MOUNT ISA BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

22/3/11 – ROUND 3 RECAP – FINALS INTENSITY COME EARLY

Any new spectators at MIBA Stadium this past Tuesday night could be forgiven for thinking it was finals time, with determination and intensity on show as the teams took to the court for Round 3 of the MIBA Seniors Summer season.

The evening tipped off with Ladies Division A action, with Blazers 1 maintaining their perfect start to the season, toppling the Pumas 35-19. Ann-Maree Mitchell got the nod for the Blazers with 7 points, but it was Katii-Ann Batty again the standout of the Pumas side with 14 points. Later on, the Celtics spoiled the Livewires’ chance for back to back wins with a 36-21 victory. Standout players would be identified, but with no stats recorded and no first hand vision of the game available, word of mouth will have to regrettably suffice this time around.

Ladies Division B started with the Dribblers securing a confidence-boosting 32-18 win over Blazers 2. Vanessa DiFlorio was at her consistent best for the Dribblers, while Stacey Hall put on another solid defensive effort for Blazers. Kangas also scored a big morale boost, defeating the Half Stars by 12 points (31-19). Caitlin Gibson kept the Half Stars offense in check with some great hustle defence, while Jessica Beitz stepped up at both ends of the floor for the ladies in white. In the late timeslot it was the “Spinifex State College Super Showdown” between the Highlanders and Sub Please, won by Highlanders in a true battle of attrition, 17-12. Ngaio Miller shot her way to 6 points and Sandra Larkin gave the Highlanders that extra spark on defence, while for Sub Please it was Clara Hogarth finding her way to the free throw line and LeAnne Noble showed great determination to play through a freak elbow injury suffered early in the opening quarter.

Ladies Division C again showcased 2 very close games, with Semi Pro and Blazers 3 each grabbing tight wins. Semi Pro held off a fast finishing Kinetic to win by a single point (17-16), with Mia Alexander (8 points) and Jessica Shipley leading their respective teams on offense in a contest perhaps sullied by some questionable calls at both ends from the lead referee. Blazers 3 accounted for the Matariki ladies by just 2 baskets in the end, recording a 20-16 victory. Sarah Hankin was the standout for the Blazers, whilst for Matariki it was Heeni Tangiora providing a consistent presence at both ends of the floor.

In the Men’s competition, the Blazers produced the upset of the season so far, defeating the more fancied Celtics 45-35. It was a game where defence was the order of the day, with the Blazers led with aplomb by the hot hand and cool head of Phillip Brooks (16 points). Newcomer Theon Raffaldi was once again at his best for the Celtics, scoring 14 points and keeping the Blazers offence on their toes. The Pumas defeated the Matariki men by 61-20, with the score board not a true reflection of how well the game was actually played. Pumas have risen from the ashes to show that they will be able to match it with some stiff competition this season, while the Matariki men can take pride in how much they have improved already, both as individuals and as a team this season. In the final game of the evening, the Meteors cemented their tag as competition favourites, accounting for the previously unbeaten Tsunamis 51-27. Meteors’ Shane Wilkie showcased a mesmerising display of shooting touch, while it was Jim Laya standing out for the Tsunamis in a tough match-up for the men in red.

Games resume again at 5:45pm on Tuesday 29/3/11.