BASKETBALL
The Sydney Comets made their way up the M1 to take on the Crusaders at Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium on Sunday, June 16.
The women got things started with an early 12pm tip off, with the Crusaders hoping to secure a much-needed win to get back on track after losing their big three to injuries and personal commitments.
The Crusaders are missing their captain Jasmine Forcadilla, who has been sidelined for the past three matches due to injury along with WNBA veterans Leilani Mitchell and Mikaela Dombkins.
New signings Kristina Moore and Kate Cranney have taken on quite the load in their absence but it has unfortunately not been enough to muster up a winning effort in the few opportunities they’ve had.
The 7th placed Comets were nipping at the heels of the 6th placed Crusaders with two wins between them, the Crusaders looking to use the home court advantage to grab the win.
The Crusaders started off slow, only putting in 12 points in the first quarter, but with a spark from Taryn Mahoney from behind the 3 PT line, they took the second quarter 20-18.
Young star Sara Matthews helped out with quite a performance, grabbing a 17-point 12 rebound double-double but in the end, it wasn’t enough for the Crusaders to get over the line going down at home in a low scoring 56-61 finish.
The women remain in 6th spot with eight wins and seven losses.
The men were up next at 2 pm against a competent Comets side.
Robbie Heath with a layup Photo: Kristen Russell
The Crusaders were off to an absolute blitzer of a first quarter off the back of Robbie Heath’s shooting stroke and Ben Stevens’ strong work down low in the post as they scored an impressive 35 points to cap off the first period.
In the second period they began to show signs of slowing down, going into the half with a narrow 62-56 lead over the Comets.
As has been a theme throughout the season, the Crusaders fell apart in the third quarter, managing just 13 points as opposed to the Comets’ 37.
The fourth quarter was much of the same as the Comets ran away with a comfortable 121-90 win over the Crusaders on the road.
The men’s hopes for a post-season run are all but over barring a miracle but with a promising new signing in big man Ben Stevens, they look to cap off the season strong and build some chemistry going into the next.
The women are still looking like one of the better teams in the league with a top eight finish still very much up for grabs.
The Crusaders travel down to the Inner West to take on the Bulls at Auburn Basketball Centre on June 23 with the women tipping off at 3pm followed by the men at 5pm.
Stefan Kataric
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