NBL1 South Round 15 Saturday Women’s Recap

Catch up on all the action from the return of the NBL1 South Women's competition.

Geelong Supercats 90 def by Bendigo Braves 98
The Bendigo Braves have extended its winning streak to five games following a road victory over the Geelong Supercats.
After a tight opening term, Geelong created some separation in the second quarter, pulling ahead by nine-points going into the half-time break.
Stephanie Blicavs was dominant for the Supercats, tallying 32 points to go along with seven rebounds.
Despite some putrid shooting from behind the three-point line for Bendigo (17 consecutive missed triples), the visitors kept the contest close, reducing the deficit to just three points going into the final term.
In a fireworks-filled final 90 seconds of the fourth quarter, Kelly Wilson (32 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists) showcased her class and determination.
Wilson answered the call when her team needed it, sinking a deep two-pointer after an Amy Clydesdale triple to cut the lead to two points, before calmly connecting on both of her two shots from the free throw line to tie the game and ultimately send the contest into overtime.
Once the game entered the extra period, Bendigo proved why it is considered one of the league’s most dangerous sides.
The Braves outscored Geelong 11-3 over the final five minutes, thanks in part to interior domination from Kate Oliver (29 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks) and steady scoring from Abigail Wehrung (20 points, seven assists, six rebounds).
To make things even worse for the Supercats, it appeared Rebekah O’Donnell sustained an injury in the closing portion of the game.
The loss will keep Geelong on the outside of the competition’s top eight.

Knox Raiders 72 def by Melbourne Tigers 78
The Melbourne Tigers have handed Knox its second loss of the season, ending the Raiders’ five-game winning streak.
It appeared early on that Knox could cruise to another victory, as the home side opened up a 20-point lead mid-way through the second term.
Ever resilient, the Tigers fought back, attacking the Raiders on the inside to put together a 19-2 run and close the gap to just three points.
Zitina Aokuso played a masterful game for Melbourne, scoring 22 points and pulling down 14 rebounds to lead her side.
While the Raiders were able to remain in front for much of the third term thanks to strong scoring from Leah Santomaggion (26 points) and Klara Wischer (19 points), Melbourne’s pressure was relentless.
The Tigers took its first lead of the evening at the end of the third term before controlling all 10 minutes of the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
The win is Melbourne’s third in a row and will keep the Tigers within the top eight.

Ballarat Rush 62 def by Eltham Wildcats 82
The Eltham Wildcats have continued its push towards a top-four finish after overcoming a floundering Rush side in Ballarat.
It looked as though the extended break had helped the home side in the opening term, with the Rush leading by as many as eight points.
However, it was all downhill for Ballarat following the first quarter, as Eltham kicked into gear.
A well-rounded team performance helped the Wildcats pull away by five points at the main break before blowing out Ballarat across the final 20 minutes of action.
Anneli Maley (17 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, six steals, two blocks) dominated all over the court, filling up the stat sheet, while Rebecca Pizzey (17 points, nine rebounds, four blocks) put together a strong outing on both ends of the court.
The Rush had opportunities to fight back into the game, but failed to capitalise time and time again, shooting only below 25 per cent for the game (21-88 field goals).
The loss is the fourth in a row for Ballarat. 

Ringwood Hawks 84 def Diamond Valley Eagles 74
The Ringwood Hawks have outlasted a spirited effort from the Diamond Valley Eagles to run away with its eighth win of the season.
Led by 46 combined points from Funda Nakkasoglu (24 points) and Marena Whittle (22 points), the Hawks never trailed, en route to its 10-point victory.
The win was by no means a walkover however, as Diamond Valley’s young stars kept Ringwood on its toes for much of the first half.
Sophie Burrows (22 points) continues to thrive in a larger offensive role for the Eagles, while Olivia Bontempelli (21 points) kept up her streak of strong scoring games.
Diamond Valley came close to taking the lead towards the end of the second half, however the Hawks were able to hold the visitors at bay, going on a 20-7 run to close the first half and open the second.
Ringwood continued to pile on the points, extending its lead to 22 points with six minutes remaining before taking its foot off the gas and cruising to a 10 point win.

Kilsyth Cobras 83 def Dandenong Rangers 70
In a contest featuring teams heading in opposite directions, the Kilsyth Cobras secured its fourth consecutive win, while the Dandenong Rangers lost its fourth game in a row.
Across all 40 minutes, the Cobras never fell behind, thanks in part to the brilliance of Lauren Scherf (20 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks).
Scherf helped her side weather a tight opening 15 minutes of action before the Cobras blazed away from Dandenong.
With the score tied at 33-33 mid-way through the second quarter, Kilsyth simply took its game to a level beyond what the Rangers were ready for, going on a 31-7 run to push its lead to 24 points, its largest of the game.
From that point on, Dandenong never came within single-digits of the Cobras lead, ultimately resulting in the 83-70 win for the home side.

Picture: Ian Knight Photography