Abingdonian 2017

27 www.abingdon.org.uk Lent Term Basketball The basketball team faced a very tough season this year. With the departure of our older players last year, a relatively young Abingdon basketball team were left with the challenge of living up to the success of the previous years. The majority of our team is made up of Middle School boys and we normally play sixth form teams. This really adds to the challenge of each match! The team is not just made up of good players, but good people. Training and matches are hard work, but we still joke around and it’s always enjoyable playing with the team. Our abilities are all at different levels, and as the season progresses, everyone steps up their game. It is impressive to see a team comprised from all different years play together as one unit. As always, when we come to the end of a school year, we must say goodbye to a number of players who are leaving the team and the school. First mention is to Sachin Kumar who, like myself, has been part of the basketball team since it started. I remember when we started playing on the team, and neither of us were anywhere nearly as good as the Upper Sixth at that time, but as the years went on, Sachin just continued to get better. We both went from playing less than five minutes a game, to playing the entire game. Playing along with him is always fun, and his vision when it comes to passing is astounding. Yuan Han Li is another leaver, and he is our “wonder sub”. Every time Yuan Han is on the court he is one of the most hard working individuals, and he never gives less than his full potential. Even before he was on the team, Yuan Han would always help with fixtures and operating the scoreboard. Yuan Han is an example to many of the younger players as to how much effort and commitment they should give. The team is also losing Chun Lung Cheng at the end of this year. Chun Lung only joined the team at the beginning of last year, but has had such an impact. Chun Lung “Mr 3-point” Cheng, has saved us in matches when we have been lacking in points! He has also made some key game winning shots in the dying seconds! Harry Best, another relatively new team member, will be leaving as well. Harry has been a welcome addition to the team. Always a problem for the other team, and a great help to us – through his sheer athleticism and hard work. We recently started playing together at a local club, and I look forward to continue playing with Harry for many years to come. Sebastian Anand is Abingdon School’s answer to Stephen Curry. Whilst only being in the fifth form, Sebastian is our strongest, most skilled player – well deserving of his recent full colours. He is our go-to guy. Sebastian started playing on the team a year after Sachin and I started, and was a spectacle to watch. Seeing his skill progress has been inspiring to say the least. Sebastian is going to another school for sixth form and it will be a great loss to the team. I’m sure anyone who follows basketball will see him in the professional leagues in years to come. The remaining members of the team are now left with the task of living up to our success. I’m sure they will flourish. It has been a great honour captaining this team. Even though we may not have been as successful as last year, considering the two-year age gap with our opposition, all of those extremely close matches really are a testament to the skill and teamwork within the Abingdon School basketball team. The team has always been a joy to play alongside, right from the beginning, five years ago. I wish the team all the best, and I am sure their success will only grow. I would also like to thank Mr Gooding and Mr Frampton for their time and dedication in coaching the team and helping us to keep our heads in all those closely fought matches. Rohan Khosla-Stevens, VICJM