The
Sentinels Championships
The Sentinels are a bunch of lads that have been playing basketball together for many years. I think we are close to 2 dozen seasons together. Many players come and go, but the heart always remains strong. Recently, we won 2 titles, our first coming in our 5th final appearance. Below are some photos from our 2004 championship season.
BTW, the name for this website comes from the Sentinels. When we won our first title, the players referred to each other as Champion <<Last Name>>, hence, Champion Crouch.
[don't forget to check out the match report from our 04 title below]
[Left to Right] Jimmy with Jes, Alexander & Bob Mcleod look on; Jonny V; The Sentinels huddle after the win.
[Left to Right] The Lads: Jonny, Andrew, Kaan, Jimmy up back with Ol, me & Steve up front; Captain's speeches with Karen presenting; Same lads, same order
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[Left to Right] Out that weekend to celebrate! Craigo joins us; me, Jimmy, Steve & Jon with Ol across us; Sal & I.
Sentinel Clinch 2nd Championship
26-23, 7th April 2004, T.C. Rouch
On the back of a 16-4 run, the Sentinels made a colossal comeback to clinch their 2nd title in as many years.
Recent times have certainly been eventful for the Sentinels. In 2002, they beat defending champions, POGs, to claim their first title against the bookies odds. With the loss of core players, they went into a rebuilding phase in the next season and transferred basketball associations. Unfortunately, after two seasons of little worth noting, this team was broken apart by another loss of key players, forcing a second rebuild.
Lots of promise. No results. Picking up players Kaan, Andrew Hill and Andrew Brenno, the make up of the team would suggest imminent success. However, wins were not numerous.
The 2003/2004 season started on the back of a disappointing season with more failures then an East Grandville high-school exam. Two atrocious opening loses, fans rolled their eyes and ticket sales plummeted. Then something clicked (and it wasn’t Ollie’s detachable penis!).
A mid-season run of eleven rounds with only a single loss assured the Sentinels their first Minor Premiership since they were called The Shoremen in 1932. However, the playoffs were not a walk in the park, not even a Rodney King special. Second placed Lizards (sporting former Wallaby players John Eales and Peter Fizsymonds) had been victorious in two of three regulation games.
The first semi-final was predicted to be a low scoring clash of defensive titans and the players did not disappoint (24-14). Unfortunately for the Sentinels, they began the match tentatively and did not recover. The format of the playoffs is such that minor premiers and runners up have a second chance being forced to play the victors of 3 Vs 4 to qualify for the Grand Final (both games played in the same week).
The second semi was an exciting tight contest (Sentinels victorious 33-30). Decided in the dying seconds, the difference between the teams was late defensive pressure, our 3 point shooting and four clutch baskets from the captain in the final minutes. This result displayed the Sentinels new found ability to adapt to differing defenses and changing rosters.
Grind on to the Grand Finale.
Scoreless but for a single free-throw in the 3rd quarter, the game was slipping away. Sentinels ahead 11-9 with a minute remaining in the first half, the Lizards went on a 9-1 run over the break to leave an eight point deficit with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Andrew Hill and Jimmy Mcleod then sparked the 14-4 game winning run with a fade-away and driving jumpshot respectively. A hook-shot from crouch and another drive from Jimmy to better the Lizards last three points for the game got the Sentinels within 3.
Enter the clutch.
Oliver Shirley’s produced a massive offensive board with 5 to go (following a steal shortly earlier); Jon terrorizing the boards and matching the oversized opposition for aggression. Andrew Hill, always calm, drilling a free throw in the dying seconds (the final point). Playing with injury, Steve fought for possessions and composedly ran plays with the courageous Kaan. Jon hit his first free throw to push the lead to two in the last minute. Jimmy grabbed the offensive board of the missed second free throw. The captain producing in the clutch again, scoring a drive to get within a point and the tip-in, the last basket, and the first (& final) lead change in 20 minutes.
A memorable game. A memorable season.
You can email me at tjcrouch@hotmail.com