East Grinstead Junior Basketball Clubs U14 Mavericks team gained the Clubs first silverware of the season this past weekend, they were the gold medal winners of the County Youth plate competition.

The season has been up and down for the Club as they relocated midway through the season to Forest Row from Kings Leisure Centre and cancelled and forfeited several games.

The Mavericks had only a few days to prepare for the finals, the Mavericks first game was versus Worthing D&D and the D&D team came out strong going on a 10-0 run. D&D held the Mavericks to only 4pts in the first period. The Mavericks second five started the second period with more aggressive play on both ends of the floor and took control going into half time up 10pts 24 - 14.

The second half started well for the Mavericks and D&D held their own till the midway mark as the Mav's took control behind Paul O'Callagan and Max Hagenbach's Performance. D&D could only muster 3pts in the third period as the Mav's full court pressure was too organised. The final period wasn't much different as the Mav's kept the pressure on and their offence was more consistent. The Worthing side had no answers for the inside presence of P. O'Callagan and the Mav's D. Mav's ran out winners in game one 40 - 27.

The Mav's played their second game, the Final of the Plate competition straight after verus Haywards Heath as they beat Crawley in the first match of the day. Mav's started on a better footing from their first game as the jump out in front. Mav's took a 10-4 lead with 6 minutes gone. Haywards Heath came back a bit, but the Mav's consistent flow held them off to end the period up 19-13. Haywards Heath hit first to start the second, but the Mav's were soon to capitalise on the small mistakes and go on a 16-6 run to end the second. Haywards Heath started the third period fighting the Mav's press and attacking offence. Mav's all but ended the final in the third period as they shut down the Eagles to only 4pts to their 17pts 24 lead, 49-25. The fourth period was more Haywards Heath as the Mav's fielded the younger players, who held their own and went out County Plate winners with a 55-32 win. Team Coach Rob Birchmore said "all the players played very well, we had short notice to final competition. We all but closed up shop and weren't practising to game speed. The future of the Club is strong now we have settled in our new home and the parents are behind the program."

Game 1 - Scorers - P.O'Callagan 13, M.Hagenbach 12, B. Cooney 7, T. Foster 6, B. Price 2
Game 2 - Scorers - T.Foster 17, P.O'Callagan 16, M. Hagenbach 9, B. Cooney 8, B. Price 2, J. Foster 2, S.Hagenbach 1.

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