U18’S & Kevin Coombs cup recap – Day 2

Written by volunteers of Ballarat Basketball. 

Game 15 

Men Pool A: Qld North (92) v Tasmania (60)

Early Qld North turnovers handed Tasmania a break but this was whittled away by the Qld North boys as the pattern of play changed. Qld North had a 5-point advantage at the first break.

The game remained tight for half of the next quarter, but Qld North then applied such defensive pressure that Tasmania were forced into long-range shots which were rebounded successfully by the northerners and converted into easy lay-ups.  By half time the gap was out to 12.

This pattern continued in the second half and try as they might, Tasmania began to lose touch.  The Qld North team’s superior defensive skills and inside finishing handed them a resounding victory.

Stats Leaders

Qld North:

• William McDowell-White: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
• Harrison Froling: 18 points, 18 rebounds
• William Pugnale: 14 points, 11 rebounds

Tasmania:

• Brady Armstrong: 18 points, 7 rebounds
• Bailey Boag: 14 points

 

Game 16

Women Pool A: Tasmania (101) v WA Country (91)

With constant lead changes Tasmania’s Rebecca Abel tried to take control with the assistance of Taylor Mole and Ellie Collins, trailing by 3 points at the half. WA tall tower Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard dominated both end with 9 defensive boards and 11 points.

WA took charge in the third holding a 7-point lead sparking Hayley Shephard and Paige French in a fighting defensive bursts to tie the game up in the third.

Tasmania stepped up the heat in the final quarter with defensive pressure and incredible 3-point shooting to take the game 101-91.

Stats Leaders

Tasmania:

• Taylor Mole: 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
• Rebecca Abel: 24 points, 5 assists
• Hayley Shephard: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

WA Country:

• Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard: 22 points, 16 rebounds
• Georgia Denehey: 14 points, 3 rebounds
• Cassady Anderson: 10 points, 11 rebounds

 

Game 17 

Women Pool A: ACT (61) v SA Country (72)

SA Country and ACT were equally matched in the first quarter with SA Country leading 20-17. ACT looked as though they were coming back but SA Country were too strong in the end.

Stats Leaders

SA Country:

• Kedeisha Kartingeri: 10 points, 4 rebounds
• Hannah Stewart: 12 points, 2 rebounds
• Sarah Elsworthy: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals
• Chelsea Brooks: 13 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals

ACT:

• Annabelle Lindsay: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
• Callie Bourne: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

Game 18   

Men Pool B: Vic Metro Men (81) v SA Country Men (68)

The first quarter of this game was played at high intensity with pressure defence on display from both teams.  The 5-point margin to Vic Metro boys at the break was them maintained for around half of the next quarter until both Brad Rathjen and Aidan Schultz from SA provided highlight actions to tie the scores up close to the end of the first half. The full court pressure of the Vic Metro side then eked out a small advantage at the main break, 35-33.

As the second half got underway, Vic Metro quickly chalked up team fouls and this proved to be a bonus for SA Country and within 3 minutes of play they were in front by 2.  This caused Vic Metro to change to a zone defence and it slowly became effective allowing them to re-group and again lead by 3 with a quarter to play.

As the final stanza played out the combination of foul trouble for SA and relentless defence, led by Mate Colina from Vic Metro allowed the scores to stretch in favour of Vic Metro.  SA Country can be very proud of their performance against one of the tournament favourites.

Stats Leaders

VIC Metro:

• Andreas Panayiotou: 20 points, 7 rebounds
• Gabriel Hadley: 15 points, 4 rebounds
• Mate Colina: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists

SA Country:

• Brad Rathjen: 38 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Harrison Mills: 12 points, 10 rebounds

 

Game 19

Women Pool B: SA Metro (90) v NT (40)

SA Metro’s defensive pressure set up a solid start in the first quarter. Abby Cubillo organised the floor structure with confidence for the NT team, while Rachel Park and Bonnie Illingsworth worked hard to manage the offensive rebounds of SA Metro.

SA’s defensive pressure and poise was too strong in the second half with solid ball movement into transition and Hannah Lehmann leading the way with effective efficient leadership.

Stats Leaders

SA Metro:

• Bianca Thacker: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
• Hannah Lehmann: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
• Tahlia Fejo: 13 points, 3 rebounds

NT:

• Abby Cubillo: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
• Rachel Park: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
• Erin Boyd: 6 points, 6 rebounds

 

Game 20

Men Pool A: WA Country (46) v SA Metro (98)

In a very fast tempo first quarter WA trailed SA Metro by 4. SA were just too athletic for WA Country with impressive shooting by Issac White who finished with 24 points of their total of 98 over 46.

Stats Leaders

WA Country:

• Travis Dumin: 12 points, 9 rebounds
• Shaun King: 11 points, 4 rebounds
• Taj Fleming: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

SA Metro:

• Issac White: 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Nikolas DeSantis: 16 points, 4 rebounds
• Jacob Rigoni: 14 points, 5 rebounds

 

Game 21 

Men Pool A: Vic Country (106) v NT (32)

After and even start to the game Vic Country were able to slowly gain the ascendancy. Vic Country we able to exploit NT’s lack of height to go on a 25-point run to the end of the first quarter. Vic Country increased their lead and imposed the their dominance in the second quarter taking full control of the scoreboard, led by Oliver Bidmade hitting three of three 3-pointers.

NT were sparked in the third quarter by Matteo Rowse’s hussle up both ends of the court, highlighted by his four 3-pointers, and forcing Vic Country to take a time out trailing 12-16 in the quarter. However Vic Country kept NT out in the fourth and ran out 106-32 victors.

Stats Leaders

VIC Country:

• Oliver Bidmade: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
• Thomas Pupavac: 16 points, 6 rebounds
• Thomas Hurse: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists

NT:

• Matteo Rowse: 16 points, 5 rebounds
• Peter Morris: 5 points, 3 rebounds
• Joshua Gericke: 5 points, 2 rebounds

 

Game 22

Women Pool B: WA Metro (63) v NSW Country (80)

Both teams battled it out man-on-man and one-on-one containment was critical. NSW Country had three girls in foul trouble going into half time trailing by one 34-35.

Both team’s fundamentals shined in this game with players dropping, showing and pinching on screens. Charlie Evans, Lara McSpadden and Abbey George carrying the grunt of the workload for NSW Country in the final quarter to take the game 80-63.

Stats Leaders

WA Metro:

• Amy Atwell: 17 points
• Chelsea Belcher: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
• Mia Satie: 8 points, 8 rebounds

NSW Country:

• Abbey George: 20 points, 18 rebounds, 3 assists
• Charlie Evans: 19 points, 2 steals
• Lara McSpadden: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

 

Game 23

Men Pool B: NSW Metro (79) v ACT (52)

A good start to the game from both sides lead the scores to be quite tight at the end of the first quarter. Throughout the second quarter NSW extended their lead with the scores being 37-27 at the main break.

In the third NSW’s offense proved to be no match for ACT further extending their lead to 17 points. NSW pulled away with the win in the fourth by 27 points.

Stats leaders

NSW Metro:

• Brennan Rymer: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
• Louis Stenmark: 16 points, 3 assists, 2 steals
• Adam Lulka: 12 points, 6 rebounds

ACT:

• James Toohey: 17 points, 9 rebounds
• William Cooper: 13 points, 2 steals
• Jared Phillips: 8 points

 

Game 24

 

Women Pool B: Vic Country (88) v Qld North (69)

Vic Country were able to get off to a quick start and an early lead before Qld North fought back with some ferocious defence. Vic Country closed the first quarter with an 8-0 run to take the lead at the first break.

Qld North continued to mount the pressure on Vic Country and were able to take the lead halfway through the second quarter. From there it was back and forth with several lead changes.

The second half started as the first finished with neither team being able to control the game for a sustained period. A 15-0 run by Vic Country to start the last quarter was the first display of dominance for the game and enough to see them come away with the win.

Stats leaders

VIC Country:

• Chloe Bibby: 21 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks
• Chantel Horvat: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists
• Abbey Noblett: 11 points, 5 rebounds

Qld North:

• Briana Bailey: 18 points, 2 assists
• Elle Hutchinson: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block
• Cassia McCaskill: 13 points, 4 rebounds

 

Game 25

Men Pool B: WA Metro (68) v Qld South (73)

A shocking injury in the warm up saw Will Magnay taken away in an ambulance with a knee injury leaving Qld South short from the start however they started in the lead and saw a run of points from their up court pressure. WA then switched up to a zone which evened out the scoreboard. Qld South’s execution and gap splitting passes pushed them ahead by 6 at the first break.

The third quarter saw more injuries for Qld South with Verle Williams doing an ankle. This seemed to inspire Qld South who put more physical pressure pulling the 10-point lead back bucket by bucket. Mitchell McKenna’s desperate dive saw him up onto the score bench to no avail the team losing in the final term.

Stats leaders

WA Metro:

• Andrew Ferguson: 14 points, 11 rebounds
• Mitchell McKenna: 13 points, 5 rebounds
• Jhonny Lutula: 12 points

Qld South:

• Verle Williams: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Tom Fullarton: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
• Harrison Isaac: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

 

Game 26

Women Pool A: Vic Metro (79) v NSW Metro (53)

The opening quarter of the game was fast paces and of high intensity. Both teams played hard defence and ended up in foul trouble.

Throughout the third quarter there was some great offence which showed as there was quite a number of baskets scored during that quarter.  NSW pushed themselves hard in the final but weren’t able to seal the deal.

Stats leaders 

VIC Metro:

• Najvada George: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
• Anneli Maley: 15 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
• Georgia Dale: 15 points

NSW Metro:

• Eliza-Jane Loader: 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
• Alexandra Gorman: 7 points

 

Game 27

Women Pool A: SA Country (83) v Tasmania (50)

SA Country were able to establish an early lead. Strong defence from both teams kept the scores low. Tasmania were not able to make the most of having SA in foul trouble early and went into the first break down 14 points.

The second quarter began like the first with both teams forcing the turnover on defence. The third quarter ebbed and flowed with Tasmania able to connect on a number of 3’s to avoid the margin extending too much. Kedisha Kartinyeri’s explosiveness off the bench and efficient team play from SA Country allowed them to control the last quarter and run away with the win.

Stats Leaders

SA Country:

• Sarah Elsworthy: 14 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds
• Brenna McKay: 13 points, 11 rebounds
• Chelsea Brook: 12 points, 13 rebounds

Tasmania:

• Ellie Collins: 11 points, 8 rebounds
• Taylor Mole: 9 points, 8 rebounds

 

Game 28

 Men Pool A: Tasmania (63) v NSW Country (99)

NSW Country came ready to play and hit the board with great intensity, which created a number of turnovers which they converted into early scoreboard pressure. By the midpoint of the quarter they had a double digit lead however Tasmania boy settled and brought the margin back to eight by the break.

The NSW Country team seemed to come to life when Maluach Makuach was on the court and he was effective at both ends. At times Tasmania threatened especially if Brady Armstrong could get inside, or they gained a good look at a three, but despite that the gap was out to 16 at the half.

The pattern established in the first half continues into the third quarter with many valiant efforts by the Tassie boys going unrewarded while NSW Country steadily built the lead to just over 30 by three quarter time.

In a nutshell, NSW Country had a triple inside threat with Myles Cherry, Matthew Keynon together with Makuach, and Tasmania could do little to counter their dominance.

Stats Leaders

Tasmania:

• Harry O’Neill: 18 points, 2 steals
• Luke Tucker: 11 points, 3 assists
• Emmitt Smith: 11 points, 5 rebounds

NSW Country:

• Myles Cherry: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assists
• Matthew Kenyon: 20 points, 7 rebounds,
• Makuach Maluach: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

 

Game 29:

Women Pool A: WA Country (54) v Qld South (64)

A competitive first half by both lead to a great effort and some high quality basketball, this was reflected by the scores with Qld South leading by 8 as they entered the second half.

A fast paced third quarter made it a thriller to watch with Qld South still holding onto the lead. An excellent last two minutes by WA Country scored them some quick basketballs as a result of some great defence. Despite foul trouble Qld South managed to claim the win in the end.

Stats leaders

WA Country:

• Raya Thompson: 13 points, 3 rebounds
• Tayla East: 12 points, 4 rebounds
• Meg Ferraz: 8 points, 1 block

QLD South:

• Zitina Aokuso: 24 points, 23 rebounds, 3 blocks
• Sophie Johnston: 10 points, 2 assists
• Awhina Axam: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists,