Photo Credit – VU Vulture Sports
3-Minute Read
Women
It took a late charge for the AU Waatu to eventually takedown the spirited VU Vultures on their home floor 50-56 at the Victoria University Community & Sports Stadium in Footscray.
Bella Woosnam (Exercise and Sports Science) rustled up the opening points for the Waatu, but Chelsea Suemai and Reyana Guzel were proving to be problems early. Woosnam picked up her seventh of the term with the tip in off the o-board with Meaza Otto (Health and Medical Science) compiling some key points in the tight opening term. The Vultures however continued to dry up the points for the Waatu with Flick Theodore edging them in front 18-11 after one.
The Vultures after some early struggles of performances continued to challenge the Waatu through some grinding defensive work throwing everything at them. Woosnam pushed the Waatu closer 22-18, but the Vultures capitalised again through Suemai to pull the home side out to a 32-19 lead. Otto’s triple just before the half though cut it back to a ten-point game 32-22 with a half to go.
Coach Lachlan Coppick made some changes at the half with Jemima Whitton (Viticulture/Oenology) responding with a bevy of points as she attacked the cup dragging it back to a two-basket game 36-30. Suemai was a strong contributor for the Vultures but star recruit for the Waatu in Caitlin Shillabeer (Physiotherapy) started to get moving to help the Waatu stay in touch winning the term and cutting it to 41-36 with one to play.
Despite plenty of petrol tickets expelled by the homeside they continued to keep the Waatu at arm’s length leading by eight with five minutes to go – it was Shillabeer from area code that started to finally make inroads on the Vultures. Her back-to-back triples coupled with an Otto jumper and timely triple finally bridging the gap with Shillabeer putting the Waatu in front with a tough contested finish for the first time since the opening minutes in the match 49-50. Opportunities started to emerge for the Waatu but couldn’t finish their work till Otto grabbed the huge steal and finished the strong layup. The Waatu’s pressure getting to the Vultures as they conceded a 1-6 run in the finish.
Shillabeer with 11 in the final term notched 17 points, nine rebounds with three steals and two blocks emerged as the player of the game closely shadowed by Whitton’s third term to give her nine points, seven rebounds and four steals. Woosnam was consistent throughout the match with 12 points and seven rebounds and Otto’s 12 points, five rebounds and four steals helped total 17 steals for the Waatu. Chelsea Suemai was strong in the first half lead gathering with 14 points, 12 rebounds and Brodie Hillier grabbing eight points, nine rebounds and three steals for the homeside.
Men
The Waatu Men copped a blow despite a golden debut performance from the VU Vultures as they took their first win of the UBL season in a close encounter in the suburbs of Victoria 87-84.
While missing key scorers Harry Bruce and Emil Kourani – the more than handy debut of South Adelaide Panther Curtis Scott would help the Waatu up their punch in potential points and other key numbers for the match. It started with 0-6 start through Scott and Bailey Nathan (Computer Science) attacking the cup then draining some key triples, but Cooper Kirkman soared the Vultures back into the contest 8-17 with some timely triples of his own. A 6-0 run from the Vultures led by Mayuol Makuac and Jack Gandolfo cut it back to 19-21 before Scott finished off his debut opening term with another triple to make it 19-24 at the first change.
Ayual Garang (Architectural Design) stretched the margin at the start of the second term with a triple, but Bailey Bruce of the Vultures strung some key baskets together to bring it back close to level. Thomas Mestrov (Maths/Computer Science) kept the scoreboard ticking over but the movement of the ball and the execution of plays was stifled by the homeside for the Waatu. Mason Gaze coming off a big week for the family came out charging out of the timeout for VU as he paired nine points together in the final two minutes from the charity stripe and beyond the arc to give the Vultures the 48-38 lead at the half.
The Waatu fought back at the start of the third through captain Isaac Hampel (Electrical Engineering) and Scott returning the margin to 51-47. Garang got himself involved as well with the make in close with Scott and Hampel cutting it back even further with multiple baskets. The Waatu hitting the front finally after Scott made yet another strong layup and Ahmed Nawasany (Computer Science) put them in front with the floater 62-63 with one to play.
Scott began the fourth with another two strong baskets in close, but Makuac was not letting it go for VU. Gandolfo’s deep step-back triple levelled things up again 73-73 a piece with Garang finishing creatively for back-to-back baskets. Nawasany hit the important triple again, but Bailey Bruce made some key plays before Gandolfo once again made one go down from deep as did Makuac to give them back the lead 83-82. Out of the timeout from Scott Freer – Gandolfo picked Scott’s pocket giving Bruce the chance for more free throws making both successfully.
The Waatu grabbed the steal off the next play to cut it back to a point through Hampel, but Makuac was sent back to the line at the other end – making both 87-84. One play left for the Waatu to send it to overtime, Nathan fed it to Garang and got it back for the three-point look but was blocked by Bruce. Garang regathered the ricochet ball but his second triple attempt sailed wide of the target as VU grabbed their first win of the season and dealt a blow to the Waatu heading to the bye mid-season.
Curtis Scott was golden on debut with 31 points, seven assists and rebounds with three steals with Garang bringing 14 points with 13 rebounds nearly continuing their winning ways. The game of Mayuol Makuac however was the standout with 20 points with five triples, six rebounds and four assists well supported by Bailey Bruce with 17 points and Jack Gandolfo with 16 points with three triples and three assists.
The Waatu head into the club mid-season bye with the Women on a 3-2 record in 5th and the Men on a 2-3 record in 8th with big games upcoming against UWA Maali on Thursday September 11
Women – VU Vultures 50 (Suemai 14, De Riter, Hillier, Guzel 8) defeated by AU Waatu 56 (Shillabeer 17, Otto, Woosnam 12, Whitton 9)
Men – VU Vultures 87 (Makuac 20, B Bruce 17, Gandolfo 16) defeated AU Waatu 84 (C Scott 31, Garang 14, Hampel, Nathan, Nawasany 9)
Catch all the action from this Thursday September 11 from 12:30pm ACDT on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features throughout the season.
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