Glasgow Uni wilt against Boroughmuir Blaze

Glasgow University Men's basketball team suffered another set-back as they wilted to a shock 56-52 defeat to National League newcomers Boroughmuir Blaze at the Stevenson Gym on Bonfire Night.

A spirited comeback in the final quarter might have earned the University an unlikely win, but the damage was done by an eight-minute scoreless period which saw the Glasgow side collapse to a third successive defeat.

Although they were full of confidence before the match, the loss of players in the close season appears to have left the University somewhat disjointed, especially in attack.

Last year’s fluid, clinical offence was certainly not in evidence here, as the team pushed forward without running plays, leaving players to create space for themselves or try to force out difficult shots.

In the first quarter, the Blaze also appeared dampened when pushing into their opponents’ half. Both teams worked hard for the opening ten minutes, but lacked a cutting edge, and the University held onto a two-point lead to end the quarter 18-16.

At this point the crowd expected the University to move through the gears and take the game away from their opponents, who were looking like a team newly put together. Instead it was Boroughmuir who attacked with more creativity, Kevin Anderson particularly influential, while the University continued to labour, giving the Blaze a 35-32 half-time lead.

After the break the University’s frustrations began to show, as the players exchanged angry words with both the officials and each other.

As this went on Boroughmuir continued on their steady path, and without doing anything amazing they built up a 10-point lead, going into the final quarter 47-37 up.
The team talk between quarters from the University coaches clearly had the desired effect. Energy being expended on rushing around, and taking the ball down dead ends was transferred to solid defence followed by a more cohesive offence.

With the University creeping ever closer to Boroughmuir’s score, nerves began to set in amongst the Edinburgh club’s players. With one minute to go the gap was down to just two points.

However, a Boroughmuir break forced a foul from the University defence, leaving Anderson with two free shots to close out the game, which he duly took. It was no less than he deserved having been the most consistent player on the court.

While losing to the league’s new boys will be a knock to the University’s confidence on the back of recent successive defeats to City of Edinburgh Kings and Falkirk’s Clark Eriksson Fury, the evident disappointment at the end of the game shows that these results will not be taken lying down.

If the team can channel the energy they put into charging up the court in ones and twos into more constructive offence then last season’s cohesion, and form, will eventually be found.

Speaking to The Journal after just their second win in as many weeks in the National League, Boroughmuir head coach, Simon Turner, was delighted with the result.
“This was an important win for us because we have a lot of respect for the programme here at Glasgow. I have to give a lot of credit to my players,” he said.