Year 11 Red Bend student Victoria Simpson went with the Australian women’s Gliders team to Thailand and came home with gold. The amazing Gliders team won the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Asia Oceania Championships in Phuket after being undefeated in their march towards the trophy beating Iran, Thailand and Japan. Congratulations to Victoria and her team on an inspiring performance!

It was the two dream grand finals everyone wanted and that’s exactly what they got when Shead Nicholson took on Howies in the Women’s and Misfits looked to defend their title against Flint Tropics.

Howies started well, as they usually do, with Shorty Howard leading all scorers at the half with eight points as Howies dashed to a 16-4 lead with halftime approaching.

Despite having no subs Howies hustled and shot well, making life hard for Shead Nico.

It didn’t take long though for the champs to find their rhythm and by the half had gone on a 16-0 run to lead 20-16.

The second half was always going to be tough for Howies with no reserves and soon the premiers got to work as the lead soon became double digits with time expiring.

As Michelle Bentick and Maggie Townsend led the fightback for the champions scoring all 11 points for their side to begin the second half. Bentick would go on and finish with 18 in the 45-29 win while Maggie Townsend was named MVP of the Grand Final, with 12 points of her own and some great work in defence forcing a number of turnovers.

Howies meanwhile were without defensive player of the year and regular season MVP Monique Pointon, and women’s team of the year player Kristy Butler which proved pivotal.

For the premiers Shead Nico who have secured back to back season premierships, it certainly was a team effort with Michelle Bentick, Amy, April and Maggie Townsend especially strong and supported well by Candice Morrison, Nicole Westwood and Courtney Hodge.

In the Men’s, Flint Tropics finished undefeated after a 43-15 win over defending champs Misfits. Justin Hoy led all scorers in the game with 18 points, whilst Jono Morell contributed 16 himself and was named MVP of the grand final.

The latest round of Forbes Basketball Association Men’s Competition means that after ten rounds, Flint Tropics remain undefeated with an imposing 10-0 record – three wins clear of defending champions Misfits after their 38-31 victory last week in a potential grand final preview.

In the battle for third and fourth leading into the semi finals, Cespitorians held on 37-33 over Zinger Blockers in a dour affair where neither team could get away. The win was vital for Cespitorians, who remain the real dark horse for the title and who now sit at 6-4 only one win behind Misfits but more importantly, two wins clear of Zinger Blockers (4-6) and three clear of KMS (3-7) who are battling for fourth. KMS won 49-32 over the much improved Maybe Babies.

With the semi finals in sight, the ladder is starting to take shape and the real question everyone is asking is – can anyone stop Flint Tropics and steal their thunder? Will 2021 be the year they breakthrough? Watch this space…

In a slam dunk for basketball in the Central West, female basketballers have trained with and learnt from Australia’s best at the Brydens Sydney Flames’ Her Flame Burns Bright basketball clinic at Bathurst today. Her Flame Burns Bright featured a junior clinic, coach’s clinic and leadership program presented by Australian Opal Lauren Nicholson. The aim of the program is to increase female participation and retention in regional NSW.

The program, supported by the NSW Government, will be delivered in 10 locations over the next three years to more than 2,000 female basketballers and coaches. NSW Upper House MP Sam Farraway said the Her Flame Burns Bright program would play a vital role in nurturing and inspiring future athletes across the region.

“You can’t be what you can’t see and this program will inspire our female players and invigorate women’s basketball throughout the Central West.”

It was billed as the game between the defending champs and the team that would-be king – Misfits v Flint Tropics. In the end, the win for Flint Tropics 40-28, who like, Misfits, were undefeated going into this game, has only raised more questions than it answered.

Lead admirably by Jono Merrell and Justin Hoy, Flint Tropics immediately went to work coming hard out of the gates and making life difficult for the champions whose attack was disjointed.

“Our D kept us in it,” said Shannon Crowley of Misfits.

“We just couldn’t get anything going on offence despite tremendous efforts from new recruit Morgan Ball and Grant King in the paint,” he said.

“In the end they were too good on the night even though we closed the gap to single digits towards the end.”

With Flint Tropics all alone now at the top of the Forbes Basketball Association ladder Misfits have the job ahead to get their offence right before a return match with the challengers

“We have a lot of improving to do to beat Flint Tropics let alone go back-to-back,” said Crowley.

“I know we can improve our attack and we have some time to get that right,” Shannon said. “We will need to if we are a chance.”

In the battle of the cellar dwellers, KMS, lead by its young stars, outpaced new side Maybe Babies 68-28. Despite strong games from Adam Maynard and Mark Stirling, it wasn’t enough for Maybe Babies to combat the chemistry of KMS who’s three-point shooting alone blew the contest wide open. Maybe Babies captain Mark Stirling though, remained upbeat the side can improve and remain competitive.

“It’s only our first season but we have to continue to work and hopefully that translates to some wins.”