7 Jan 2017: Mystics 45-69 Suns

A big Anne Pedersen double-double leads Sevenoaks Suns to a record win over Manchester Mystics.

WBBL Championship
Manchester Mystics 45 (8,26,37) (Thomas-Johnson 18, Jones 10, Welling 5)
Sevenoaks Suns 69 (8,29,48) (Pedersen 17, Carr 15, Nikitinaite 12)

Sevenoaks Suns have handed second-placed Manchester Mystics a first defeat in 11 games after beating them 69-45, for their biggest win against the Mystics in the WBBL Championship. Suns have the third best defence in the league, and this was their best defensive performance of the season as they held their hosts to their lowest tally so far.

And it was a low-scoring start to the game, as Suns missed their opening nine shots and didn’t score for five minutes, Mystics taking a second stanza lead of 26-21 when Rheanne Bailey hit a three-pointer and the returning GB international Lauren Thomas-Johnson made the score 26-21. But that was as good as it would get for Manchester, missing Amy Browne and Sierra Schwellenbach for this game.

Renee Busch emerged from the bench and came alight for the visiting Suns, hitting the last eight points of the first half, including a pair of three-pointers, to fire them into a 29-26 lead that they would not relinquish.

And that run became 17 unanswered points as they scored the first eight of the second half, holding Mystics scoreless for seven minutes to take a double-digit lead at 37-25. The game was settled when Busch connected from long-range once more, in a 7-1 opening to the fourth period that made the score 55-38.

Suns went on to win the fourth quarter 21-8, with Catherine Carr adding another eight points. Carr finished with 15, but the outstanding performer was Anne Pedersen, who posted 17 points and 12 rebounds. Suns grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, scoring 24 second chance points, and held Mystics to just 25% shooting.