Just a few days ahead of the Tall Ferns trial a number of players were enjoying an outing with their Australian club sides at the weekend before heading to Auckland for the trial commencing on Thursday.
Gladstone Power, the leaders of the Queensland Basketball League, hosted bottom of the table Suncoast Clippers. Predictably the Power was far too strong for the Clippers winning 117-43.
Charmian Mellars continued her run of impressive form posting a massive double double of 31 points and 13 rebounds. Sister Natalie Taylor scored 21 points and Jess Bygate chipped in with 5 points as the Power improved their record to 12-1.
Micaela Cocks was absent from the Townsville Flames team, her leadership and scoring punch were greatly missed as the Flames went down heavily against Cairns Dolphins 90-61.
Over in Western Australia Lisa Wallbutton had a handy 10 points and 5 rebounds as Willetton Tigers defeated Stirling Senators. The eleventh placed Senators were no match for the second placed Tigers losing 80-56.
In the Big V League in Victoria, Hume City Broncos suffered a surprise 57-49 defeat at the hands of the Bulleen Boomers. Samara Gallaher top scored for the Broncos scoring 17 points, the defeat just the second loss of the campaign for Hume.
Gallaher also wrestled 3 steals during the game and leads the V League in this statistical category averaging 2.3 per game.
Third on the ladder Southern Peninsula Sharks (14-4) secured an impressive win defeating second placed Ringwood Hawks (15-3) 70-63 on Saturday. Kiwi Chevannah Paalvast maintained her good form with 15 points and 6 rebounds. She will leave for her hometown of Auckland for this week’s trial in good heart.
LACEY LOWDOWN 