WBBL Championship
Oaklands Wolves 92 – 102 (OT) Leicester Riders (26-19, 21-24, 14-25, 22-15, 9-19 )
(Wolves – Gould 33, George 22, Sarson 16; Riders – Robb 26, Squires 19, Arlen 15)

In today’s WBBL action, the Oaklands Wolves welcomed league leaders Leicester Riders to Oaklands College in a very hard-fought game that was ultimately decided in overtime in favour of the visitors, 92-102.

Hannah Robb led the Riders with 26 points, with Oliana Squires adding a further 19.

Cassidy Gould’s heroics with 33 points and eight rebounds were not enough for the home team, who put up a valiant effort and nearly came away with a famous victory.

The game started with a very fast paced rhythm and Oaklands rushing to a quick nine-point lead (15-6) within the first three minutes, on the back of a 6-0 run.

The home side didn’t let their foot off the pedal and increased their advantage to 15 points (26-11), with three minutes left in the first quarter, when Beth Sarson scored seven consecutive points.

Leicester however weren’t going to give their opponents an easy afternoon and on the back of an 8-0 run by Fiona O’Dwyer, they closed out the first period down seven (26-19).

The start of the second quarter saw the two teams exchange buckets, with the difference staying at around the same level as at the end of the first 10 minutes.

The Riders managed to make it a one possession game (36-34) however, when Mckenzie Johnston connected from downtown.

A 5-0 run by the Wolves however increased their lead back seven (41-34), on the back off a triple by Gould and a jumper by Grace George.

With just over a minute to go until halftime, the visitors managed to make it a one possession game once again (44-41), when Emma Fee laid the ball in.

The two sides then proceeded to exchange buckets and close out the half with the hosts having a four-point advantage (47-43), in a very evenly matched game.

The second half started in a very different way to the first, with the Riders coming out of the locker rooms with a point to prove.

The visitors went on an 14-0 run to start the period and stormed ahead by seven points (47-57), managing to keep their opponents scoreless through their tenacious defence for the first three minutes.

It was then the Wolves’ turn to go on a run – proving the saying that basketball is a game of runs – when they went on their own 9-0 run to bring the game to within one point (56-57), when Sarson drilled her second three of the game.

An 8-0 run by Leicester then once again extended their lead back up to nine (56-65), when Robb connected from downtown.

The two teams then exchanged buckets for the final two minutes of the quarter, to go into the final 10 minutes with the Riders ahead by seven (61-68).

Oaklands had fought hard for three quarters and started their comeback at the beginning of the fourth, managing to tie the game at 70 apiece with just over six minutes to go when Gould converted one of her two free throws.

Just when the momentum seemed to have swung in favour of the home side, Leicester dug in and through their tough defence, managed to keep their opponents scoreless for the next four minutes.

During that period the Riders went on a 6-0 run (70-76).

With just under a minute to go until the final buzzer, the fighting Wolves brought the deficit down to just two points (78-80), when Sarson made both of her free throws.

A three-pointer by Jorjah Smith then made it a one-point game (81-82), after Ashley Arlen had first scored both of her free throws.

With 30 seconds left to play, O’Dwyer was fouled and sent to the line, scoring 1/2, before a layup by Sarson tied the score at 83 apiece and sending the match to overtime.

The extra five minutes started with the two sides evenly matched, just as they had been for the entire game.

After the first two minutes, the score was tied at 87 apiece.

The Riders then proceeded to go on an 8-0 run after Johnston connected from behind the arc (87-95).

The Wolves didn’t give up and continued to fight back, but ultimately their opponents’ offence was too much for them and despite the valiant effort, were unable to come away with the victory.

With this W, the Riders sit alone at the top of the standings on a record of 11-1, while the Wolves fall to 3-11.

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