Our two tallest players against two of their multiple big guys.
Our New Hope Stallions boys team’s second game was against Lubiri, the team that ended up winning Nationals. It was a real David vs Goliath experience. I wish I had a picture of the two full teams (hopefully the photo gives you some idea of the size difference). Lubiri has 4 or 5 guys that were 6’6” or taller and very athletic. 10 of their 12 guys were over six feet. They all looked five years older than our guys. It really looked like a Jr. High team playing against Kentucky.
Lubirii ran a full-court press the entire game and absolutely crushed us on the scoreboard but our guys fought every minute from beginning to end and never backed down. Even when we put in couple of our reserves who had not played up to that point at the end of the game, they played just as hard and went right at Lubiri too. I cannot tell you how proud I was of the guys. They did exactly what we had been talking about, playing to the utmost of their ability and without fear (Isaiah 41:10). I got misty-eyed during one time-out just telling them how I proud I was of what they were doing (and after that, they played even harder).
Our boys definitely glorified God that game (1 Cor 10:31) as both the boys and girls teams did throughout the entire tournament. Our sons and daughters were terrific. They really could not have been easier to work with. They made us so proud with their giving it their all on the court and their good attitudes win or lose.
We praise God for the opportunity to compete and thank all who helped make it possible for us to travel to the National Tournament.
In Christ,
Tal Anderson, Boys Coach
The 2015 New Hope Academy basketball teams.