Hatters win with second-half spark, Rebels edge out Eagles

WBBL Championship

Sevenoaks Suns 63-79 Sheffield Hatters (20-14, 31-30, 47-50)

(Suns: Monakana, 23; Bradshaw/Koppl, 9; Busch/Fritz, 7 – Hatters: Murphy, 22; Gayle 18; Naylor, 10)

WBBL Championship

Newcastle Eagles 65-59 Essex Rebels (11-19, 27-39, 54-56)

(Eagles: Lewis, 17; Gaynor, 12; Nolan, 10 – Rebels: Paxton/Swart, 15; Turner, 9; Kohlhaas, 8)

An exciting matchup marked this weekend’s WBBL Championship schedule as the Sheffield Hatters took the journey south to face-off against Sevenoaks Suns.

The Hatters, headlined by double-double machine Karly Murphy, have had a strong start to their regular season, accumulating only one loss so far in a tough contest with current WBBL undefeated leaders London Lions, last weekend. 

As for Sevenoaks, who previously sat with two wins and two losses, they continued to get looks for their star guard Renee Busch, who has been on fire with her shooting. Through four games, Busch has tallied 24+ points on three different occasions.

Action-packed from the tip-off, none other than Busch got the scoring started for the Suns – a three-point conversion nicely assisted by Judit Fritz, who herself has notched 21 assists across her last three WBBL Championship appearances.

A pair of dominant post moves from Murphy got the Hatters moving offensively, including an open look to sharpshooter Helen Naylor, converting her sixth three-point shot of the season.

However, Dayton alumni Araion Bradshaw was on the mark for Sevenoaks converting two well-executed layups. Busch was also on hand in attacking duties, with a flashy dish-off pass to Amelia Watkins who knocked down the layup to keep the Suns ahead.

Beginning the second period, Sevenoaks forward Janice Monakana was quick out of the gates, executing a crafty euro-step layup.

In response, Hatters’ Georgia Gayle knocked down two three-point shots in quick succession – including one from car park range – bringing the scoreline to within two. A dynamic duo, Gayle and Murphy were crucial to Sheffield’s offensive set plays, combining for 18 points in the first-half, converting 61.5% of their field goal attempts.

A spree of physical possessions by the Suns saw Fritz add nine first-half rebounds to her name, two away from exceeding her season-high. 

While a 16-point second quarter spurred on an energetic Hatters side, Sevenoaks headed to the locker room up by one at the midway point.

More pick-and-roll play courtesy of Murphy provided a handful of great looks for the Hatters, setting up Naylor for a baseline cut to the basket for the easy finish. Lena Niang made her presence felt also, a great block paired with a deep-range two point shot proved problematic for the Suns defence. 

Responding to a third triple from Gayle, Monakana’s strong presence inside got her to the charity stripe to cap off an and-one play, steering Sevenoaks to a slim lead.

Hatters youngster Charli Wroe had an instant impact on the Sheffield team, knocking down a layup and three-point shot within just a few minutes of subbing into the ball game, providing Hatters with their first lead of the game.

Heading into the final quarter of play, Monakana emerged as a key player for the Suns, having already drawn 19 points, including two drained three-pointers, while Fritz controlled the rebounds with 10 boards to her name.

Wroe struck again to start the fourth, an effortless three-point make to ignite the Hatters bench. Not just a scorer, Wroe showed her playmaking prowess, getting Murphy a precise pass for a well-orchestrated layup. 

With a streak of Sheffield baskets via Gayle and Murphy – yet again – the Hatters cruised to a double-digit advantage in the closing minutes of the game. But, playing determinedly to the end, Sevenoaks Suns’ guard Katie Cox found herself open in the corner for a confident three-point shot, while Austrian international Julia Koppl was able to get to the free-throw line, with her ninth point signalling 1,000 WBBL points across all competitions! 

A 49-point second half for the Hatters ultimately saw them the victors of the game, improving to five wins for the season; Murphy’s second game in which she has scored 20+ points. Meanwhile, Suns drop to three losses, despite Monakana’s second best scoring performance of the season, as she amassed 23 points in total.

In the second fixture of Saturday WBBL action, the Newcastle Eagles played host to Essex Rebels, as both teams looked eager to rise up the standings, both teams sharing identical one-win, three-defeats records.

Entering the game, this matchup promised stellar action between Essex’s centre Sune Swart, who has delivered double-double performances in her past three appearances, and Newcastle’s Antoinette Lewis, who since arriving to Vertu Motors Arena, has averaged a monstrous 21.5 points per game along with 13 rebounds per game.

Intensity was on the menu defensively, for the Rebels, with danger-player Lewis guarded tightly by the Essex starters. Drawing contact, Lewis found the free-throw line almost immediately, scoring Newcastle’s first pair of points in the game.

Rebels responded in style, two three-pointers thanks to guards Tia Freeman and Ashleigh Munns helping to glide Essex to a spree of 13 consecutive points, forcing Newcastle into a timeout.

A defiant defensive display from Essex continued to torment Newcastle’s offensive options, forcing six turnovers in the opening quarter.

Eagles did find their feet in the closing minute of the first period; a full-court press resulting in a steal and layup play for Chloe Gaynor. A second full-court press then saw Marina Fernandez Pardo get on the scoresheet for two.

Eagles got the second quarter started off with a driving layup and pull up jump shot from Maggie Justinak to limit Essex’s strong start.

Essex’s barrage of three-pointers, drained in by Munns and Claire Paxton kept the Rebels’ lead afloat, while Swart’s three big-time blocks kept Eagles away from the rim.

With Paxton going two-from-three behind the arc, Rebels may have found a new attacking weapon, as the Rebels pushed a 12-point advantage heading into the break.

Starting the second half with great unselfish play for the Eagles culminated in a three-point drain for Fernandez Pardo off a Lewis assist.

Nevertheless, Essex’s defensive presence persisted, Swart getting the best of Lewis to add another blocked shot to her collection.

Lewis responded with some well-worked offences with fellow forward Katie Nolan, combining for 21 points midways into the third quarter. Lewis continued her spark, a huge block to halt the Essex transition and then converting an under-basket finish on the other end, helping to get the Eagles to within single digits of the lead.

With eight three-pointers sunk by Essex heading into the final period, the Rebels maintained a two-point lead – an overtime period seemed likely.

The back-and-forth action continued in the fourth, Swart getting the Rebels started with a quick transition layup, responded quickly by Rachael Bland‘s layup and a Justinak triple to put the Eagles ahead in classic comeback style.

With the lead switching hands, Rebels’ Swart stepped up to knock down her first three-point shot of the season as all hands were on deck heading into the closing minutes of the game.

Rebels up by two with a minute to go, a forced turnover gave the Eagles an attempt at basket to tie. Lewis drawing a foul on the other end sent her to the line, where she converted both free-throws to tie the game up. On the very next Rebels possession, however, a Paxton step back jump shot kept Eagles’ tie short-lived, as Paxton notched 15 points, a season high.

With 20 seconds remaining, Newcastle couldn’t quite convert the tying layup, ending in an offensive foul – Essex regaining possession.

With Eagles in foul trouble but needing to regain possession, they were forced to foul, sending the Rebels to the line, converting two of four to put a lid on their lead.

Commiserations to Newcastle, who fought valiantly to comeback from being down 12 at halftime. However, Swart’s 15 points, 12 rebounds, four block performance crowned the Rebels the winners in what was a thriller!

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