Celtic Cup 2011 Rolls Off to Fantastic Start and Win for Scotland

As a special part of the Summer Slam, the Celtic Cup 2011 began this weekend at the Peak in Stirling. Three teams from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland came to compete in this tournament provided by British Wheelchair Basketball.

The first game of the weekend was played between Scotland and Wales. Scotland rolled off to an impressive start, scoring 22 points in the first quarter, while Wales only scored 8. Much of this success was due to the Scottish players’ ability to use their speed to win possession of loose balls around mid-court. They would easily capitalize on this and counter-attack towards the basket, where one of the players was waiting to make a shot. Wales continually found themselves too crowded under the basket, hindering their ability to score. Both teams did find success when they took advantage of open space around the outside of the key and attempting long-range shots. However, a change in tactics for the Scottish players allowed them to increase their lead as the second quarter began. They found that arcing a pass over the Wale’s players toward a teammate under the basket could help them. In order to succeed, the Scottish players would quickly maneuver their wheelchairs away from the basket, creating open space for a single player to move into. By the end of the first half, Scotland had taken the lead to a staggering 42 points while Wales only had 14.

As the game continued, the number of points on the scoreboard rose, but only for Scotland. In response, Wales attempted to take more shots outside of the key but it was not enough to match the points that Scotland had already put up. Whenever Scotland was on offense, they always remained out of the reach of Wale’s players. This lack of defense gave Scotland the space they needed to set up their shots and eventually give them the win. The final score of the game was 62 – 28.

Scotland’s brilliant performance of endurance and speed allowed them to roll past Wales in their first win of the tournament. The next games to be played will take place on Sunday.