Photo Credit – Anthony Furina / Adelaide University / Picture IT Sports Photography
3-Minute Read
Women
A final quarter spark from star Waatu guard Caitlin Shillabeer and composure form the free throw line from Terran Wright saw the Waatu grab their third win of the season and sweep their home games with a compelling 81-74 win at Pridham Hall.
The Waatu grabbed the first couple before captain and basketball star Aleisha Cadee showed her family genes flow through her with a deep bomb from area code as the master of that business.
Wright attacked the cup early after missing the encounter with USYD in Sydney but Eloise Leonard was proving to be a tough opponent to overcome with Monash taking a 14-19 quarter time league.
After pulling off a player of the game against USYD – Sasha Hardin found a run of buckets for herself with Cadee and Maddy Papsworth helping push the lead back to Monash’s favour. Ella Turnbull made some late plays in the second to bring the margin back to a single basket 36-37 at the half.
The third tightened up again with basket for basket traded between Wright and Lilly Ballarin – but after a quiet first half of just a basket the MVP of last season Shillabeer rose a cog to finally break through the length of the Monash defenders first with a customary triple then some tough jump shots as inexplicably a few of the opposition defenders went to sleep on her. Turnbull made another tough finish drawing contact for the and1 but Monash found the answer again but still sat a couple of baskets in front 51-55 with one to go.
Stepping up in the final term with away teams struggling on the road this season – Annika Uzcategui Montenegro who battled hard against Romy Price all day produced a spell of offence that could be telling by seasons end. AUM grabbed seven final quarter points including a massive triple to break the game open for the Waatu. Terran Wright was clutch at the free throw line on every trip with the Waatu pushing away to their third win of the season sweeping their home series.
Wright was the player of the game with 21 points including a perfect 11 of 11 from the charity stripe with five steals flanked on her side by Hardin with 14 points and three rebounds.
Men
After helping the Waatu pull off the upset against USYD the previous week – Curtis Scott once again produced the clutch moment for the homeside as they grabbed an important 72-70 win over Monash at the Pridham Hall.
Monash grabbed the early ascendancy with Billy Barton and Tom Carroll getting the white and blue rolling early. It took some pick and roll action and understanding between Scott and Matt Thomson to help the Waatu regain control to take a quarter time lead 20-16.
Carroll (15 points, nine rebounds and three assists) continued to peel off the key baskets and showed his NBL1 nous while Mitchell Blackburn (17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks) was proving a paint providing nuisance for the Waatu. Scott and Thomson again combined in a grind of a second term left dead level 34-34.
The game continued to remain tight with Denzell Prenzens of Monash acting like a glove trying to curtail Curtis Scott but that freed up Ayual Garang and Issac Hampel to construct and engineer plenty of points.
At 44-45 down by one through the term – Scott released himself from the grip of Prenzens taking the Waatu back to a multi-basket lead with a quick fire eight points to end the third stanza 52-48.
Scott then peeled off another five points to open the final term with Prezens (13 points, four assists and two blocks) answering back the other way. Carroll then found his mark on the sheet of this score as the game once again came down to the dying minutes. Cody De Bortoli tied the scores again with Scott giving the Waatu a go ahead basket before De Bortoli (10 points) made an important tip in on the offensive rebound.
It came down to the last play with 24 seconds remaining…
Scott’s free throw gave Monash a chance to win or send it to overtime with Carroll’s three point shot hitting the rim and ricocheting away and the Waatu had pinched yet another single basket thriller.
Scott again was the clear match winner with 29 points, six assists and five rebounds with Hampel contributing another 13 points while Thomson’s six points and nine rebounds was vital in a block battle with Blackburn.
The Waatu Women and Men next take on Uni of Melbourne & FED in a road double header in Victoria – Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 September
Women – AU Waatu 81 (Wright 21, Hardin 14, Shillabeer 13, Turnbull, Uzcategui-Montenegro 11) defeated Monash University 74 (Cadee 21, Keane 13, Ballarin 11, Papworth 8)
Men – AU Waatu 72 (Scott 29, Hampel 13, Garang 12) defeated Monash University (Blackburn 17, Carroll 15, Prenzens 13, De Bortoli 10)
Catch all the action against Uni of Melbourne and FED from this Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 September on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features throughout the season.
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