COACHES and sporting cliche-merchants oft say a side first needs to lose to learn how to win and the Canobolas Rural Technology High School’s senior boys’ basketball team is hoping the saying holds true.
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Last year, Canobolas cruised to the NSW Combined High Schools final eight at Terrigal before being bested, thrice, in the round-robin quarter-finals to finish eighth overall.
While that’s an achievement in itself, 16-year-old guard Owen Burgess said his side will be better for those defeats when they head back to Terrigal on Wednesday, June 15, having picked up a third straight Western title to once again qualify for the final eight.
“We’re hoping we’ll go well,” Burgess said.
“We didn’t win any games at Terrigal last year, so hopefully we can grab a couple of wins this time (and progress to the semi-finals).
“Last year was a bit nervy. Only two players, Andrew Gray and Ethan Beryne, left from last year’s side so we should be a bit better this year.”
To progress to the final four they’ll have to get past perennial contenders - in any given sport - Westfields Sports High first though, along with Gosford High and a third yet to be confirmed side in pool B of the quarter-finals.
Although, at quarter-time of their round of 16 game it didn’t look like Canobolas would even make the final eight, let alone have a crack at the final four.
After what forward Lachie Baker described as a “slow start”, Canobolas trailed North Coast’s Rivers College 26-15.
“It didn’t look like we would (win) at quarter-time,” Burgess said.
Enter NSWCHS representative Matt Gray.
Gray, who scored 13 of his side’s 15 points in the first period, dropped 22 in the second quarter to bring his side back to level pegging with Rivers at half-time, when the score was locked at 43-43.
He then scored another 26 in the second half - to finish with an outrageous 61 for the game - while Baker scored 16 to go with his first-half tally of six, catapulting Canobolas to a comfortable 101-86 victory.
“Everyone played their role pretty well,” Burgess said.
“Matty just managed to score, a lot,” Baker added.
The side features a number of Canobolas High Performance Athletes Program members, which is calling for year seven applicants for 2017.
Further information and CHPA program applications can be accessed via www.canobolas-h.schools.nsw.edu.au or by emailing CHPA director Mark Skein on mark.skein@det.nsw.edu.au.
Applications close on Friday, July 29.
