State League Basketball
Semi-final
Shoalha ven 92
Coffs Harbour 64
THE South Coast Security Shoalhaven State League Tiger women’s basketball team progressed to the final with a harder than expected victory over the Coffs Harbour Suns in Saturday’s semi-final.
The Tigers won in the end by 24, 92-64.
After suffering a record loss by 55 points in last year’s final to the Tigers, the Suns were out for redemption and certainly took the match to their more fancied rivals.
In fact the young Suns side was right in the match at half-time where the trailed by only eight, 38-30.
The Tigers, who haven’t played a game for the last three weeks since their quarter final demolition of Wagga, looked a bit rusty early on, but bounded out to a 12-5 lead thanks to big three point bombs by Kate Denyer and Simone Gibbs.
The Tigers were out by 11 at quarter time 23-12 and looked comfortable.
But to the Suns’ credit they kept coming at the Tigers and slowly reduced the margin, to where they were back trailing by just six, 36-30.
The Tigers lifted and took an eight point advantage 38-30 at the main break, they also had the some foul trouble with big Sandra Ozolins sitting on three fouls.
She was destined to sit out the entire third quarter, as coach Balsar ensured his big centre was available if needed late in the game.
Kelly Hannett, Nicole Faulks and Razz Muir stepped up and filled the void.
Denyer was sensational for the Tigers in the first half with 17 points.
After being urged to lift their efforts in the second half by coach Scott Balsar, the Tigers responded.
The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to Kelly Hannett.
The former WNBL championship player with the Canberra Capitals was in fine form with three blocked shots, a steal and four points and the lead started to look more comfortable, out to 12 and was soon 16, 54-38.
The sides continued to trade baskets, with the Suns determined to try and stay in touch.
And they received a further boost right on three quarter time when a foul on a successful three point shot was converted into four and reduced the margin to 60-43, but the Tigers hit back again as the siren sounded when Simone Gibbs hit a huge bomb from near halfway for three to make it 70-57 at the final beak.
It brought back memories of Kerrianne Flood’s similar shot against the Suns in last year’s final.
Ozolins returned to the game in the final term and the Tigers continued to build their lead.
Midway through the term Muir stepped up to the plate and showed the ability that everyone knows she has.
She took two steals, laid off a great pass for Gibbs to score and also posted eight points of her own including a huge three and in the blink of the eye the lead had blown out to 85-59.
The sides continued to trade baskets, with the Tigers winning by 24, 92-68.
In the other semi-final, giant killers Dubbo downed Newcastle in a low scoring, scrappy semi 46-42 after the Rams led by three, 24-21 at half-time.
Kate Denyer showed why she was the league’s MVP with a triple double, meaning she posted 25 points, had 10 rebounds and 12 assists and five steals, Kelly Hannett had 22 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists, two steals, Razz Muir had 14 points, 11 rebounds, while Nicole Faulks and Simone Gibbs both posted 10.
Coach Scott Balsar was happy with the win, saying the match was just what his side needed.
“It’s been three weeks since our quarter final win and it took us some time get back into the flow, but a tough game like this was just what we needed,” he said.
“I believe the league needs to be looked at, having three weeks off before playing the finals is unacceptable - you can train as much as you like, but nothing beats game time.”
Balsar said he always thought the game was never in doubt.
“I always felt comfortable, even though the Suns kept coming at us all game - full credit to them, but I felt our girls were good especially in the second half.
“We didn’t really work together as a team in the first half, perhaps we were too individual, but in the second half we worked better as a unit.
“And once we got into the groove our game just flowed.