The Women’s game of the week in the Queensland Basketball League, played on Saturday night, featured the Townsville Flames (7-3) entertaining Gladstone Power (10-1) – third on the ladder entertaining the league leaders.
The game featured four current or former Tall Ferns and looked to be heading towards a blow out win to the Power when they led 66-49 at three quarter time.
However, two triples in the opening minute of the final period by Micaela Cocks initiated an 11-0 run by the Flames and had the Power looking anxiously over their shoulders. The hot run from the hosts was halted by a Charmian Mellars (18pts/13rebs) jump shot. She and fellow Kiwi’s Jess Bygate (8pts/6rebs) and Natalie Taylor (3pts/6rebs) made eight points collectively in the final period to ease the Power to an 80-72 victory.
On Friday the sister pairing of Taylor and Mellars were in dominant form for Gladstone as they recorded a hard fought 77-63 win over Cairns Dolphins.
The Power trailed 43-41 at half time and were only a single point to the good at three quarter time. However, fuelled by major contributions from Mellars (25pts/10rebs) and Taylor (23pts/7rebs) the Power sailed home 15-6 in the final period to improve their record to 10-1.
Jess Bygate came off the bench to add 8 points and 4 rebounds for the Power.
In Western Australia Lisa Wallbutton helped the Willetton Tigers defeat the exotically named Mandurah Magic 74-51. The win keeps Willetton in second place in the State Basketball League with a 16-3 record.
Wallbutton scored just five points but did add an eye catching 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
In the Big V League in Victoria, the fourth placed Waverley Falcons (12-4) proved no match for the league leaders, Hume City Broncos (15-1). The Broncos led from start to finish cruising home 80-42 with Samara Gallaher providing her normal energetic impact – 13pts/1reb/3assists and a game high 4 steals.
The Southern Peninsula Sharks played the last game of the round on Sunday afternoon entertaining McKinnon Cougars (6-9.)
The game was close throughout with the Sharks leading 36-33 at half time and 51-43 at the third break before eventually winning 62-52.
Chevannah Paalvast produced a solid performance for the Sharks scoring 13 points plus 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks as they reinforced their third spot on the Big V ladder with a 13-4 record.
LACEY LOWDOWN 