Five finals out of five but Hertfordshire Mavericks are once again the bridesmaids as they lose 44-51 to Team Bath in the final!

A great start that Hertfordshire Mavericks had aimed for as they ignored the hype and focussed on this next match. 3-0 was the score before Team Bath got on the score sheet and for the initial ten minutes Hertfordshire Mavericks forced the defending champions into mistake after mistake. 11-3 ahead and the crowd were witnessing a great team performance that Team Bath could not respond to. Clark and Brownfield were finding the spaces and Morgan Smith and Atkinson were hitting the circle edge and seeing the feeding spaces. Schofield and Newton were preventing Cookey from taking a commanding position in their attack which left Allison with the responsibility to shoot and score. However, Mavericks knows never to underestimate anybody and with 5 minutes to the end of the first quarter Team Bath started to find a rhythm and they were beginning to force the mid courters and shooters to crowd and lose their timing. The quarter score was 13-8 and Team Bath were beginning to stir. The first centre pass and Bath turned it over; now it was a new game. Hertfordshire Mavericks continued to pressurise and Buchanan was stopping the speedy Corbin from dominating the mid court. Until again the last 5 minutes the score line gap was consistent but then Cookey and Binns began to play the one twos and confidence was restored in the Bath side. Hertfordshire Mavericks, although at times found the space too often the ball was sent back and this allowed Team Bath to consolidate and squeeze the attack together. Half time score line showed Team bath finishing one goal ahead 21-22.

A change in Hertfordshire’s Mavericks midcourt; bringing on Schmidt and pushing up Buchanan and Atkinson and replacing Morgan Smith gave some more impetus and for most of this quarter it was goal for goal with Mavericks going 2 goals ahead. However, at no time did any team take ultimate control and it was yet again in the last five minutes errors crept into the Mavericks game and Team Bath’s defence capitalised on these weaknesses. Three quarter time and Bath led by 3 goals. Wood was brought on to replace Clark and Morgan Smith returned to the court. A quick goal by Wood started the quarter well. Morgan Smith and Atkinson were playing with zest and the ball was moving quickly 4 goals to Baths 1 was the opening few minutes. Team defence was tight and there was a feeling that the game could change; suddenly Team Bath got back into the game and drove the ball through the court. Cookey took more responsibility in the circle and in the 9 th minute the gap began to widen and in spite of Hertfordshire Mavericks taking 3 last quick goals the defending champions were victors again. Congratulations to Team Bath on their great achievement - winners in the four finals they have appeared in. Hertfordshire Mavericks have a lot to think about and consider how are they going to win another final?

A great game for the neutrals in the audience and one that Hertfordshire Mavericks really contributed to.

The 2009/2010 season has once again brought Hertfordshire Mavericks into the final of the Co-operative Super League and it has also brought about a new commercial partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and our thanks go to them for their support in ensuring that Mavericks can be a high performing franchise both on and off the court.