Crusaders finish Regular Season with a flourish in Yorkshire

WBBL Championship
Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters 70 (16,30,56) (Naylor 17, Gandy 16, Winborne 15)
Barking Abbey Crusaders 72 (17,33,52) (Wilkinson 15, Whittington 14, Johnson 12)

Barking Abbey Crusaders closed out the regular season with a 70-72 road victory against Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters.

The defeat means Hatters finish in fifth with Barking Abbey already guaranteed to end up in seventh and they improve to an 8-10 record.

Savannah Wilkinson top scored in the win with 15 points with Imani Whittington and Abigail Johnson adding 14 and 12 points respectively.

The Hatters made a bright start to lead 16-9, but an 8-0 close saw the visitors edge ahead before extending their advantage at half-time as a Katy Armanu triple made it 30-33.

Sheffield turned things around in the third and took control with a 9-1 run to lead 56-48. However, Wilkinson scored eight straight across quarters to tie the game and the Crusaders edged ahead as a tense finish ensued.

A 6-2 burst pushed the lead out to three, but the Hatters closed to within one in the final minute before a free throw from Wilkinson proved enough to seal the win.

Helen Naylor and Steph Gandy combined for 32 points with Brittany Winborne adding 15 points and 15 rebounds as the Hatters now face Manchester Mystics away from home in the Play-Offs.