Day 4
Day 4 - Match Reports
Women Game 51
WA Country 43 lost to VIC Country 55
Vic Country and WA Country came into the game with 1 win a piece and both teams were hungry to secure a second win for the week. Vic Country got away to the first lead and put WA Country on the back foot. Vic Country’s defence was forcing WA to use the shot clock and often times provided the patience WA needed to find the best shot, and this was when they were at their best.
Vic Country worked on a half court press to force turnovers in the hope of taking a good lead into the half break unfortunately WA adjusted well and their transition offence gave them good scoring options which meant WA Country took a 1 point lead into the half time break.
The second half didn’t provide a lot of inspiration but there was a lot of hard work by both teams as zones were prevalent along with full court presses just to change things up. Shots were not dropping on the interior for the Vic Country girls against the physical WA unit and despite being one player down through injury there wasn’t any rest in the WA Country attack. Vic Country hit the foul count well before WA in the third and were giving up second shots which were keeping WA Country in the game as they were taking every opportunity they could to get up on the home team. Vic Country took their 2 point lead in the fourth and with successive shots dropping were able to get the jump they needed and in spite of WA fighting back, locked in the win to see them with second win for the championships.
Statistical Leaders
C.Anderson 8 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals (WAC)
T.Sears 10 points and 11 rebounds (WAC)
D.Markwell 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists (VICC)
A.Sutherland 9 points and 8 rebounds (VICC)
Women Game 52
Tasmania 77 defeated Northern Territory 65
Two teams both searching for their first win of the championships meant the game was going to be a close contest. It was point for point early on with a match of size, athleticism and aggression. Tasmania forced to put big minutes into their starters while NT shared their minutes evenly.
A six minute dry spell for the NT in the third quarter saw Tasmania take their 1 point lead and build into a 15 point lead by third quarter, of which was too difficult for the NT to recover from. The fourth quarter was spent with the NT narrowing the margin and peeled it back to a 5 point difference at one stage, but a more consistent Tasmania lit up from the outside to get them back to a ten point margin and although NT made some great plays to the basket were impacted by the 25 and 9 score differential of the third quarter.
Statistical Leaders
R.Abel 35 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists (TAS)
T.Mole 10 points, 18 rebounds and 6 steals (TAS)
A.Cubillo 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals (NT)
F.Swan 15 points, 2 steals and 2 assists (NT)
Men Game 53
SA Country 79 defeated Tasmania 58
SA Country were too strong for Tasmania across the board. Their trap worried the Islanders who struggled to get into offence with the pressure put on. While SA Country’s ability to get through offences, and move the ball and take good shots was part of SA Country’s success. Matthews-Hampton was a big contributor, helping lift his team to a new standard, so much so that Tasmania’s good outside shooting kept them in the game but wasn’t enough to get them over the line. The least Tasmania can walk away with from this game is they took some good outside shots to keep them in the game and were able to knock down the first dunk for the championships.
Statistical Leaders
K.Matthews-Hampton 32 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals (SAC)
D.Stock 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists (SAC)
T.Armstrong 24 points and 3 assists (TAS)
L.Boucher 11 points and 7 rebounds (TAS)
Men Game 54
SA Metro 63 lost to Vic Country 66
In a close contest, full of highlights and a dunk by local talent Matthew Johns late in the 4th quarter. The Country boys found their confidence after a thrilling win against NSW Metro and looked more in control of their game than SA Metro taking a 6 point lead into the half time break. Being outscored in the third quarter, that buffer became crucial in the end with both teams scoring 17 points for the fourth quarter. Vic Country shared their scoring around and outrebounded SA Metro picking up a huge 21 offensive rebounds resulting in 17 points scored off second efforts, and spoke volumes about the level of intensity Vic Country put into the game. This brings Vic Country to their 2nd win and SA Metro on 3-2, meaning another win to Vic Country and it blows the pool wide open again.
Statistical Leaders
D.Crook 19 points and 6 rebounds (SAM)
M.Squire 14 points and 6 rebounds (SAM)
L.Wright 11 points, 12 rebounds and 5 (VICC)
M.Vekic 14 points, 10 rebounds and 1 steal (VICC)
Men Game 55
WA Metro 80 defeated Northern Territory 43
It was a close game heading into the half as WA lead NT by 5 after trading baskets in a high intensity encounter. Both teams applied an aggressive full court defence that left much of the offensive playing in transition. NT found itself scoring well from the outside while the opposite could be said for WA as much of their scoring came from inside play
WA continued to apply full court pressure into the third quarter, holding NT to only 9 points for the period. Their defence continued to create transition opportunities in offense that NT couldn't stop, allowing WA to score 24 points as they took control of the game. This trend never let up as WA forced more turnovers and won the game comfortably 80-43.
Statistical Leaders
E.Regan 12 points, 4 assists and 4 steals (WAM)
J.Hepburn 19 points and 11 rebounds (WAM)
M.Rowse 15 points and 3 rebounds (NT)
W.McClay 15 points and 2 steals (NT)
Women Game 56
SA Country 50 lost to NSW Country 78
A classy display from NSW country. They were too well drilled and structured for their country counterparts. SA Country’s shooting let them down converting at 26% against a NSW 42% added to this the inability of SA to crash the boards offensively saw them miss out on many of those second chance points. NSW outscored SA considerably in the first half and from there it was a matter of taking care of business, meaning they came away as comfortable winners. Through suffocating defence and well-constructed offence NSW looked like they will certainly play a part deep into the week.
Statistical Leaders
J.Giameos 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists (SAC)
T.Gray 12 points and 1 steal (SAC)
C.McLean 27 points and 10 rebounds (NSWC)
J.Simmons 12 points, 17 rebounds and 4 assists (NSWC)
Women Game 57
Vic Metro 72 defeated New Zealand 37
New Zealand really struggled to compete with the class of Victoria Metro, who demonstrated control and patience in their half court. Against the zone they passed and moved like a well oiled machine and in defence they made New Zealand work for the shot. Magbegor and Cochrane continue to be a dominating presence causing a headache for NZ who struggled to put up inside shots against the long arms. The positive for NZ was the attack through offensive rebounds with Vic Metro not consistent on the box out, but unable to convert, it is what cost points for the NZ girls. At the end of it, NZ gave it their all but were not in the same league and Vic Met continue their run to the top of the ladder.
Statistical Leaders
E.Magbegor 14 points, 13 rebounds and 9 blocks (VICM)
N.George 10 points, 4 assists and 3 steals (VICM)
E.McGoldrink 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals (NZ)
K.Heremaia 6 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists (NZ)
Women Game 58
QLD South 63 defeated SA Metro 62
The first quarter just went in Queenslands favour as they found offense through steals and mid-range scoring. However SA metro were able to stay competitive through the foul line, heading there numerous times and making the most of it. This allowed SA to close the gap in the next period, leaving the scores even at 32 during halftime.
Both teams began the second half slow with few shots finding the bottom of the net, however rapid scoring in the closing minutes made up for it. SA just clinched a two point lead to begin the fourth.
Costly turnovers by Queensland resulted in SA gaining their biggest lead of the game early in the fourth. This early work was soon undone though as SA found themselves on the wrong end of another spree of turnovers. With 9 seconds left and SA up by one, a charge call gave SA possession. However SA were not able to keep the ball secure and Queensland fumbled for the ball with a foul called with .1 seconds remaining, placing Fuiava on the line for two, and not only did she continue her outstanding performance this week, but also stole the game from what could have been a safe win for SA Metro. This win now places 3 teams on the same win / loss count and with SA Metro playing NSW Metro in the last game of the round, there is a potential upset here.
Statistical Leaders
J.Fuiava 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals (QLDS)
E.Preston 6 points, 13 rebounds and 1 steal (QLDS)
S.Simons 14 points, 2 assists and 3 steals (SAM)
D.Rees 10 points and 13 rebounds (SAM)
Men Game 59
ACT 41 lost to NSW Metro 64
ACT looked big and slow compared to the NSW team. Everything about NSW looked sharp with quick cuts and ball movement shifting the ACT players and opening up the penetration options for their guards. The bigs for NSW were also versatile and gave NSW the ability to attack ACT’s slow feet. Executing an up the floor press, NSW quickly churned a small lead into a relaxed 15 point margin. ACTs concern at looking for the right score meant they ran the shot clock down and were forced into poor decision shots under the pressure, and NSW can be pleased keeping their undefeated status.
Statistical Leaders
W.Cooper 10 points and 7 rebounds (ACT)
A.Ophel 8 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal (ACT)
D.Elkaz 19 points, 7 rebounds and 1 steal (NSWM)
J.Kaiwy 11 points, 1 assist and 2 steals (NSWM)
Men Game 60
WA Country 43 lost to Vic Metro 101
Vic Metro headed into the game undefeated, and WA found out why. WA were competitive for the first quarter, keeping the gap under 15, but when a 2nd quarter scoreline of 28-5 occurred, there was not much left in the game for WA. WA looked to a zone to try and slow the scoring down and were constantly challenged in offence against the Victorian pressure man and extended zone, not gaining a single foul shot opportunity for the game. Whether it was transition offence or structured play the Victorians were clearly in a different class with half the team securing double digit scores.
Statistical leaders
J.Murray 15 points and 2 rebounds (WAC)
C.Bell 11 points and 1 steal (WAC)
A.O’Carroll 21 points and 6 rebounds (VICM)
C.Cagle 12 points and 11 rebounds (VICM
Women Game 61
WA Metro 43 lost to ACT 46
WA Metro were coming into the game without a win, and up against a very athletic ACT team who had secured 2 wins at the beginning of today. WA Metro got themselves a good position with a 5 point lead going into the half time break but ACT made their move in the first two minutes of the third quarter outscoring WA Metro by ten points with their up the floor defence and forced turnovers. Both teams were persistent in their focus of interior play but ACT were just better at the finish.
Statistical Leaders
M.Satie 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals (WAM)
E.Fisher 18 points and 9 rebounds (WAM)
R.Schweizer 14 points and 8 rebounds (ACT)
C.Bourne 8 points, 4 assists and 4 steals (ACT)
Men Game 62
New Zealand 57 lost to NSW Country 60
This game was likely to determine who will finish top of the pool with NZ undefeated. NSW lead NZ at the end of a physical first quarter in which NSW came out strong defensively, showing little breathing room for NZ. The second quarter saw much of the same as NSW found the gaps offensively, but was air tight in defence. NZ's physical nature resulted in many lost possessions as a result of charge calls and they struggled to find rhythm, trailing still at the half.
NZ found spurts of offense in the second half, however NSW maintained their lead until 4 minutes into the fourth when NZ were able to tie the game up. NSW kept their cool and took a 5 point lead on the back of a three point play with a minute and a half left.
A minute later they hit a three to clinch the lead at 7 points, being too much for the previously undefeated NZ to overcome.
Statistical Leaders
Q.Clinton 14 points, 3 assists and 3 steals (NZ)
S.Waardenburg 10 points and 12 rebounds (NZ)
L.Dent 18 points and 2 steals (NSWC)
J.Wilson 10 points and 2 assists (NSWC)
Women Game 63
Vic Country 55 lost to Tasmania 60
A solid start by Tasmania in this game trailing by only two at the quarter time break. The Victorian team were being pushed at every point. Into the second term Tasmanian took the opportunity to snare a 9 point lead on Victoria, forcing them to chase in the 3rd quarter, and that’s what Victoria did. They levelled the scores back out finding the ring on the odd occasion from the outside, but more often than not looking to penetrate, but made difficult against a zone that collapsed around their penetration. Tasmania on the other hand were controlled in their offence, using the ball to their advantage and the shot clock too, Tasmania were very aware of their limitations and more importantly, their strengths, relying on a dribble drive to open up outside shots and the inside score if defence didn’t adjust. Victoria had no answers.
Statistical Leaders
A.Hurst 11 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals (VICC)
D.Markwell 8 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists (VICC)
R.Abel 25 points and 8 rebounds (TAS)
T.Mole 15 points and 12 rebounds (TAS)
Women Game 64
NSW Metro 74 defeated WA Country 53
NSW Metro come into this game knowing that WA Country are no easy beats, having given Vic Country a run for their money earlier in the day. NSW Metro were looking to secure their position in the ladder and WA Country were not going to hand the win over without a fight and challenged the NSW team ending the first quarter 1 down. The second quarter saw NSW push the ball harder and pick up their defence, with the forcing turnovers which turned into transition points, and seeing NSW Metro head into the half time break with a 9 point lead.
Statistical Leaders
E.Carroll 13 points, 5 assists and 4 steals (NSWM)
B.Letta 14 points and 8 rebounds (NSWM)
T.Sears 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals (WAC)
T.East 12 points, 2 assists and 2 steals (WAC)
Men Game 65
QLD North 55 lost to SA Country 79
SA Country made it two from two for the day recording a win that keeps their championships alive. The SA Country boys up the floor pressure worried the QLD North who were certainly well equipped inside, and able to deliver when opportunity arrived. SA Country played to their strengths, took the right shots and pressured well defensively. QLD finished well inside, but didn’t get the ball in there as much as they would have liked. A high paced game of good standard,
Statistical leaders
C.Wright 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist (QLDN)
J.Matysek 9 points and 5 rebounds (QLDN)
M.Scott 17 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal (SAC)
K.Matthews-Hampton 20 points and 3 rebounds (SAC)
Men Game 66
Vic Country 76 defeated WA Metro 55
Vic Country now on a roll having won their last two games were able to get off to a great start and didn’t look back. Nanscawen found his shooting arm for the game tonight and this saw Vic Country take off with a 15 point lead. While WA could have caused some problems with their physicality and size against this undersized Victoria Country team, Vic Country put on some defensive pressure that forced WA to take poor selected shots and this provided Vic Country to run the floor and pull into offence to find the right shots. Vic Country can be happy with their improvement and this now places them in good position for finals consideration.
Statistical Leaders
J.Nanscawen 20 points and 3 steals (VICC)
L.Essenwanger 15 points and 8 rebounds (VICC)
J.Hepburn 12 points and 5 rebounds (WAM)
I.Gattorna 10 points and 9 rebounds (WAM)
Men Game 67
Northern Territory 33 lost to QLD South 80
The Northern Territory boys were able to keep up with the bigger QLD team for the first five minutes but then size took over and QLD South went on a 15 point run with NT not seeing a point for another five minutes. From that point, there wasn’t much that Northern Territory could do to stem the scoring, as much as they tried to apply ball pressure and body’s on the boards, but QLD South put up 56 points inside and this was very much a story about the body’s the smaller NT team were coming up against. QLD south will be happy to have another win on the board, and NT are left wanting again, sadly despite the effort and hard work they are applying.
Statistical Leaders
M.Rowse 13 points (NT)
W.McClay 5 points 2 steals and 1 assist (NT)
B.Goff 13 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists (QLDS)
T.Fullarton 15 points and 8 rebounds (QLDS)
Women Game 68
NSW Country 79 defeated QLD North 47
The game was quite physical with some heavy contact at times. New South Wales got themselves a ten point gap in the first and this gave them the room to go about business for the remaining quarters. QLD did a better job on their scoring in the second quarter, which was the only quarter QLD were able to contain NSW to ten points. It was clear the pressure of NSW was something QLD could not deal with and NSW took advantage of their strengths by attacking the key scoring 48 points inside the paint. QLD weren’t a match for this team who are now well in the contest for the finals later in the week.
Statistical Leaders
J.Simmons 20 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists (NSWC)
C.McLean 19 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists (NSWC)
C.McCaskill 6 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist (QLDN)
E.Hutchison 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists (QLDN)
