Photo Credit – Adelaide University Sport
3-Minute Read
The Adelaide Waatu Women’s historic season rolls on with a strong final term over UBL powerhouse USYD with a first ever quarter finals win 74-64 at the Pridham Hall.
Alex Oliver and Lauryn Walker made the first initial baskets with the Waatu hitting back quick but neither team could be split after the first term 21-19 to the Waatu thanks to yet another Caitlin Shillabeer timely triple.
Terran Wright began a tear of her own with a step-back triple and scoring off the very next play courtesy of the shifty hands of Jemima Whitton (Nine points, six rebounds & steals with five assists) who then added one of her own to open up the lead 28-21. Enter Alecia Saldavia with a deep triple from the corner then Zahlia Niemann dropped a pair to create a 15-3 run for the Waatu 36-21 and a commanding lead. Yvette Volk and Oliver pinched back a couple however to cut it to 42-34 at the half.
USYD needed an answer at the half and as good quality UBL sides over multiple years do they found something extra with Rena Cao making a cameo appearance followed by some more Volk voltage to spark the away side back into a 57-57 a piece game. Sasha Hardin (10 points, seven rebounds & three assists) however had other ideas with a steal and floater to sneak the Waatu in front at three quarter time with one to play 59-57 – the first time in the season however that the Waatu had lost the third term in one of the greatest strengths after half time breaks.
Wright (Seven points, nine rebounds and three assists) again showed up exactly on time with an early make at the basket with one of the key moments of the game where Niemann drew a fifth foul on Waatu problem-maker in Oliver who fouled out minutes into the final term. Taking advantage of the smaller front court was Annika Uzcategui-Montenegro with seven of the Waatu’s 15 last quarter points and locked down USYD at the defensive end – the highlight a huge spike rejection of a Volk drive. She closed the match out with the jumper and Shillabeer hit the key free throws to not only send the Waatu to the semi-finals but also host the semi-final and grand final series in Adelaide for the first time in league history.
In very even performances – Shillabeer led the way with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Uzcategui Montenegro’s final term saw her finish with her game of the season 11 points, eight rebounds & two blocks
Women’s Quarter Final – AU Waatu 74 (Shillabeer 18, Uzcategui-Montenegro 11, Hardin, Turnbull 10, Whitton 9, Wright 7) defeated USYD 64 (Volk 18, Walker 15, Oliver 10, Cao 8)
Catch all of the action from our Mens season on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features post season.
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