Photo Credit – Rachel Bown (@rbownphotos)
3-Minute Read
Women
The Waatu Women matched up with their quarter final nemesis and again pushed the home side USYD Lions all the way to the precipice – just falling short of the 3-0 start 62-59 away from home at the Sports and Aquatic Centre.
An 11-3 start to USYD via Lauryn Walker’s strong offensive prowess forced the early timeout for Lachlan Coppick and the Waatu who responded immediately with a 8-7 level up but trailed 18-11 at the first change.
Walker and Alex Oliver again who hurt the Waatu in their final last year in spurts extended the lead to 12 points before Sasha Hardin’s and1 showed her wares while Alecia Saldavia got under the guard of the Lions with some triples and some work around the basket. Adelaide turned the game through Ella Turnbull’s offensive precision to take the lead with five quick points, up court pressure and tenacity but the Lions clawed back again through Walker and Oliver. Hardin tying the scores at the half with a steal off the last sideline inbound and late make on the rim to level things up 34-34.
Turnbull (13 points and eight rebounds) kept the scoreboard ticking over in the third term keeping things level with Saldavia also impacting heavily on the contest with her outside shooting. The Waatu were in a heavily favourable position grabbing their biggest lead of the game via a Jemima Whitton (Six points, six steals and five assists) double up 42-49 before the literal fire-starter halted the game at the 0:54 mark of the third term as the stadium was evacuated for a fire alarm.
Unfortunately for the Waatu it ignited the Lions as Lara Page-Post got her game going in the paint and USYD stole the lead back 62-57. The Waatu however were not done as Mischa Buckley fed Whitton for the two then Buckley had the opportunity to tie the scores with a triple. The Waatu’s press forced another turnover on the Lions with unfortunately Annika Uzcategui-Montenegro being blocked by Maddie Dalmeida with USYD just escaping at home.
Hardin led the way with 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and steals while Saldavia produced a strong debut with 15 points and three assists.
Men
In one of the great wins of the Waatu’s five year history – Curtis Scott single-handedly went toe-to-toe with another NBL1 star in Iggy Mitchell as the two clashed in a high scoring thriller – the Waatu sneaking home just in the reverse result 90-93 at the Sports and Aquatic Centre.
Scott got the Waatu off to an absolute flyer after 41 points in their seven point loss last season – Scott scythed his way through the Lions defence taking them to the charity stripe mainly for his eight points in the first term. Triples to Ayual Garang and Angus Crosby gave them a 9-26 lead after one stanza.
The Lions roared back through Benjamin Williams then Iggy Mitchell found his floater and inside game to cut it to 20-34 with the Waatu sensing momentum flowing back the homeside’s way. Mitchell compiled another eight points for the term with Hampel’s triples and Scott’s dynamic play keeping the Waatu out by double figures 34-46 at the main change.
Mitchell opened the third term with a triple as both teams got hot beyond the perimeter. Both teams knocking down 13 triples between them thanks to the high power nature of Hampel, Harrison Evans, Jesse Weinstein and Mitchell cashing in continuously with feet set and down drains. Scott changed the method with stepbacks in his offensive mindset engulfing the Lions to push the Waatu out to a 49-70 lead. Scott found another triple with USYD needing a (Josh) Spark and they got one and then also Mitchell who peeled off a triple to beat the three quarter time buzzer with Waatu comfortably in front 61-75 but no where near home on the road.
Both teams tightened up their defence on the perimeter however Hampel and Malang Deng escaped the defence again with a 20 point lead 63-83 but you knew that the Lions had plenty of fight left in them. Williams was the one to claw them back into it with a staggering nineteen last term points and became nigh impossible to guard. He cut it to single figures with 2:29 to go and while one alarm had already gone off in the day – another was sounding at the Adelaide end of the floor.
Still leading 80-90 with two minutes to go – Mitchell produced the go ahead plays down the stretch to further slash the margin with Williams making it five points the margin before Scott drained another dagger 85-93. Williams responded with a triple.
Weinstein forced the turnover off Scott then feeding Mitchell (27 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four blocks) for the single basket lead. Garang was fouled but missed both free throws – Weinstein’s attempt with 17 seconds left fell short with the ball forced out of bounds but USYD possession. The ball went to the hands of Mitchell with the ball hitting the rim, popping up and reversing short as the Waatu despite a roaring comeback from the Lions held strong to pull of the victory.
Scott was the clear match winner with 37 points and seven triples, six rebounds, four assists and steals with Hampel accumulating 18 points and four triples with five assists. Thomson also nearly collected a double double with nine points and 10 rebounds including four assists.
The Waatu Women and Men next take on Monash today – in their first season in the UBL and some basketball pedigree and connections – Wednesday 2 September
Women – USYD 62 (Walker 21, Oliver 14, Lepage-Post, Volk 8) defeated AU Waatu 59 (Hardin 16, Saldavia 15, Turnbull 13)
Men – USYD 90 (Mitchell, WIlliams 27, Evans 11, Ekert, Weinstein 9) defeated by AU Waatu 93 (Scott 37, Hampel 18, Garang 11, Thomson 9, Deng 8)
Catch all the action against MON from this Wednesday 2 September on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features throughout the season.
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