Photo Credit – Adelaide University Sports
3-Minute Read
Women
It took till deep into the fourth term, but the Waatu Women secured their fourth win of the season and are on the doorstep of the UBL finals for the first time with a close out of the UWA Maali 62-69 at the UWA Sport and Recreation Centre.
The Waatu women took on one of the teams they’ve had recent success against across their years in the UBL but a much-improved UWA Maali hit the floor hard in the opening term. Captain Jenna Teasdale for the home side who scored 22 points in their 2024 meeting in Adelaide was strong early with scoring the first few points with Sydney Meares looking dangerous (10 points, six rebounds and five steals) with both teams trading blows to leave it tight after one term 16-19.
Both teams missed plenty of long-range attempts to open the second term, but Teasdale once again kept the Maali in the contest with nine points in the quarter. Not to be outdone was the up and down court work of Jemima Whitton with six points but a lack of scoreboard contribution saw the Waatu down courtesy of Zoe Shanahan (Eight points, four assists and rebounds) with a fancy turn around seeing them out 35-28 at the main break.
Bella Woosnam came out of halftime with a triple despite the trailing margin for the away side sparking a three-point frenzy with Meaza Otto (11 points and three assists), Claire Hunter (11 points and three assists) hitting from deep to cut it right back in the third term. Hunter continued to gather the points in the stanza causing matchup problems and slashing the margin back to 49-46 with one to play.
With Waatu looking to make the finals with three games remaining including two home fixtures to close the regular season – a new face flew in with impact. Forestville Eagle Jemma Tredrea edged them in front and became a focal point for the Waatu with a quick seven points in a row. Whitton and her denting the confidence of the home side with Otto and Tredrea stretching it beyond a two-basket lead.
Tredrea extended it to double figures with another two points as the home side looked done, but Teasdale and Shanahan make saw coach Lachlan Coppick call for timeout to settle the nerves on the road. A turnover for the Waatu saw the Maali call for time with the after time out play seeing Keisha Chng’s triple force another timeout as the margin sat at four points.
Sending Whitton to the free throw line for one of two the Maali had several opportunities to cut the margin again but misses from beyond the arc to Chng, Ari Creighton and Chng off conceded offensive rebounds by the Waatu eventually ended with the ball in Tredrea’s hands who sealed the Waatu’s fourth win of the season and fifth place on the ladder – two wins clear of eight with three to play.
Tredrea’s debut was strong in the absence of Caitlin Shillabeer with 16 points and 11 rebounds backed up by a strong all-round game from a near triple double to Jemima Whitton with 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Jemma Teasdale notched 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to lead all for the Waatu with Keisha Chng strong from outside with 13 points on four triples with five rebounds.
Men
The Waatu Men kept their place in the top eight with a gunslinging matchup in the West against the UWA Maali 80-88 – a game filled with plenty of one-on-one showdowns of various degrees throughout the afternoon at the UWA Sport and Recreation Centre.
The opening term began as usual with two guns in Joe Harwood who scored 21 points last meeting in Adelaide and Curtis Scott coming to play for the Waatu keeping things entertaining early. A Damian Zhang triple however sparked a strong response of 0-11 from the Waatu as they seized into the lead 11-17. Keegan Schrick returned order to the home side with Lachlan Oakley hitting the buzzer beating triple to bring it back to 19-27 after one.
Curtis Scott was unstoppable as the great one produced eight points, and three assists enabled the Waatu to jump out but the triples from Oakley and Zhang kept raining in with Hardwood even flushing one down off the left hand dribble into two handed takeoff to spark the 7-3 run with a huge block to Schrick and Zhang’s triple forcing the timeout to Scott Freer. Riley Eves and Schrick helped snare back to the lead as momentum swung the Maali’s way and to a 46-43 lead at the half.
Waatu not impressed with the back end of the second term came out strong in the third renewed via Thomas Mestrov and Scott as the Waatu edged their way back in front. While drying up other sources Harwood continued to keep the Maali in the contest making timely baskets. A final minute push from Ahmed Nawsany with the turnaround jumper breaking the ankles of his opponent and Scott however fouled attempting the triple saw him go three from three from charity and gifting the Waatu a 63-70 lead with one to play.
The Harwood/Scott battle continued on the floor as the gunslingers in the west fired shot after shot in the fourth. Mestrov however was becoming a factor as he made multiple paint plays and grabbed plenty of glass as they stayed out by a healthy lead. The Maali had a last push at the margin with Harwood slamming another one down and Schrick trying to rain in more triples, but Scott closed it out with and1 play in a comprehensive finish to take the Waatu’s third win and sit in the top eight with three games to play.
Scott was sensational through four quarters with his 39 points, coupled with nine assists, seven rebounds the second highest ever individual total by a Waatu player just short of Men’s Darcy McNamara’s 42 points versus USYD. Thomas Mestrov was strong in the second half to finish with 10 points and nine rebounds with several other players making handy contributions. Joe Harwood was dominant again with 21 points, eight rebounds while Keegan Schrick was potent with 19 points, 15 rebounds and three assists in the finish.
Women – UWA Maali 62 (Teasdale 18, Chng 13, Meares 10) defeated by AU Waatu 69 (J Tredrea 16, Whitton 14, Hunter, Otto 11)
Men – UWA Maali 80 (Harwood 21, Schrick 19, Oakley, Zhang 13) defeated by AU Waatu 88 (C Scott 39, Mestrov 10, Nawasany, Thomas 8)
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