Manchester Giants pull off a thrilling 75-72 victory, handing B. Braun Sheffield Hatters their first loss of the 23/24 campaign.
Manchester Giants starting five: Lauren Thomas-Johnson, Brooklynn McAlear-Fanus, Georgia Anderson, Myah Pace, Sydney Hunter.
B. Braun Sheffield Hatters starting five: Carla Drennan, Nicolette Fairley, Georgia Gayle, Emma Eichmeyer, Maddie Washington.
A contentious matchup from the very beginning, the game got under way with a brisk shootout between Giants forward Sydney Hunter and Hatters guard Georgia Gayle, both able to light it up from deep.
Giants started the better in the opening minutes, as Myah Pace hustled her way to basket, forcing the Hatters into early foul trouble.
Meanwhile, the Hatters looked to Gayle to keep them afloat, logging all seven opening points for the visitors.
Hannah Shaw proved a challenge to contain inside, taking consecutive visits to the free-throw line, converting four-for-four in the opening quarter.
Despite the foul concerns, Hatters used a 7-1 concluding run to claim the first quarter in their favour, the scoreboard reading 15-21.
Hatters improved on their first quarter advantage, with Maddie Washington and Emma Eichmeyer converting quickly past the Giants defence.
Despite a double-figure lead, a handful of strong defensive possessions enabled the Giants to edge back.
Looking to get even, Pace and Hunter struck again along with Leah McDerment, crunching Hatters’ lead to just three.
McAlear-Fanus’ heroic offensive board leading to a layup placed the Giants in front for the first time, but was short-lived with a prompt reply from Washington, the halftime score reading 25-25.
All square at the half, the tension only intensified in the third quarter, both teams still in deadlock.
Manchester continued their efficiency from the charity stripe, while Gayle, Eichmeyer, and Carla Drennan stumped the Giants with long-ranged conversions.
Seven different lead changes in the third quarter set the stage for a nail-biting final quarter.
Gayle remained the dominant factor for the Hatters, pouring in the first four points of the last quarter, leading to a 7-point lead at 58-65.
Turning the game on its head, however, the Giants responded valiantly, as Hunter and Pace secured valuable transition scoring opportunities, while McAlear-Fanus pulled off more and-one plays, the Hatters lead now down to two points.
With under five minutes remaining in the contest, Giants broke away with an electrifying 8-2 run, continuing to dance and weave past the Hatters defenders.
Washington successfully snapped a two-minute long scoreless run for the Hatters, before a clutch Desiree Ramos jump shot tying the game up at 71 apiece.
With a minute remaining, a crucial McAlear-Fanus layup dropped for the Giants, giving them a small two point lead, 73-71.
Giants’ Lauren Thomas-Johnson and Hatters’ Eichmeyer nervously converted free-throws in the dying seconds of the game.
With five seconds remaining, and three points separating both teams, the Hatters advanced the ball to Gayle, a deadly 44% three-point shooter.
Pulling up for the tying triple, Gayle’s attempt was thwarted by a lunging Pace block, capping off a marvellous victory for the Giants, rounding off with a 75-72 victory.
Player of the Game
Despite contributions across the board from the Giants players, Myah Pace’s tough and-one play with four minutes to spare in the game allowed the Giants to leapfrog the Hatters and claim a magnificent victory before delivering the lead-sealing block. Pace finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, getting it done on both ends of the floor.
| Team | Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Manchester Giants | Brooklynn McAlear-Fanus | 19 | 7 | 3 |
| Manchester Giants | Myah Pace | 15 | 13 | 1 |
| B. Braun Sheffield Hatters | Georgia Gayle | 23 | 3 | 1 |
| B. Braun Sheffield Hatters | Maddie Washington | 14 | 6 | 4 |
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