The Waverley Falcons under 18 girls team performed well at the National Junior Classic over the long weekend, winning four of their six games en route to a respectable 11th place finish.
The weekend started on the show court against the Sydney Comets, who are generally touted as one of Sydney’s premier Basketball programs. Nerves got the better of the Falcons early on, allowing the Comets to get out to a double figure lead. It did not take long however for the Falcons to begin executing and by half time the game was once again in the balance. The second half was a one sided affair as the Falcons set about dismantling the Comets, taking a comprehensive 16 point win.
The second game saw the Falcons up against local rivals the Nunawading Spectres. Coming in as underdogs, the Falcons stuck with the Spectres all the way through what was a gritty, hard-fought contest. With the game up for grabs with only minutes remaining, the Falcons held their nerve, got important stops in defence and put the game away from the free throw line as they recorded an impressive upset win.
Sunday morning brought with it a familiar match up as the Falcons took on the Melbourne Tigers. The same Tigers outfit got the better of the Falcons in the Grand Final in Adelaide, and the Falcons were keen on reversing that result and booking their place in the finals. Early on, it looked as though a repeat of the Adelaide Grand Final was on the cards, the Tigers raced out to an early lead and the Falcons looked out of sorts. The Falcons began chipping away at the lead however and took the ascendancy during the third quarter. The match became an arm wrestle from that point, with lead changes on nearly every bucket as both teams were desperate to grab the win and the subsequent finals berth. The Falcons unfortunately fell just short in the end, leaving them in third place in their group despite claiming two wins from three games.
The Falcons opened the placing section of the tournament with a game against the Forestville Eagles, and it was the Falcons who this time raced off at the start, establishing an early lead which they would never relinquish. Despite a few runs from the Eagles, the Falcons never faulted as they took an 11 point win. Looking to take this form with them into their Sunday night clash against the Woodville Warriors, the Falcons once more started strong; however they were not able to put the Warriors away. It was a tough grind as both teams showed the affects of playing five games in two days, and the Warriors just came out on top, defeating of the Falcons by four points.
Monday morning saw the Falcons renew their acquaintances with the Sydney Comets, who they put away quite comprehensively in the first game. Keen to finish the weekend on a positive note, the Falcons wasted no time stamping their ascendancy on the game, and put forward their best offensive game of the tournament as they took another strong 20 point win.
Over the course of the weekend, the Falcons showed they were more than capable of competing against the best teams in the country, and with strong performances against some of Victoria’s top teams, the Falcons can take some added confidence into the last eight games of the Victorian Championship season. The squad over the weekend was bolstered by the inclusion of three under 16 players, and the added depth proved valuable throughout the gruelling schedule. The focus now returns to Friday nights, as the Falcons look to maintain their intensity through the remainder of the Victorian Championship season.
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