Monday, March 13, 2017

2017 Big V Pre-Season Tournament: Werribee Devils Youth League Women

The Werribee Devils Youth League Women finished their 2017 preseason by taking part in the Big V preseason tournament in Dandenong.


Werribee 25 v Corio Bay Stingrays 40
Natasha Currao 7
Eliza Herne        5
Taylah Lea         3
Darcy Alfred       3

QT      6-12
HT      9-20
3QT    13-30
FT       25-40

The Devils first match-up was against the Corio Bay Stingrays, who started better, opening up a 9-1 lead late in the first quarter. Hayley Jones opened the Devils scoring with a free throw, then five quick points and a steal from Natasha Currao brought the scoreline back to 9-6. The Stingrays steadied and T Knox scored a basket as she was fouled by Eliza Herne. She converted the bonus to give the Stingrays a 12-6 lead at quarter time.

The Devils struggled in the middle stages of the game, managing seven points in the second and third quarters. Herne, Currao and Rachel Miller all got on the scoreboard as the Stingrays took a 17-point lead into the final term.

There were some good signs for the Devils in the final quarter with several contributors, including Lauren Tipper, Taylah Lea and newcomers Shae Beckworth and Darcy Alfred. While the Stingrays scored first which extended their lead to 19, the Devils chipped away and reduced the deficit to 11 with 1.30 on the clock. The Stingrays finished with five of the next six points to post a 40-25 victory.
  
Werribee 27 v McKinnon 46
Eliza Herne        13
Hayley Jones       5
Natasha Currao   5
Tori Kalos             2
Rachel Miller        2

QT    10-5
HT    14-13
3QT  19-29
FT     27-46

The Devils started well in their second match against the McKinnon Cougars. Natasha Currao and Eliza Herne got the Devils on the board early, and were answered by a three-pointer from Cougar Emma Crees. From there the Devils scored seven unanswered points from Herne and Tori Kalos and McKinnon finished the quarter five points adrift after Tailah Ross nailed two free throws late in the term.

The second term was a low-scoring arm wrestle. The Devils maintained their lead all the way through thanks to scoreboard contributions from Hayley Jones and Rachel Miller. The margin never got beyond four points and the Cougars managed top creep within one point at half time.

The two teams continued to trade blows in the opening minutes of the third quarter, with scores from Jones and Currao allowing the Devils to keep the Cougars at bay. However, McKinnon proceeded to break the game open with eleven unanswered points from five different scorers, opening up a handy lead. Miller broke the drought for the Devils with a late free throw, but they found themselves ten points down at three quarter time.

The Cougars continued their momentum with the first six points of the final quarter before Herne did her best to bring the Devils back in the game with five points of her own. Currao also hit back for the Devils but the Cougars had too many contributors and scored six points in the final thirty seconds to run away with a 19-point win.  

Werribee 31 v Chelsea 29
Tori Kalos            9
Natasha Currao   9
Taylah Lea           4
Hayley Jones       4
Eliza Herne          4

QT     7-8
HT     15-9
3QT   18-19
FT      31-29

The Devils returned on Sunday for their third match of the weekend, this time against the Chelsea Gulls. Eliza Herne and Natasha Currao got the Devils out to an early 5-1 lead, before the Gulls scored seven of the next nine points to take an 8-7 lead into quarter time.

The Devils took control in the second term, with Currao, Hayley Jones and Tori Kalos all firing while keeping the Gulls to one point for the quarter. However, just like in their contest against McKinnon the Devils failed to get going and gave up their hard-earned lead. Taylah Lea scored first for the Devils, but the Gulls scored the next ten unanswered points. Rachel Miller nailed a free throw at the death, making the three-quarter time margin one point in favour of the Gulls.

The stage was set for a big final term, and it was a hard-fought battle right to the final minutes. Lea, Currao and Kalos all put points on the board, but were answered by the Gulls, who led 29-25 with 1.50 remaining. Foul trouble ended up proving costly for the Gulls as the Devils scored the final six points of the match, four of which were free throws. Currao, Kalos and Jones brought the Devils home as they held on for a 31-29 victory to finish their tournament on a high note.

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