THE Hamilton Basketball Association season wrapped up on Tuesday night with some thrilling grand finals played across the competition.
Sportscene Minders capped off a strong Women’s Division 1 season, defeating St Mary’s in the season decider, 58-49.
It was a tight tussle at times, with both teams enjoying strong momentum, but it was Tahlia Ross who took the game away from the Saints.
Ross put up a game-high 15 points, while Caitlin Urquhart, Paige Kissel and Mia McGrath all chipped in with 11 points each to spread the load across the team.
Clare Crawford impressed for St Mary’s with 12 points, while Amy Knight finished with eight, as both teams had their fair share of foul troubles during the contest.
Jedah Huf was named the grand final MVP and added eight points to Minders’ total.
It was an upset win with St Mary’s going through the season undefeated and finishing in top spot, with Minders finishing the regular season in third position with five wins and two losses.
Both teams fought out a stunning match and all players should be commended for their efforts.
Men
THE Men’s Division 1 season decider was played out between first and second with St Mary’s Orange holding off Minders White by 13 points at the final buzzer.
Orange got off to a steady start and controlled the game when it mattered, edging clear and holding on to the lead to win, 88-75.
Deacon White shot the lights out, rising to the occasion on the big stage and contributing 32 points, including two shots from long range.
Charlie Alexander added 17 points, while Jacob Hill (13) and Ben Marti (12) also contributed for the winners.
Angus Noske did his best to grad White over the line, putting up 26 points to top his team’s scoring effort, while Josh Miller added 22 and Jack Oswald chipped in with 15.
It was a tough outing for White, but the team should be proud of its efforts, against a St Mary’s Orange team who went through the season undefeated.
The shooting accuracy was high at times from both teams, a testament to the talent within the association, which bodes well for the future.
Orange’s Will Povey was named grand final MVP, while Aaron Glare got the Division 1 Men’s MVP for the spring season.
The association will now take a few weeks off before a new season gets underway.
