Athletics
Spartans News

SG Basketball: Wrong End of a Blowout vs Galt

By Erik Van Dyke
Not much in-depth analysis for this one. Sometimes the opponent, in this case Alexander Galt, is just too good.

Fundamentally sound, tough, athletic, and extremely well coached, they’d already played us once before, which made me even more concerned going into our RSEQ league game this past Tuesday night at the Mackay Gymnasium.
 
Well, I was right to be concerned, because the Pipers were locked in – ball movement, outside shooting, and a solid defensive strategy designed to stop what we wanted to do on offence. It was easy to become frustrated on offence (our scorers could barely get a look) and demoralized on defence (Galt hit 7(!) threes), but to our credit, we never stopped working despite the 45-15 final score.

And that is, of course, the lesson to take from this game. Anyone can stay intense when things are going well, but it takes genuine character to try your hardest when the scoreboard keeps ringing up points for the other team. In those situations, it’s not easy to keep your head up, to un-slump your shoulders, to keep your emotions in check, to ignore the score. But if it was easy, heck, everyone would do it.

True athletes compete as if every play was the most important play of the season. They don’t care about the score, or the fans, or the refs, or how good the opponent is. They’re 100% tunnel-vision focused on the only thing they control – their own effort. That’s the state of mind that every athlete should be trying to reach. And every time we get a little bit closer to that state of mind, that’s progress.

Final note: Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. John Mackay, the man who several years ago singlehandedly provided Stanstead College with a state of the art gymnasium. Mr. Mackay passed away this past Wednesday. He was 87 years old. The student-athletes who have already benefitted from his generosity number in the hundreds, and as the years go by thousands more will play, exercise and experience the joy of competition in the friendly confines of the gymnasium that proudly bears his name.

Thank you, Mr. Mackay. Rest in peace.

Coaches Van Dyke & Wolfe

The year so far….
Overall Record: 7 wins 14 losses
RSEQ League Play: 1 win 7 loss
Points for per game: 31.4 Points allowed per game: 35.1
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