnoch, Lucy Brown, Jodie Girvan, Maja Brzezinska, Raven Murray, Lucy Kemp and Sophie Cramb. The team was coached by Ross Munnoch and again had great support from their parents. http://monsterball.leaguerepublic.com/l/fg/1_97523581.html