Grand final night displays best of local basketball | Photos, results
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Fiona Edwards, Spirit of Basketball winner Julia Griffiths, and Nigel Harvey
Jorja Webb, Grace Legge, Mia Drownow, Kelsea Towndrow, Jasmin Nielsen, Lily Henry Coach Tiffany Nielson
Fresh Lettuce: Harry Chadwick, Gus Whitehead, Mitchell Griffiths, Fin Sunderland, Myles Bucat, Lochlain Ride, Culann Murray, Coach Grant Whitehead
The Demons: Amelie Brown, Charlie Enright, Isabella Groves, Summer Hopkins, Kasey Wanton, Lilian Monaghan-Hall, Olivia Clemson, Rianna Coffey.
Turquoise: Taya Rodgers, Ella Roberts, Grace Dombroski, Meg Lang, Mia Coleman, Molly Kiernan, Olivia Hogarth, Coach Jac Fabre
Turquoise: Jonah Brooks, Austin Dempsey, Darcy Bailey, Lachlan Griffiths, Sebastian Messenger, Timon Bonelli, Isaac McVie
U19 Blue: Charlie Hart, Cody Rodgers, Izac Hibbs, Jac Fabre, Lachlan Russell, Tom Chadwick, Coach Steve Utting
Under 13 boys Jared Cook and Harry Chadwick
Under 13 Girls Holly Smith, Violet Longmore, Zhai Wrightson
Kade Dittmar and Zac Dronow
Gus Wrightson, Cody Rodgers and Sunny Kemp
Caitlin Lord
Ruby Willcox and Ella Roberts
Under 15 Boys Jonah Brooks and Art Harvey
The Margaret River Basketball Association celebrated their 2018 Grand Final night last week, where players, coaches, family and friends gathered to cheer on the young players as they battled it out for grand final glory.
U13 Girls Demons 17 def. Gumbies 15
The Demons came from behind to take the win in a closely fought battle with both teams hitting the boards hard under pressure-cooker conditions.
The Gumbies were led by talls Violet Longmore and Holly Smith, with the team applying intense defensive pressure on a fired up Demons team but the Demons came out of the huddle at half time determined to go home winners, using the glass well they piled on the points coming away victors by two points.
The Demons: Amelie Brown, Charlie Enright, Isabella Groves, Summer Hopkins, Kasey Wanton, Lilian Monaghan-Hall, Olivia Clemson, Rianna Coffey.
U13 Boys Fresh Lettuce 32 def. Giraffe Boys 26
Fresh Lettuce piled on late goals with players running the floor in desperation for the victory in a hard fought finals campaign.
Finishing on top of the ladder for the regular season Fresh Lettuce were put through their paces with a semi-final loss in the lead up to the grand final. Giraffe Boys led by season high scorer Clay Tulimowski contested the ball valiantly with the result going either way mid-way through the last half, but great ball skills from Harry Chadwick and co. sealed the win with immense spectator support for both teams.
Fresh Lettuce: Harry Chadwick, Gus Whitehead, Mitchell Griffiths, Fin Sunderland, Myles Bucat, Lochlain Ride, Culann Murray, Coach Grant Whitehead
U15 Girls Turquoise 47 def. Yellow 29
Boasting a strong line up of players who drove hard at the basket Turquoise who were minor premiers were too powerful for team Yellow who played a phenomenal game considering their placing 5th on the ladder at the end of the regular season.
Turquoise high scorers Ella Roberts and Taya Rodgers were in the zone with stiff competition by Caitlin Lord shutting them down at any opportunity.
A shout out to the smallest and youngest player on the court Molly Boath for an exceptional 3 point shot under immense pressure. The team spirit was fantastic on both teams with great support from onlookers resulting in a high scoring affair.
Turquoise: Taya Rodgers, Ella Roberts, Grace Dombroski, Meg Lang, Mia Coleman, Molly Kiernan, Olivia Hogarth, Coach Jac Fabre
U15 Boys Turquoise 38 def. Green Machine 35
A high scoring Green Machine outfit encountered a hard, physical contest with ladder leaders Turquoise in a neck to neck hit out in the grand final but ran out of steam in the dying minutes to go down by 3 points.
Both sides started with early fouls but Turquoise player Jonah Brooks, runner up fairest and best for the league, pounded the glass hard with backup from his talented team against fast paced Green Machine.
Green Machines Mitchell Greenhaigh and Byron George played steadfastly, with Riley Stanlake providing a fantastic goal which drew the vocal crowd to their feet and the lid off the stadium.
A game superbly coached and played by all.
Turquoise: Jonah Brooks, Austin Dempsey, Darcy Bailey, Lachlan Griffiths, Sebastian Messenger, Timon Bonelli, Isaac McVie
U17 Boys Blue 40 def. Yellow 32
Ladder leaders Team yellow led by prolific scorer Zac Dronow squandered a 13-17 half time lead in their grand final contest with team Blue to go down by at the final siren.
Team blue hit the boards hard with Mr Consistent Kade Dittmar strong at both ends of the court and Petra Black weaving his magic all over the court.
An ankle injury to Yellows Zac Dronow in the second half slowed the teams roll on with several late baskets not enough to secure the win over the tenacious team in Blue.
U19 Girls Black Panthers 31 def. 30 Ootz
The nail biting game of the night contested by two equally talented teams had the stadium on its feet for the fast paced battle with the game going down to the wire, with Black Panthers left with only 3 players standing in the dying seconds due to 2 team mates fouled out.
U19 Boys Blue 31 def. Grey 23
A season long rivalry between the two teams climaxed in a fierce contest with ladder leaders Blue clinching the victory in a gruelling encounter.
Team Grey jumped off the mark early with a succession of quick points but the accuracy and tenacity of Blue saw them in the lead 16-8 at half time.
A deluge of baskets to Blue saw the team leading 27-10 with 10 mins remaining, even though Grey fought back with solid perimeter shooting and strong drives to the glass it was small respite from a strong win by Blue.
U19 Blue: Charlie Hart, Cody Rodgers, Izac Hibbs, Jac Fabre, Lachlan Russell, Tom Chadwick, Coach Steve Utting
BEST AND FAIREST
UNDER 13 GIRLS
Winners: Violet Longmore + Zhai Wrightson
Runners up: Holly Smith + Emily Bower
Under 13 Girls Holly Smith, Violet Longmore and Zhai Wrightson
UNDER 15 GIRLS
Winner: Ella Roberts
Runner up: Ruby Willcox
UNDER 19 GIRLS
Winner: Mia Dronow
Runner up: Julia Griffiths
UNDER 13 BOYS
Winner: Harry Chadwick
Runner up: Jared Cook
UNDER 15 BOYS
Winner: Art Harvey
Runner up: Jonah Brooks
UNDER 17 BOYS
Winner: Zac Dronow
Runner up: Kade Dittmar
UNDER 19 BOYS
Winner: Cody Rodgers
Runners up: Sunny Kemp + Gus Wrightson
Spirit of Basketball Award
Winner: Julia Griffiths
Julia embraced the core values of the game: hard-work, striving to improve and a commitment to others. She was awarded for outstanding service, showing kindness, mentoring and continuously inspiring younger players during the 2017-18 season.
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Margaret River Mail
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