It’s HPE Week and yesterday the Varsity Vikings Senior Basketball teams hosted the mighty PBC reds in two grudge matches held here at Varsity College. It was strong display of school spirit as the Varsity College students arrived in their hundreds to support their Vikings teams and the VC Sports Centre was packed at 10am for the first game to tip off.
Our Senior Girls team hit the floor first who notably line up with four year 8’s, three year 9’s, a few year 10’s and only two seniors to take on a PBC line up who boasted mostly year 12’s. The atmosphere was electric as the student body made their voices heard as the VC girls hit the first basket to get the place rocking! But soon after, the age, experience and maturity of the PBC seniors shone through to take and early first half lead in front of a massive & raucous VC crowd.
By half time Coach Simon Stevens rallied the girls who then found their feet and came out fighting as they stepped up to the challenge led by year 8 student Georgia Fleming and school captain Nia Jones taking it to the PBC girls to mount an epic comeback. The Vikings defence was impenetrable as the VC girls knocked down big basket after big basket closing the gap on the REDS lead and the crowd were loving every second of it. However, the damage was done early in the game and the PBC REDS took out the win in a hard fought and physical game. The VC VIKINGS girls are a young and highly skilled outfit who will be a force to be reckoned with over the next few years.
Game two saw our Senior Boys take to the floor as more and more students piled into the sports hall to show their support and school spirit for the Vikings and to see the Vikings take on the Reds. The Vikings Boys got off to a great start as they jumped out to an early lead much to the delight of the massive VC crowd. But the REDS fought back nailing some huge 3 pointers to bridge the gap and slowly took the lead. By half time the PBC boys had the lead but it was at that half time break that VICTOR the VIKING made and appearance to lift the roof off the VC sports centre. The atmosphere was electric as the Vikings boys came out into the second half hungry for a victory in front of their home crowd.
Lead by year 11 student Reece Hargreaves and year 12 student Jayden Kama the Vikings hit big shot after big shot which saw the Vikings claw back into the game. At that time year 10 students Marley Enders-Green, Donovan Piesley and Sam Mattress made their presence felt pressuring the PBC boys leading to the play of the game when Sam Mattress flew down the court and took to the skies for a powerful slam dunk which bought the crowd to it’s feet! The Vikings boys pushed on and held on to a 6 point lead and when the final buzzer sounded the VC students flooded the floor in excitement and adulation for their fellow students who came away with the 70-64 win.
The ASPIRE Basketball program would like to thank all of the staff and students who came to support the Senior Basketball teams and create an incredible atmosphere in what was an amazing day of Varsity College school sport. We can’t wait to do it again.
