IT was a fairly daunting task to come up against the top of the ladder, the Blackwood Ravens, last Saturday at the Geographe Leisure Centre, but the Under 18s Busselton Magpies came out all guns blazing for a display of where hard work and determination can get you.
The first quarter started with a big confidence booster as the Magpies easily broke through the Ravens’ zone defence to bring the ball through to first quarter shooters Brooke Gibson and Mia Pethybridge. Ashleigh Farmer played an intelligent game in centre, feeding the ball from the mid-court and working well with Phoebe Pethybridge in wing attack. The defensive pressure the Magpies put on the Ravens translated all the way down the court through to the defensive line-up of Delaney Wilson in wing defence, Annaliese Harris in goal defence and Tessa Keane in goal keeper. With all Magpies’ players working hard, they had a three-goal lead at the first break.
Second quarter changes saw Hannah Taylor move into wing attack and Phoebe Pethybridge into centre to give Farmer a well earned break from her relentless work ethic in the first quarter. The defensive combination of Keane into wing defence and moving Wilson into goal keeper with Harris in goal defence, saw the Magpies team up well to disallow balls into the shooting circle and keep the ball off the tall Ravens shooter. They forced turnovers with two held ball calls from the umpire – one from defensive pressure in and around the circle by Farmer, Keane, Wilson and Harris; and the other from the beautiful lean of Wilson over the Ravens shooter. These turnovers were converted to goals with accurate shooting by Pethybridge and Gibson, increasing the Magpies’ lead to four at the half-time break.
Goal attack Gibson set the tone for the Magpies’ third quarter, taking an incredible intercept at the first Ravens’ centre pass. Back on court in centre, Farmer provided generous support to the shooting circle and defended consistently down the court, picking up loose balls and creating turnovers which were quickly converted to goals. The defenders were relentless in their pressure on the new Ravens’ goalies and the Magpies built their lead to be six ahead at the last change.
The final quarter pressure of the Ravens’ defence on new Magpies’ shooter Sunny Manners was denied as she matched them for height and snatched in rebounds. The Magpies rallied in support of each of their players on the court and managed to keep ahead of the Ravens to win by five. The final score was Busselton Magpies 43 to Blackwood Ravens 38.
Coach Steph Millen gave her Best Player award to Delaney Wilson for her consistent four-quarter effort in defence.
