JUNE 23, 2024.
SYDNEY BLUES 72
SYDNEY UNI FLAMES 64
Image: Annabelle Lindsay of Sydney Uni looks for a teammate. Credit: HER WAY
Led by Aussie Gliders star Georgia Munro-Cook’s massive 43 points, the Sydney Blues reversed the results of yesterday’s two games to win the third local derby at Auburn Basketball Stadium today.
The match featured a host of current and former national players, including seven time Paralympian and now NSW Member of Parliament Leisl Tesch playing for the Flames. The 55yr old received a warm round of applause when she scored her first points of the match at the free throw line. In a tight opening quarter, the Blues narrowly led 16-15 at the first break.
After an even first quarter, the Blues started to pull away in the second quarter to open up an eight point 40-32 halftime lead, with Munro-Cook leading the way, supported well by other Gliders Paralympians including Jess Cronje and Kylie Gauci.
The match was physical, with several players finding themselves on the floor throughout the clash. At one point after her opponent fell from her chair, Hannah Dodd used her own chair to help scoop her back to her chair, almost like a bobcat. Flames’ Annabelle Lindsay suffered a heavy fall on her shoulder in the first half, telling HER WAY afterwards that she felt ok, but would be no doubt feeling the effects of the fall tomorrow.
Sydney Uni Flames, who feature some current Gliders of their own including Hannah Dodd and Stephanie van Leeuwen, started the third quarter well to narrow the deficit to just three, but the Blues steadied and restored the lead to 10 points at the final break. At three quarter time, Munro-Cook had already amassed 30 points, while Lindsay was leading the way for her side with 27 points.
The Blues extended the lead out to 15 points in the final quarter, but to their credit the Flames never gave up, with Lindsay’s 16 fourth quarter points reducing the margin to just five with a minute remaining, but the Blues held firm for their first win of the season. Georgia Munro-Cook, playing in front of family and friends including her original Wiggle dad Murray, capped off an incredible individual performance with her 43rd point just before the full time buzzer. For the Flames, Annabelle Lindsay also finished with a huge haul of 43 points.
The Flames, who have kept a core group together from previous seasons, won the two matches between the teams yesterday. Georgia Munro-Cook told HER WAY after the game that reversing those results from the day before was simply due to spending more time playing as a unit.
“It’s our first time playing together, and they have a lot of experience playing together, so I think just getting that experience over the weekend was really beneficial.”
The women’s league resumes in three weeks, while some players will re-join the Mixed gender NWBL next weekend with games in Adelaide, Melbourne and Darwin. On Tuesday, the Gliders squad will be announced for a series in Melbourne the following week. It will be the first opportunity for the Gliders to play international matches on home soil in 12 years.
SCORES:
Sydney Blues 74 (Munro-Cook 43, Cronje 14)
Sydney Uni Flames 64 (Lindsay 43, Dodd 7, van Leeuwen 7)