SL Colliers vs Ayr Storm

SLBA Cadette Woman

December 1st, 2014

@ Kyle Academy, Ayr

 

The Colliers cadette women got their local league season underway with a trip to play Ayr Storm. The two teams met 3 weeks ago in the National League with Storm coming out on top 50-24, so the Colliers girls were determined to improve on that score.

 

With two girls over 6 foot tall, Storm had the height advantage and tried to make use of it early on, however the Colliers put up a great fight on the boards and were very physical. Captain, Rochelle Maclean gave Scotland U16 centre Megan Jones a hard time but picked up two early fouls, so coach Hutton replaced her with Emma Hawthorne. Both teams traded baskets for a while and the Colliers press was proving effective against Storm especially as they had no real point guards on the floor. (Storm 9 Colliers 6)

 

With the second quarter came a change in attitude and defensive formation from Ayr as they quickly jumped out to a big lead. Lapses in concentration from the Colliers led to easy baskets by Storm and their bigs really got going along with Abbie Middleton who had 8 of Storms 22 points. All the Colliers could manage against the Ayr zone was 4 points through Katie Burn and Laura Thomson. (Storm 31 Colliers 10)

 

The Colliers started the 3rd quarter with aggression and attacked Storm at the basket as much as they could. Rochelle Maclean and Rachael Tonnar got themselves on the score sheet giving the Colliers an 8-0 run forcing Storm to take a time out. Coach Hutton asked simply that they play with confidence and defensive intensity and the girls went back out and kept the run of good form going. With Ayr bringing their bigs back into the game they managed some easy buckets through offensive rebounds but the Colliers (with the noise of their travelling support and the bench behind them) made a huge dent in the score line as they got the deficit down to 12 at the end of the quarter.

 

Storm managed to snatch the momentum back and got off to a great start in the fourth. The Colliers couldn’t do much against their zone but Colliers U13 player Natalie Clark found a way through. She took the ball from her own baseline and drove hard down the middle and pulled up for a three with one girl behind and another in front. As the ball went through the hoop hitting nothing but net it was a mini victory for the Colliers as the bench celebrated such an amazing shot. Despite playing hard and not giving up, the Colliers lost out 65-38 in the end. (Rachael Tonnar 8, Carla Crowther 7, Rochelle Maclean 6)

 

Commented Coach Ross Hutton “I am so proud of the way the girls played. They get better every week and that’s testament to how hard they work. They have fun and are great to work with, and with the majority of them still U13 the future is really bright for our Colliers girls.”

 

Final score: Colliers 38-65 Ayr Storm