Posted on 22 June, 2009

Match Reports By Jayden Bishop

D League Men

The Kilsyth Workforcexs Cobras men had a tough ask with an away game against Bendigo, but managed a well needed win against the Braves. The Cobras played well leading throughout the entire match finally winning 53-69.  Liam McInerney had an impressive game with 19pts and 11rbds and Joel Naburgs was great support with 22pts. The boys now move up to 3rd position with a 10-4 record and just nudging Dandenong in 4th place.

The boys started off well with Joel Naburgs finding the basket within 20 seconds, getting the Cobras up and about. This sparked the boys into overdrive finding baskets left, right and centre. Not long after Naburgs goal, Glen Potts through down a big three to keep the team rolling. Joel Naburgs finished the quarter with nine points, helping the team lead by 15pts at the first change.

The second half started well for Bendigo, finding the basket through Austin Flint helping the Braves reduce the lead to 13, but Kilsyth had the answers firing straight back through Liam McInerney. To Bendigo’s credit they fought back to cut the margin to just 8 points. The Cobras continued to play hard and were able to hold off the fast finishing Braves extending the lead to 15 points going into the final term.

The final term was a good one for Kilsyth matching Bendigo basket for basket. The Cobras could have made their lead a lot bigger if not for a poor shooting percentage in the final term. The team played well together, but was pressured into too many turnovers, the Cobras were just lucky the Braves weren’t able to capatilise. The Cobras finally recorded a 16 point win.

D League Women

The Kilsyth ‘Workforcexs’ Lady Cobras, had their fifth consecutive win, with an impressive hard fought victory against the third placed Nunawading Spectres. Kilsyth nudged out Nunawading for a 5 point win 53 – 48. The Workforce Lady Cobras are now in fourth position with an 8-4 record equaling Nanawading whom are in third only on percentage.

Caitlin Mulhall had a troublesome game with a few turnovers, but still managed 10 points and 4 rebounds. Mulhall was accompanied by Brittany White with 11pts and 3rbds.

Nunawading came out hard in the first quarter with a three pointer shot by Clair Ralph to get the game started. The Spectres pulled away early building an eight point lead three minutes in, but Kilsyth fought back with a three pointer from Brittany White, eventually tying the game at nine with five minutes to play. But that’s all Nunawading needed outscoring Kilsyth 7-0 taking their lead at the first change to seven.

The second quarter started well with Cobra’s scoring first after Emily Van Propel made both freethrows. Nunawading had all the answers, following Kilsyth’s buckets with a score of their own. But to the Cobras credit they fought hard minimizing the lead to just five points at halftime. Emily Van Propel led the scoring in the quarter with 7pts.

In the third quarter, Kilsyth fought extremely hard and started off with a bang with Laura Gebbing and Caitlin Mulhall both scoring, cutting Nunawading’s lead to just one. These two quick goals produced a Nunawading shooting spree, with Sarah Yousef making a two pointer and then a big three to stretch the lead back out to eight. Yet again the Cobras were forced to battle hard throughout the quarter minimizing the lead to just two going in to the final term.

The last quarter is where the Cobras really showed what they’ve got, with Kate Ebzey finding the basket to level the scores at 42-42. Megan Lemieszek pitched in with a basket putting the Cobras in front, but Nunawading hitting back with yet another Sarah Yousef basket again leveling the scores. This sparked a Cobras attack, shooting their way to a six point lead, the girls never looked back, securing the five point victory.

The D League Men and Women return home this coming Sunday 28 June 2009.  With the Women taking on Frankston at 12.30pm while the men play Nunawading at 2.30pm.