It starts out with a bunch of kids looking for something to do and nowhere to go, a few guys who’ve played basketball before show a few more kids the game, they fall in love with the best game on hardwood, fight to put a team together and make a glorious run to the playoffs ensues.
You couldn’t write a better Cinderella story. Sound too good to be true?
Not for the St. Timothy Thunder Junior Boy’s Div. 3 basketball team. On Feb. 26, a group of young men made up of 90-per-cent first timers, and only two experienced players, somehow did the unthinkable and clinched home-court advantage heading into the playoffs.
The did it by squeaking out a 61-58 win against Lord Beaverbrook on the road, and the coaching staff couldn’t be happier for the young squad.
“We had two guys (Isaac Amsing and Dalton McWilliams), who play club ball but no one else has picked up a basketball before,” said Travis Cummings, coach of the Thunder. “We’ve been just working with everyone, practising fundamentals, getting them in shape and it’s starting to come around.”
At 7-1 on the season, coming around is an understatement. The Thunder are first in the league with points, leading by more than 30, and are fourth-lowest in the league in points allowed.
But clinching home court didn’t come easily for the Thunder. Down by 17 points and missing their second-leading scorer Jaydan Gordon, the Cochrane boys pulled out a miracle in the final frame to win.
As it stands the team is sitting on top of the league, tied with Robert Thirsk (7-1). And with only one game remaining against fifth-seeded John G. Diefenbaker boys, it’s looking like a first-place finish is within their grasp, something Cummings admits he didn’t think was possible at the beginning of the year.
“It’s been interesting, a week before the season started (co-coach Todd Dumais and I) stepped up to coach because no one else was going to do it,” said Cummings. “We had 13 guys who wanted to play, so we had to do something.”
And they did, pushing the guys, getting them into game shape, working with them on the simple things like dribbling without travelling, proper shooting technique, and positional play.
To say they’re quick learners would be an understatement.
“They’ve come along, they’ve been working a lot on their own time. It was rough at the start, but we’re so proud of how far they’ve come,” Cummings said.
With their last game before playoffs on March 4, there’ll be no rest for the wicked or the Saints of the Cochrane hardwood as St. Tim’s will continue to practice and improve their game.
“No rest for the wicked if you want to win,” said Cummings.
