Meera Coburn (pictured left) caused problems once again for the Adelaide Waatu in their road trip to Victoria last week - Photo supplied by Adelaide Uni Sports and Recreation
Winter storm not enough to overcome Falcons
The Waatu Women’s first win in their history came against the Falcons in 2023 but ran into a solid home unit first up on Tuesday afternoon 83-67.
The home side got the flying start led by Demi Thompson with only Georgia Winter keeping the Waatu in it – raining in three triples in the first term. Tara Elliott however was on fire for the Falcons firing the Ballarat based side to a 30-13 lead at quarter time.
The Norwood Flames duo lit up for the Waatu to start the second as Jemima Whitton and Alice Sabine began a big rise for the Waatu. An unanswered 0-9 run was further capatalised on by Winter with another triple and inside drive to get the Waatu back to a 41-35 scoreline. The 11-22 quarter was their most productive of the season so far.
Sabine started off the third quarter keeping the Waatu in it and had some help from pocket rocket of impact Raima Johnson (another quick spell of scores with five points). Sarah Augustine however for the Falcons was causing all sorts of problems with Winter closing the gap with her fifth triple of the afternoon. After trading layups Elliott broke the deadlock in the quarter with a dagger to give the home side a 66-57 lead heading into the last.
A 7-2 start was not ideal for the Waatu to open the fourth and despite some Whitton and Sabine scoreboard pressure – the Falcons with a couple of last quarter Thompson triples just pushed it out a little too far for the Waatu to reel it back in as they fell 83-67.
RD 2 Women FED 83 (Collins 21, Elliott 16, McKenzie 15, Thompson 12) defeated AU Waatu 67 (Winter 19, Sabine 18, Whitton 10, Rychtarcikova 9)
Record win uncovers gold from beyond for Waatu Men
The Waatu Men notched their biggest win of their time in the UBL with a thumping 30 point win laden with plenty of hits beyond the arc 89-119.
Emil Kourani kicked things off with a triple to open proceedings and backed it up with another two plus an impressive spin move drive to have 11 for the term. Ayual Garang joined the three fest with two of his own – new inclusion from the Norwood Flames and 2023 ANZAC Day Medallist Darcy McNamara finishing the quarter with a buzzer beater triple beating all kinds of pressure. The Waatu leading 26-33 with seven triples in the opening term.
McNamara showed his recent preseason form for the Flames was no accident as he lit up for another to start the second term with Kourani following up to begin a 0-8 run. The Falcons Austin MacKenzie showed resistance but the Waatu rode Garang in the second with a triple and some transition coast to coast work. Harry Bruce put the finishing touches to the quarter with a pair of triples and a put back shot to turn a 3-17 run into a strong 46-66 lead at the half.
It was Bruce’s turn to show the spruce with back to back triples then McNamara feeding Bailey Nathan as the Falcons burnt timeout 55-74. Kourani made a cutting reverse layup, Garang got busy defensively with a block from behind before feeding Bruce for another two. McNamara drained another triple then fed Sam Davies to make it 75-87 at three quarter time.
The triple treat continued in the fourth with McNamara again but the Falcons pushed it back to 82-92 and a little concern was sweeping coach Scott Freer. A steadying timeout saw Bruce and McNamara emerge with back to back triples before Bruce brought up the 100 with a contested finish in transition. The bench got plenty of burn with Isaac Hampel grabbing a floater and Patrick Moriarty grabbing a triple as Davies and Kourani finished it with soft touch and slams – capping a record win for the Waatu Men. Twenty triples in all led to the 119 scoreline, a record in the past three years of UBL action for the Waatu.
RD 2 Men FED 89 defeated by AU Waatu 119 (Bruce 27, McNamara 23, Kourani 17, Garang 13) – Individual Finalised Scores to Follow
Winter scorches Melbourne early but “Slaylah” Leila leads Black Angels to win
The Waatu Women showed their competitiveness in season 2024 pushing Melbourne University hard at home with an 80-67 loss on day two of their roadtrip. Georgia Winter continued her stellar form from the week lighting it up early for the Waatu.
With a change of Petra Rychtarcikova into the starting five, Winter took advantage of the early space as she nailed her first triple and dropped one off the window. Meera Coburn of the “Black Angels” who had grabbed 7 points and 16 rebounds the previous time they met and one of the only members left from the squad of 2023 was at it again early with buckets, assists and boards – feeding Lara Essex for multiple attempts. Not to be outdone Meaza Otto with some impressive finishing including a driving layup heavily contested. The quarter however belonged to Winter who drained a WNBA range triple then took a left handed hook drive but it was NBL1 South Melbourne Tiger Leila Davis for the home side on the buzzer that left the score in favour of MUBC 27-23 after one.
Winter clearly still didn’t register on the scout as she got open another three then got a shooters roll on her drive before draining another three. Only Otto’s faked handoff and score left it 0-10 to open the second with a timeout to Melbourne. Davis and Essex responded for the home side setting up Melbourne with multiple looks and trips to the charity stripe with Victoria Poulos forcing a timeout the way of the Waatu 36-35. Rychtarcikova got a nice finish underneath but would not be allowed a second time as Coburn began block city for the “Black Angels.” A Jemima Whitton triple and Flames teammate Alice Sabine with a charge absorbed kept them in touch at half time 44-40 and right in the contest. Winter controlled everything for the Waatu with 21 points at the half with Davis just behind her for MUBC with 16 points.
Despite clear instruction at half time not to lose her – Winter blew off her defender for another triple before MUBC strung together a strong run of 2-8 through Aimee Wookey, Davis andKnox Raiders product Colby Rough. A circus trick from Raima Johnson created an and1 opportunity but Davis and Rough were hard to stop for the home side. Whitton and Sabine closed the gap for the Waatu and Winter’s seventh triple kept them in touching distance 63-56 with one to play.
The message got through to the “Black Angels’ with their defence shutting down Winter but opened things up for Sabine to take it coast to coast. Davis and Coburn however had the final say with Davis sealing things off with 12 points and Coburn almost having as many points as blocks despite Ellamay Brooks-Birve’s late bank triple helping bring the Waatu closer in the finish 80-67.
RD 2 MUBC 80 (Davis 29, Rough 15, Essex 14, Coburn 9) defeated AU 67 (Winter 30, Otto 11, Whitton 8, Brooks-Birve 5, Sabine 7)
Mc-Matchup worth the price as Melbourne power home
All you had to know as those of the Mc-variety were the serve of the day as MU and AU tried to outgun each other from beyond the arc – with the defending 2023 champions Melbourne at home just out lasting an out of gas Waatu men 101-78.
The “Black Angels” missing Nunawading Spectre Dihan Wiggett began things with Josh McNally draining a triple – the bigs of Melbourne already causing the Waatu trouble in Melbourne Tigers Will Amos and Camberwell Dragons Matt Power. Adding the spice though was McNamara who off the back of Tuesday’s debut performance went toe-to-toe with McNally as he fired for 12 points with three triples of various fadeaway, difficulty and included a four point play he converted. McNally leaving the home side in front at quarter time 30-21.
Amos continued his damage to start the second with Harry Bruce keeping the Waatu in touch with a clock beater then a triple – but again Power and newly entered Waverly Falcon Harvey Moore kept MUBC in front 43-26 with a 13-4 run. Bruce reeled off back to back triples in response but McNally and Power with 14 points continued to be a pain as Melbourne led 54-49 in a tight one at half-time. Bruce owned the second with 15 points in the quarter.
McNally and McNamara went at each other again in the third with triples answering each other but the height of Melbourne Tigers Kai Garnaut, Power and co was starting to wear down the second day road trip Waatu. Even McNamara driving against up to three players found himself locked down as Melbourne took a 77-62 advantage into the last – a 23-13 term.
McNally nailed another triple to open the fourth and after foul trouble in the first three quarters Ayual Garang emerged with an and1 in transition then hit a circus floater shot for another and1 to cut it back to 80-68. Amos ran amuck from that point on as Melbourne pushed themselves out – Lachlan Maddern sealing comfortable victory with a pair of triples. Kourani dropped a couple of triples and a one handed slam in the final term to make the Waatu’s scorecard look more respectable in the finish 105-78.
RD 2 MUBC 105 (McNally 22, Power 20, Amos 26, Garnaut 12) defeated AU Waatu 78 (McNamara 22, Bruce 19, Kourani 13, Garang 11)
Catch the Waatu’s third round and first home games this week against University of WA on Wednesday on Uni Sports TV from 11:00am or catch it live at the State Basketball Centre.
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CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 