28 November 2012

Photo:   Leonie Snowdon dropped in a team high 16 points in semi-final loss to Ansett.

Championship Season

Darwin Airport Resort League Results from Tuesday 27 November 2012

Semi-finals

League Women –Tracy Village Jets v Lightning

The Tracy Village Jets booked a Grand Final date after overcoming a tenacious Lightning outfit 55-52. Sam Rioli hit 7 of her 10 points in the last quarter to put the Bombers into a Championship Season Grand Final for the third time in a decade. The last time they won was in 2003. Not much separated the two sides throughout the game. The Bombers took a slim 25-22 lead at half time and then slipped behind 38-36 by the end of the third quarter as Lightning inched in front behind the effort of Jacinda Lambert and Sarah Carbone (who hit a pair of treys during a 16-11 run). Rioli (19.5ppg) then ignited the Bombers with support from Tikesa Docherty-Cole (10) Keisha Tinley (8) and Tara Maxwell during a spirited 19-14 run that earned them the victory and a place in the GF on 8 December. Lambert (17.5ppg) finished with a game high 19 for Lightning with Kelli Sealy the only other player in double figures on 10. Kylie Duggan (13.8ppg) hit a team high 15 for the Jets.

Ansett v Eagles

Ansett pushed the Eagles out of contention with a decisive 60-46 win in the ‘knockout’ semi-final. The Eagle’s couldn’t match the firepower of Nichole Silmone (26 @ 18.5ppg) and Sam Drescher (21 @ 22.5ppg), who combined for 47 of their team’s total points. The Blues didn’t overwhelm the Eagles, but outscored them by 4 or 5 each quarter… just enough to stay in front and keep the pressure on the Birds to try and find a way back into the contest. Leonie Snowdon (6.1ppg) put up her best numbers for the season with 16 for the Eagles while Katherine Hollis hit 10 before fouling out of the game. The Blues managed to keep the Eagles leading scorer, Michele Friel, to just 8 points, well below her 18.6ppg average.

The matchup between Ansett and Lightning in the Preliminary Final will be a ripper. Apart from a blowout win by Lightning in the first round of the season all games have been decided by 2 points or less!  

Ladder:                                                       Tracy Village Jets 20-1, & Ansett 14-7, Lightning 13-8, Eagles 8-13, Uni Rebels 5-15, & Palmerston 1-19

Next Week Preliminary Final:      Lightning v Ansett 6:30pm

League Men –Lightning v Ansett

Ansett relegated Lightning to a Preliminary Final showdown with the Tracy Village Jets with a comprehensive 71-54 victory that gives them a shot at a Grand Final win for the second time in three years. The Blues were nipped by just a point in 2010 by the Uni Rebels and haven’t won a GF since 1999 when they beat Mitsubishi 63-62. With a lot riding on the outcome of this game the Blues took it to the Lightning by driving the lanes and getting to the hoop. John King led a group of five who hit 9 or more points for the game. King had 17, Daniel Florance & Matthew Barrett 14 each and Matt Hunt & Bryce Whitaker 9 each. The Blues grabbed an early 18-11 lead after one quarter then blew the game wide open with a 22-7 second quarter that left Lighting floundering at the half time break 40-18. Lightning never recovered. Jesse Bell (18ppg) hit 19 for Lightning but not a lot of support was forthcoming from the rest of the team. Lightning’s leading scorer Zac White was kept very quiet by the defensive minded Blues who held White to just 7 points for the game…his average is 21.7ppg.

The minor premier’s, the Lightning, must now regroup if they are to realize a dream of finally winning a Championship Season GF. Lightning have beaten their Preliminary Final opponents, the Tracy Village Jets, every game during the minor rounds, but finals are a different ballgame…this should be a must see game by all fans.

Tracy Village Jets v Uni Rebels

The Tracy Village Jets are back in contention for this year’s Grand Final after doing a number on the defending champions Uni Rebels. The Bombers ended any hope of a fourth successive Championship Season Grand Final appearance by the Rebels with a 68-54 victory that gives the Bombers an entry into a Preliminary Final against the Lightning next week. Travis Ellis was in form for the Bombers with a team high 23, supported by 18 from Liam MacLachlan, 11 from court captain Michael MacLean and 10 from Jayden Adams. The Bombers had built up a 30-23 half time lead, but saw that melt away to just a 3 point buffer after three quarters of play as the Rebels put on a run of 17-13 to trail by just 43-40 with a quarter to go. Lachlan Headlam and Marcus Ch’ng led the Rebel third quarter charge, scoring all the points between them. However, the Bombers got back on track in the last quarter with a 25-14 run that put the game in the bag. Headlam led the Rebels with a team and game high 24, Ch’ng had 11.

Ladder:                                           Ansett 15-4, Lightning 14-5, Tracy Village Jets 12-7, Rebels 9-10, Eagles 9-9, Palmerston 4-14 & Razzle 2-15

Next Week Preliminary Final:           Lightning v Tracy Village Jets 8:00pm