WBBL game posts week 10 (Week ending Dec 16th)

Sat 15th Dec 2018 - WBBL Game Reports

Cardiff Met Archers 49-82 Newcastle Eagles (24-17, 38-29, 46-55)

Newcastle Eagles snapped a four game losing streak in all competitions after an impressive second half display saw them beat Cardiff Met Archers 82-49 on the road.
All three of those previous defeats in the league had come away from home, and the win saw them draw level with Archers in sixth place in the WBBL Championship on a record of 3-4.
Leading scorers – Tijana Dukic 21, Paulina Kutycka 10, Laura Shanahan 6 (Archers); Kara Bonenberger 26, Steph Gandy 17, Maya Price (15)
Turning point – In an amazing spell, having trailed for virtually the entire game, Eagles scored the final 15 points of the third quarter as Kara Bonenberger hit the last seven including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to make it 55-46. There was no way back for Cardiff, as the run extended to 26 in the opening minutes of the fourth period and the hosts were held scoreless for nine and a half minutes in total as Eagles outscored them 53-11 in the second half.
Key stat – Eagles dominated the glass, more than doubling Archers’ rebounds (62-29), including 19 offensive rebounds from which they scored 24 second chance points, led by eight offensive boards from Steph Gandy. They dominated the paint in general, scoring 48 points in the paint compared to their opponent’s 18.
Game hero – Kara Bonenberger put the Eagles in front for good, and she led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 62% from the field, completing a double-double with 13 rebounds and adding three assists.

Oaklands Wolves 62-43 Essex Rebels (10-13, 28-22, 43-35)

Oaklands Wolves picked up their first win of the WBBL Championship campaign, and ignited the Play-off chase, by beating rivals Essex Rebels 62-43.
After numerous close games this season, it was a first win in eleven home games dating back to April, and moved Wolves level with Rebels on a 1-8 record after this battle between the bottom two.
Leading scorers – Lizzy Harrison 18, Tia Freeman 16, Meg Pritchard 9 (Wolves); Cat Lutz 18, DeAngelique Waithe 6, Barbara Ojeda-Corominas 6 (Rebels)
Turning point – After a very low-scoring start, a run of eight unanswered points in the second stanza, in which Tia Freeman scored six, was followed by an equivalent run in the third quarter sparked by three-pointers from Meg Pritchard and Beth Sarson, and Wolves led by double-figures at 39-28. There was no way back as Wolves won the fourth quarter 19-8.
Key stat – In a tense and defensive game, Wolves held their visitors to just 24% shooting from the field. Crucially, despite being heavily out-rebounded, they scored 26 points from the massive 32 turnovers that their intense defence forced. Overall, 43 points is the second lowest in any league game this season.
Game hero(es) – Lizzy Harrison (18) and Tia Freeman (16) combined for more than half of their team’s points, with Freeman also grabbing eight rebounds and four steals.

Manchester Mystics 63-93 Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters (18-18, 28-44, 44-70)

Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters are the first team into the WBBL Cup Final after beating 2017 winners Manchester Mystics 93-63 on the road to make it seven wins in a row in all competitions.
It is the first time Hatters have qualified for the Cup Final, and they will meet the winners of Leicester Riders and Sevenoaks Suns at Arena Birmingham on Sunday 27 January 2019.
Leading scorers – Evelyn Ovner 23, Samantha Roscoe 22, Georgia Jones 9 (Mystics); Sarah Toeaina 27, Luiana Livulo 25, Helen Naylor 18 (Hatters)
Turning point – After a close first quarter, Hatters broke the game open with a 14-2 surge early in the second stanza when Helen Naylor scored five points among five different scorers, for a double-digit lead at 32-22. Another 8-0 spell followed, as Alison Gorrell scored consecutively for 42-26, and the lead was well through 20 points when Naylor netted a pair of three-pointers late in the third.
Key stat – Hatters moved the ball much better than their hosts and ended with 27 assists compared to just 17 for Mystics, with Alison Gorrell and Levke Brodersen handing out eight assists each.
Game hero – Sarah Toeaina (27) and Luiana Livulo (25) combined for more than half of Sheffield’s points, with both grabbing eight rebounds each and Livulo also blocking a startling six shots. Toeaina shot an astonishing 13-15 (86%) at the free-throw line.

Sun 16th Dec 2018 - WBBL Game Reports

BA London Lions 58-64 Nottingham Wildcats (13-21, 24-34, 40-50)

Nottingham Wildcats held off a spirited challenge from BA London Lions to continue their solid start to the season.
The Wildcats join Manchester Mystics in joint-fourth with a 6-2 record, while the Lions fall to 1-7.
Leading scorers – Urysla Cotton 13, Ijeoma Ofomata 12, Precious Adediran 10 (Lions) – Chelsey Shumpert 30, Jasmine Joyner 16, Lana Doran 9 (Wildcats)
Turning point – The Wildcats opened up an eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter and they doubled that advantage late in the third at 32-48 before the Lions launched a fightback which came up short.
Key stat – Shumpert scored 30 of the Wildcats’ 64 points in a decisive performance to lead her side to victory.
Game hero(es) – Shumpert posted a huge double-double in the win for the Wildcats with 30 points and 15 rebounds along with three assists, while Joyner weighed in with her own double-double of 16 points and 10 boards.

Sevenoaks Suns 89-41 Caledonia Pride (23-12, 50-19, 69-31)

Sevenoaks Suns returned to the top of the WBBL Championship standings after maintaining their unbeaten start with a win over Caledonia Pride.
Len Busch’s side move to 8-0 with a clinical victory to leave Pride in the bottom half with a 3-7 record.
Leading scorers – Janice Monakana 23, Judit Fritz 18, Cat Carr 12 (Suns) – Tia Weledji 9, Kai-Brith Kalda 8, Shawnisay Millar 7 (Pride)
Turning point – The hosts raced out of the blocks to establish a double-digit lead early on and moved further clear to lead 50-19 at the half and there was no way back.
Key stat – Sevenoaks shot 60% from inside the arc and were a perfect 20 of 20 from the foul line to set the platform for a convincing win.
Game hero(es) – Monakana top scored with 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting with four steals with Fritz and Carr also in double figures in a balanced scoring attack.

Leicester Riders 97-57 Newcastle Eagles (26-10, 45-31, 66-47)

Leicester Riders moved into joint-second on Sunday with a massive 40-point victory over Newcastle Eagles.
The Riders took their winning streak in the league to eight in a row as they join Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters on an 8-1 record in second.
Leading scorers – Holly Winterburn 25, Claire Paxton 23, Jennifer Ashton 12 (Riders) – Maya Price 20, Steph Gandy 12, Kalina Axentieva 9 (Eagles)
Turning point – Newcastle had high hopes for the second half following a half-time buzzer beater by Gandy, but Winterburn opened the second half with eight points to push the Riders further ahead and they powered to victory.
Key stat – Newcastle had trouble holding the ball during the contest, with 24 turnovers, of which Riders scored 30 of their points from.
Game hero(es) – Winterburn added eight rebounds and six assists to her game-high 25 points, while Paxton posted 23 points and 16 rebounds for a big double-double.

The WBBL seems a bit of a haves v have nots league. Caledonia Pride and below seem to be of a much inferior quality to those above them. Is this a fair assessment?