Despite going behind 21-29 early on in the game, before pulling back to 33-33, slowly but surely the home side began to go clear, helped by so many Guernsey fouls in the last two quarters that Jersey could miss 15 free attempts at goal in the fourth quarter, and still end up victorious; winners by 68 points to 56.
They even had the audacity to score the last basket of all when, with the crowd yelling them on to play out time, Michael Pusz took the ball wide on the right, darted through the middle and sealed the win with a stunning basket.
The Polish player’s contribution to the Jersey win was exceptional, but Jersey coach Rick Blakemore, who was ‘warned’ on more than one occasion for coaching from the sidelines, was most impressed by unsung hero, and captain, Greg Ruellan.
‘Greg is terrific in defence while setting up many of our attacks,’ said Blakemore.
‘He does a huge amount of work, which the players appreciate, even though he might not score the most baskets.
He was excellent today.’ Ruellan, like Paul Graf and Byron Hatton were three of the more senior players who steadied the ship when Guernsey seemed likely to ease their way back in the game.
In young Paul Van Beek Guernsey also had a player whose eye was such that he scored five free shots out of six while Jersey were missing 15 out of 20.
Thankfully, by the start of the final quarter, Jersey were so much in command that the visitors had little choice but to go for three-point shots from outside the D.
‘We’ve been training really hard for this game,’ said captain Greg Ruellan afterwards, ‘three times a week and up to four hours at a time.
Our three wins in Doncaster, recently, helped; but anyone can see the improvement in our game from when we last played in the Island Games, in Guernsey.
This is a great boost towards our chances in Rhodes.
The way we’re playing at the moment, I really believe we could pick up a medal.’ Meanwhile Guernsey’s coach, Simon Le Blancq, was clearly upset by the way his side visibly folded towards the end of the game.
‘It went as predicted,’ he said.
‘We had a good first half, but it was a scruffy game before Jersey showed that they wanted to win it more than we did.
But I can’t complain about the commitment our players showed.
We’ve a chance to win again, next time in Guernsey, before we then concentrate on the Island Games in Rhodes.
Between now and then we’ve got a lot of work to do.’ While no one Jersey player dominated the number of baskets scored, Pusz scored 13 points, Duncan Prince scored 11 and Alex Loumpos, No 9, was voted Most Valuable Player.
At under-21 level Jersey again won, and won convincingly, as captain Dave Middleton helped himself to 30 baskets in a 71-42 victory; although the senior ladies’ team lost 67-28 and the under-17s lost 75-63.
However, for the senior men’s side this was, according to Blakemore, ‘the most comfortable win of all in the last three years.
The players were committed to winning for Jersey and, what was most refreshing of all, their confidence is continuing to grow.’ Despite Blakemore’s occasional tiff with the referee, he has a side which, if they can sort out their free throws, is still improving.
And, if they had put away their penalty shots, Jersey’s overall total would have been in the 80s, not the 60s.
However, the Jersey men’s basketball team are back on a high.
Three wins in as many years; and Blakemore’s insistence that his team can now threaten in Rhodes was matched by a summing-up of how far his team have progressed since the Island Games in Guernsey in 2003.
‘We’re ten times better,’ he said.
‘Ten times better – at least.’ Men’s inter-insular, Jersey won 68-56: Team: Chris Byrne, Paul Graf, Mike Gilmore, Marc Wilson; Dave Middleton, Alex Loumpos, Duncan Prince, Rob Honey, Greg Ruellan, Byron Hatton, Mark Le Cornu, Michael Pusz.
Jersey under-21s, won 71-42: Team: Dave Middleton, Nick Dingle, Sam D’Avoine, Joe McKenna, Declan Variant, Peter Uznanski, Alex Henderson, Carlo Ranieri, James Reed, Derek Perieria, Tom Noel.
Jersey under 17s lost 63-75: Team: Alex Henderson, Derek Perieria, Max Burnett, James Reed, Liam Barry, Jo Burleigh, Carlo Ranieri, Dom Choapadith, Stephan Chinniah, Tom Noel, Tareq Haddad.
Jersey’s women lost 28-67: Team: Frankie Le Quélénec, Helen Birrell, Jackie Harrison, Natacha Morgan-Pasquali, Jen Bouteloup, Claire Le Maistre, Belinda Higgins, Emma Laurton, Lauren Mitchell, Myra Griffiths.
