Jul 06: Pushy Karats win Summer Slam 06

Saturday saw basketballers from all around London and beyond make their way down to Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith for Westside's annual Summer Slam Streetball Challenge. With 16 teams entered in the senior category and the sun blazing down, its was always going to be an intense affair as teams battled each other in the group stages for a place in the knockout stage of the competition.

The semifinals were equally intruiging matchups as two time winners and defending champions, Pushy Karats, met newcomers 'The Thunder from Down Under' and N.E.R.D met Joe Mama from Uxbridge. Both semis were physical encounters as neither teams were prepared an inch as both games came down to the wire. In the first semi. Pushy Karats upset the pre tournament favourites, Thunder, with an impressive display of basic, percentage basketball using their size against quicker, more athletic competition to outlast them 15 - 13. In the second, the smaller 'N.E.R.D' used their superior speed and shooting ability to shut down Joe Mama, 15 - 12 to win through to the final against all the odds.

The final started off with both teams evenly matched but Pushy Karats began to take advantage of their heights and dominate the boards getting second and third shot opportunties to establish a 14 - 10 lead. This stretched to a 19 - 12 lead as N.E.R.D. were starting to miss the shots that they had made all day. Threatened by the prospect of an overwhelming loss, N.E.R.D kicked into gear as they continually harassed their
opponents into making turnovers and cut the lead to 2. However, the defending champions regrouped and went back to playing their high percentage style of basketball and it was only a matter of time before they scored the winning basket to truimph 21 - 18 and secure the silverware for another year.

Westside Coach Frank Lamptey commented "It was an enjoyable day with all games not only competitive but played in the right spirit. Thanks to everybody involved in the organization and also to Coca Cola for the support of this event as it continues from strength to strength"

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