WBBL Championship
Cardiff Met Archers 73-78 Nottingham Wildcats (22-12, 37-35, 49-61)
Reigning WBBL Champions Nottingham Wildcats recorded their first win of the new campaign, at the third attempt, by beating Cardiff Met Archers 78-73 on the road.
Archers had led for much of the first half – seeking a first ever WBBL win against their visitors – and Wildcats had to withstand a late comeback, led by a huge double-double from Ashley Harris.
Leading Scorers – Collins 26, Quick 17, Shanahan 8 (Archers); Harris 31, S’Bahi 15, Lovett 9 (Wildcats)
Turning Point – Wildcats reversed a first half deficit when Ashley Harris came to life in the third quarter. She scored five in a 13-2 start, putting the visitors in front at 48-39, before adding another 11 points to take her personal tally to 16 in the third quarter. That gave Wildcats a double-digit lead to defend in the fourth period, and they needed it as the hosts fought back to within one shot, before Siobhan Prior and Onayssa S’Bahi hit three-pointers to keep them at bay.
Key Stats – Wildcats found their groove in the third quarter and, after struggling early on, shot 10/18 (56%) from the field. Meanwhile, they only allowed their hosts two scores in the opening seven minutes of that spell, restricting them to 5/17 (29%) in the period.
Game Hero – Ashley Harris led the crucial run in the third quarter, on her way to a double-double of 31 points, including 4/6 three-pointers, and 12 rebounds.