Slammers slam home advantage
A magnificent buzzer beating bomb by Slammer workhorse Nat Fielding in overtime at the Eaton Recreation Centre on Friday night wrapped up one of the most significant State Basketball League wins by the Carpet Court Slammers in recent years.
With the score against heavyweights and SBL champions in recent times, Perry Lakes Hawks, locked up at 103-all Fielding landed his three-point bomb as an explosive gallery erupted in ecstasy.
And they did the overtime business without the services of ace American import John Smith, fouled out six minutes before full time with a fabulous game high double double of 34-points and 13 rebounds.
Mentioned regularly this season by his coach, Tony Deighton, as a silent contributor with modest statistics on the scoreboard, Fielding put up his highest points tally of 13 at 71 per cent from the floor and generally tormented the Hawks to deserved accolades at the end.
Deighton was not on hand to see his Slammers snatch their dramatic win - in South Australia with the State Country junior teams, watching son Luke in action.
His assistants, Mick Owens and Pat O'Kane were there, however, and proved up to their task guiding the Slammers to their significant win.
Cruising all night against the Hawks after taking a 28-22 first quarter and stretching that to 56-43 at half-time the Slammers held off their fancied opponents in the third term before fading in the fourth to allow the Hawks to level at 103-all.
An arm wrestle ensued in overtime by two determined teams fought valiantly for the spoils, turning for home with five points each at the end of the first period.
With five seconds on the clock left the Hawkstook a shot and missed.
Ty Aalabakis went up for the critical rebound and brought down amemorable grab only to lose the ball over the side on the way up to the other end.
However it was a Slammers inbound with skipper Aaron Edwards feeding the powerful Field with three seconds left and he made no mistake to cap a great personal show as the three-pointer swished home.
There were Slammers heroes all over the court on Friday night with big John SmithâÂÂs best match to date, captain Edwards slotting 18-points with nine rebounds and a red hot forward Trent Worthington contributing 24-points for his top score of the season with seven rebounds and five assists and polished Josh Weir superb in the field with eight assists, several boards and seven points.
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