December 4, 2013

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Championship Season

Darwin Airport Resort League Results from Tuesday 3 December 2013

League Women – Preliminary final-Tracy Village Jets v Lightning

A gutsy effort from the minor premier Tracy Village Jets helped them to hold off the Lightning with a 58-54 win that gives them a shot at the Uni Rebels in the Grand Final to be played on Saturday. The juniors stood up when it counted as they filled in for their senior counterparts, Sam Rioli and Kylie Duggan, both out for the season with injuries. Abby Cubillo (11.4ppg) and Erin Geer played the game of their young lives as they fought to get the Bombers the win they needed for a rematch with the Rebels. Geer came up with critical baskets (a pair of treys in the third quarter) when needed and Tania Dhu (8.8ppg) loomed large in the keyway as she grappled with Lightning’s Starkitsha Higgins (13.9ppg) for dominance in the keyways. Higgins top scored for the Lightning with17 and had help from Lucy Murray with 13, but the Lightning were left hanging just short of victory despite outscoring the Bombers in the second half 34-30. Lightning had closed to 45-40 heading into the last quarter, riding on the back of Higgins who hit 9 of her total during a third quarter 20-17 run. But the Bombers regained control of the game in the fourth quarter and held on to win, giving themselves a chance to ‘repeat’ as champions in what should prove to be an interesting Grand Final on Saturday night. Cubillo finished up with a game and team high 21, Tikesa Docherty-Cole hit 14 and Geer ended up with 10.

Ladder:                                          Tracy Village Jets 21-1, Uni Rebels 15-1-5, Lightning 11-1-10, Ansett 8-13, Eagles 4-0-15-1 & Palmerston 3-17

Next Saturday 7th December Grand Final:         Uni Rebels vTracy Village Jets 6:00pm

League Men – Preliminary final - Eagles v Palmerston

The minor premier Eagles ran over Palmerston 72-58 to end the dream of the Power getting into the big dance. The Eagles proved what they are capable of when they put it together as a team and it showed in the stats column. Palmerston seemed to suffer from the outset, maybe big game jitters, but they definitely didn’t tear up the court as they had been doing during the minor rounds. Recently crowned MVP Jesse Bell (22.2ppg) did not play one of his better games and big man Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson (20.1ppg) fouled out with a quarter to play! The Eagles on the other hand worked well spreading the scoring around and controlled the game through Jarrod Sheppard (17.3ppg) and the work in the keyway by Louis Ilton (18.9ppg) and big man Chris Stewart. The Birds flew out in front early with a 24-14 first quarter and led at the half by a massive 26 points. The Power charged back with a whopping 25-9 run in the third quarter to get within 10 with a quarter to play but the huge effort didn’t leave much petrol in the tank as the Birds regained the momentum, took control and held on for the win. Last time the Eagles were in a Championship Season Grand Final was 2007 when they lost. They last won it in 2000. For the Eagles Sheppard top scored with 23, Ernest Holmes hit 19, Ilton 14 and Buster Perkins 13. Hohipa-Wilson led the Power with 19, Bell had 16 and Eruera McCullough added 10.

Ladder:                                           Eagles 16-4, Ansett 13-6, Palmerston 13-7, Tracy Village Jets 11-8, Uni Rebels 8-10, Lightning 5-13 & Razzle 0-18

Next Saturday 7th December Grand Final:  Ansett v Eagles 7:30pm