The Central Coast Crusaders travelled down to the Inner West on Sunday, June 23, to take on the Bulls in search of a much-needed win.
After missing three matches due to injury, women’s captain Jasmine Forcadilla made her return to the hardwood to lead the Crusaders in their match-up on the road.
The women’s match tipped off at 3pm, with the Crusaders getting off to a slow first quarter but it didn’t take Forcadilla too much longer to warm up as the Crusaders went into half-time with a 38-26 lead.
Forcadilla continued to fill it up as the Crusaders ran away with it on the road ending the game with 31 points in her return.
Kristina Moore helped out with solid 18-point contribution with the Crusaders closing out the match 78-60 in front of the opposing crowd.
No news yet regarding the return of WNBA veterans Leilani Mitchell and Mikaela Dombkins as the season draws to an end with the post season just around the corner.
The Crusaders rise to the fifth spot on the ladder with just two more rounds remaining in the regular season.
The men tipped off next at 5pm against the fifth placed Inner West Bulls, who are battling it out with the Bandits for their own spot in the top eight.
The men had a slow start of their own allowing 36 points in the first quarter alone before cleaning up their act in the second quarter and winning it 26-25.
The duo of Robbie Heath and Ben Stevens was out in full force once again combining for 44 points but it just wasn’t enough as the Crusaders suffered yet another blowout loss of 111-79.
The men remain in 13th spot on the ladder and their odds of avoiding the wooden spoon are looking pretty good as the season closes out.
The Crusaders travel to the Brickpit this Saturday, June 29, to take on the Illawarra Hawks.
The men’s tip off is at 5pm as they face the Hawks team, which has the chance to overtake the Crusaders on the ladder with a win.
The women match up at 7pm against an 8th placed Hawks squad, which sits just two wins behind the Crusaders in a tightly contested table.
Both games are must wins for the Crusaders as they chase a strong finish to the 2024 season.
Stefan Kataric