Photo Credit – Anthony Furina (Via Adelaide University)
3-Minute Read
Women
The Waatu stuck thick and thin with UTAS but eventually lost touch with them late as the UBL powerhouse got the job done on the road 59-76 in a gritty encounter at the State Basketball Centre.
It was tight opening to the match between the two teams with an enthralling battle between Sharna Thompson and Jemima Whitton (Viticulture & Oenology – 10 points, four steals and three rebounds) – two championship teammates with the Norwood Flames going toe-to-toe in the same barrel. Leah Bartlett however with seven opening term points led all from the front as UTAS took the lead 12-17 at the first change.
Quiet in the first term Thompson got rolling with plenty of solid makes with Waatu coach Lachlan Coppick trying to stifle the momentum with a timeout down 18-29. Enter Alice Sabine (Medical Studies) as she met the challenge with multiple makes helping keep the margin to a reasonable 26-35 at the main break.
The scoring spread further in the third with UTAS finding answers from their Hobart Chargers in Zoe Banks (Nine points and assists) and Thompson again – keeping touch was Jemma Tredrea (Physiotherapy) and Bella Woosnam (Nutrition & Sports Science – Nine points and three steals) as they muscled the Waatu into the contest with one to play 43-57.
A quick 9-8 run to open the fourth saw the Waatu stretch back into it through Tredrea and Caitlin Shillabeer (Physiotherapy) again 52-65. The answer came for the well balanced UTAS with Emmerson Wells consistent throughout the afternoon and Thompson finishing it off with another eight points in the final term.
Tredrea continued her strong contributions with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists backed up well by Shillabeer with 12 points and six rebounds. Thompson player of the game notched 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists while Wells collected 18 points and 11 rebounds, Bartlett superb in the first half particularly finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Men
The Waatu Men kept their faint top four finals hopes alive but also secured their highest finish of the UBL with a thrilling 90-88 win over UTAS at the State Basketball Centre.
The opening saw a tantalising battle between two teammates of the runner up NBL1 Central final Central Districts Lions as Jack Stanwix and Ayual Garang (Architectural Design) found themselves going head-to-head. However difficult to stop going downhill Curtis Scott (Health/Medical Science) opened the first term with eight points but Garang was not far behind with five. A 17-5 run led by those two and Issac Hampel (Electrical Engineering) sparked early impact of Jordan Straatsma to take the 28-21 lead.
The Waatu continued to lead the charge with Garang nailing some big triples to give the Waatu a handy 39-25 advantage. After a quiet opening term Stanwix got busy with some key baskets to push UTAS back into it but a late pair of free throws from Scott saw the Waatu hold a handy 52-38 margin at the half.
The comeback for UTAS after the half was launched by Luke Brown and Stanwix (eight points for the term) as the pair rolled it back to 56-49 with a quick 4-11 run. A pair of key triples to Hampel dropped however kept the margin at a reasonable 70-58 with one to go.
UTAS charged their way back in through Straatsma and his work in the block again while Scott was being curtailed by the away side. Straatsma found his range from outside and paired with Stanwix cut it back to 83-79 – the Waatu calculating their approach through Thomas Mestrov (Banking & Finance) and Ahmed Nawasany (Computer Science) to keep them in front.
The Waatu failed to put the game away as UTAS struck back through Archie Stewart with the easy two-point layup, but UTAS were in the fouling situation needing to send Waatu to the line. Sending Scott the free throw line and after missing the first, made the second hit the front of the rim with Garang (eight in the final term) picking up the scraps dribbling it away and forced to foul. He missed the first and tried to miss the second, but it went in to make it 90-88 with one second left. UTAS turned it off fortunately on the last play and Waatu prevailed with one game to play – still had a slim home final alive depending on results ahead.
Ayual Garang was the player of the match with 23 points and nine rebounds also containing Stanwix for majority of the game and even though quieter than previous weeks Scott still accumulated 22 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks. Stanwix led all for UTAS eventually with 25 points, five rebounds, three assists along with arguably the most consistent of the match in Jordan Straatsma with 24 points and eight rebounds with Luke Brown also gathering 21 points and six rebounds.
The Waatu Women and Men are already secure in the top eight but if results go their way plus wins over another powerhouse in USYD – home finals are still open for possibility
Women – AU Waatu 59 (Tredrea 13, Shillabeer 12, Whitton 10) defeated by UTAS 76 (Thompson 24, Wells 18, Bartlett 11)
Men – AU Waatu 90 (Garang 23, Scott 22, Hampel 15) defeated UTAS 88 (Stanwix 25, Straatsma 24, Brown 21)
Finals have arrived for both our teams – Catch all the action against UTAS & USYD from this Tuesday October 7 on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features throughout the season.
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