Isaac
Years ago
BASA ABL Finals Review
Game times for next week: Rockets vs Sabres, 7PM at Hillcrest on August 6th (Saturday). The mens game is the same day, but the Warriors host the Sabres at 8:15PM at the Dome.
Here are Colin Thompson's game reviews for the semi-finals last weekend:
Sturt Sabres ended South Adelaide Panthers' finals campaign with a narrow victory at Marion. The Panthers started the game aggressively scoring 21 to 5 in the first quarter. Tracey Braithwaite was in early foul trouble as the Sabres clawed their way back, reducing the half time deficit to eight points. Hannah and Monique Bowley led the revival. Intense pressure
from the Sabres continued into the third quarter, with South still leading by 10 points half way through the term when Tracey Braithwaite fouled out. At the final break the scores were even and both teams fought out a thrilling final term. Brigid Bowley (17 points and 14 rebounds) and Monique Bowley (13 points and 13 rebound) each scored double doubles for the Sabres. Triple Halls Medal winner Vikki Kelson was the game high score with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists for the Panthers.
In a tough, aggressive game Forestville Eagles defeated the Rockets at Hillcrest to advance to the Grand Final. Initially both teams found it difficult to score with tight defence, with the double teaming of Erin Phillips particularly effective in the first half. By half time the Eagles had established a break of five points. In the third quarter Erin Phillips started hitting shots and by the final break the Rockets only had a deficit of three points. The Eagles continued to play well as a team and maintained that break despite being under constant threat throughout. They were able to find the loose player more often than the Rockets and thus their shooting was superior (41.5% to 30.5%) as they kept North's shooters under pressure. Jenni Screen (16 points at 66.7%, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals), Deanne Ranford (16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists) and Cherie Smith (14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals) were well supported by narelle lindsay, Kylie Newbold and Belinda Tredwell. For the rockets Erin Phillips was the game-high scorer with 22 points, 10 rebounds
After an even first quarter Sturt Sabres exploded in the second term led by Tom Finkemeyer with 13 points. In the first quarter his counterpart Brad Bungey had put in 14 points for the Mavericks and he went on to produce a career-high 33 points. At the half time break the sabres had built a lead of 18 points which they blew out to 27 points at the final break. Darren Ng dominated the third term with 15 points. The final quarter was played out giving all players on both teams court time.
Forestville Eagles moved into the Grand Final in a nail biting win on the buzzer against the Warriors. The game see-sawed throughout, with the Eagles establishing a good break in the first quarter only to see this reversed in the second quarter. The teams went into the half time break on level terms. The second half saw the two locked in a tough battle with the lead changing one way then the other. In the final quarter the Eagles exetended a lead to seven points only to be overtaken in the final minute, leaving Daniel Wilson to make a basket on the buzzer. For the Eagles Jason Dix was contained to 18 points and 12 rebounds by strong Woodville defence inside the keyway. Similarly Matt Elder was contained below his average for Woodville. He and Andrew Puddifoot (11 points and 13 rebounds) both produced double doubles.
