Posted on 18 May, 2021
The NBL1 Cobra Women have suffered their first home loss of 2021, falling to the rival Nunawading Spectres, 70-90 on Saturday night.
The Cobras were plagued by a slow start on Saturday, falling behind by double-figures early and trailing, 25-45 late in the first half. Tia Hay and Lauren Scherf gave the Cobras some life heading into the half, however, as they led a 12-3 run to close the second period and trim the Spectre lead to 11 heading into the main break.
The battle-tested Spectres would pull away to start the second half, though, opening the third period on a 16-3 run to end any hopes of a Cobras comeback. Despite the tough loss, there were some positives to come out of game for head coach Hannah Lowe, as she received a solid production from recent collegiate graduates, Carly Turner, Tia Hay and Abi Curtin, while Cobras junior Georgia Booth was productive off the bench once again. Turner led the Cobras with 15 points and four steals, Hay added 12 points, seven rebounds and a game-high five assists, Curtin chipped in with 12 points and seven boards, while Booth scored a season-best nine points in 19 minutes.
While Hay, Turner, Curtin and Booth were productive, the Cobras struggled as a whole offensively on Saturday night, shooting just 36.6 percent from the field in the loss, while the Spectres shot at a solid 49 percent clip on the evening. The loss dropped the Cobras record to 3-2 on the young season, keeping them in the mix for a top-eight spot as they get set to embark on a challenging three week stretch of the schedule. The Cobra Women face three straight doubleheader weekends, starting on Saturday night when they visit the Diamond Valley Eagles, before returning home on Sunday to take on the Launceston Tornadoes.
With the Cobras and Tornadoes duelling in some classic postseason battles in recent years, Sunday’s showdown promises to be the latest thrilling instalment in the interstate rivalry. Tip-off is scheduled for 12.00pm, with the Cobra Men following at 2.00pm as they take on the NW Tasmania Thunder. Tickets on sale now – click here to order yours today.
