A Grade - Final Placings
Going through the regular season unbeaten surely tagged the South City Spurs as the hot favourites heading into the men’s final in the Southland Basketball Association A Grade this week but it all came unstuck for them as the Thundercats prevailed 84-74 to back up their 2016 title. Missing veteran Pete Howes due to injury, the South City Spurs never found their form of the regular season and were behind as much as 20 points at stages during the game. The Thundercats executed a perfect plan against their rivals relying heavily on Andrew Wheeler to control the game and Hayden Sproat , Joel Findlay and Chris Menzies to control the boards. Sam Beck, Izaac Williams and Paratene McLeod were the top contributors for the South City Spurs but most of their points came from the outside as they were outgunned by the taller and more composed Thundercats team.
Top points scorers : Thundercats Sproat 27, Wheeler 19, Jono Ross 12 South City Spurs : Beck 21, Williams 18 and McLeod 18
In the women’s final the Kelvin Hotel Rogues came back from an 11 point half time deficit to tie the game heading to the final quarter and beat Lonestar Storm 62 – 55. The Storm controlled the game for the first half with sisters Aliyah and Tyra Dunn contributing heavily and the Rogues struggling to defend. The half time talk obviously worked as the Rogues came out fired up with Sarah Hamilton leading the way to the comeback which left everyone guessing leading into the last quarter. Turnovers crept into the Storm game as the Rogues held their nerve and used their experience to limit their younger opponents to 10 points in that period, taking a well earned title.
Top points scorers: Rogues – Hamilton 23, Michelle Gorton 14, Jessy Raukawa 10 Storm – Aliyah Dunn 20, Tyra Dunn 11
The Young Bucks with Sharks players Connor Coll and Jordan Murphy along with several SBA ex age group players won the B Grade title against Sleeping Giants while the 3/4 playoffs were won by JHC Boys V Kelvin Hotel X Men and JHC Girls V Paws at Rest.
Final Standings
WOMEN
1st Kelvin Hotel Rogues
2nd Lonestar Storm
3rd JHC 1st V Girls
4th Paws at Rest
MEN - A
1st Thundercats
2nd South City Spurs
3rd JHC 1st V Boys
4th Kelvin Hotel Xmen
MEN - B
1st The Young Bucks
2nd Sleeping Giants
3rd MPMW Eastern Suburbs Turbos
4th MPMW Eastern Suburbs Taniwhas
Prize Giving
2017 A Grade Men Round Robin Winner South City Spurs
2017 A Grade Men – A Runner Up South City Spurs
2017 A Grade Men – A Winner Thundercats
2017 A Grade Men – B Runner Up Sleeping Giants
2017 A Grade Men – B Winner Young Bucks
2017 A Grade Women Round Robin Winner Kelvin Hotel Rogues
2017 A Grade Women Runner Up Lonestar Storm
2017 A Grade Women Winner Kelvin Hotel Rogues
2017 A Grade Women Most Promising Player U21 Aliyah Dunn Lonestar Storm)
2017 A Grade Men Most Promising Player U21 Tom Cowie (JHC)
2017 A Grade Women Most Improved Player Elly Koehler (JHC)
2017 A Grade Men Most Improved Player Mac Stodart (JHC)
2017 A Grade Women Fair Play Award Katie Heywood (KH Rogues)
2017 A Grade Men Fair Play Award Richard Hamilton (KH Xmen)
2017 A Grade Women Most Valuable Player Sarah Hamilton (KH Rogues) 2017 A Grade Men Most Valuable Player Andrew Wheeler (Thundercats)