Playoffs - Under 14 Boys advance by beating undefeated Haringey

Ipswich U14 Boys 74 - 71 Haringey Hawks U14 Boys

Playoff Round 1

Saturday saw two very strong sides compete the game was competitive from start to finish before the Suffolk side was able to grind out a 3 point win.

The first quarter saw both team after over coming their nerves battle end to end basket for basket. This resulted in foul trouble for key players for both sides, with Harrison Gregg picking up two early fouls and ending up spending most of the 1st on the bench. Fortunately for Ipswich, the Hawks picked up some early foul trouble of their own, which enabled Ipswich to lead by 3 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter showed how Haringey had come through the South Conference III with an unbeaten record and behind strong play from their aggressive lead guard, led with a 2 point advantage. Ipswich, after regrouping and making some adjustments to their defence, pushed the pace on the fast break and transition, with bench players contributing strongly. Joel Espirito Santo personified this pace and aggression, running the length of the court in seconds and making a layup as the buzzer sounded for the end of the 3rd, giving Ipswich a 4 point lead.

From there, the fourth quarter was close, with Ipswich gaining a lead of up to 5 before Haringey fought back. Ultimately, as well as some gutsy free throw shooting, Luke Da Silva won what was a fierce contest between hims and the Haringey lead guard, with three clutch baskets in the last 90 seconds, giving Ipswich a 74-69 lead. A score from Haringey and a miss from Ipswich allowed one last shot opportunity for the Hawks, but luckily for Ipswich they did enough to contest a desperation 3 that fell way short. Ipswich celebrated in front of a fantastic crowd and move into the next round.

Ipswich must wait to find out who they play, with a fixture between Leicester Warriors and London United on Thursday evening deciding their 2nd Round opponent. Ipswich will be the away side, with the 2nd Round fixture taking place on Saturday at a time to be confirmed.

Once again a huge thanks to the Ipswich family for making HQ rock with atmosphere.