LADY AVS WINS BACK 2 BACK FBL TITLES

 FOR the second time in their successful history, the Innercity Lady Avalanche are celebrating back-to-back Western Basketball Association Female Basketball League championships. The Lady Avs controlled their grand final at the Mobay Cricket Club Court on Saturday night, October 13 against arch-rival Mobay Angels - winning 65-51.

It's the third time in as many seasons the Lady Avs have celebrated back-to-back championships, in itself another historic achievement.

The tone for the game was set from the opening whistle when Angels who finished the regular season on top of the ladder sank the first two baskets. Angels looked more composed and within minutes they ran to an 8-4 lead. However, Lady Avs were able to catch up to tie the first at 12-12.

The second quarter saw both teams settling into their game plan, while they score freely their defence was equally stifling. This display was indeed entertaining to watch. The quarter ended in favor of Lady Avs who led by three (33-30).

Instrumental in Lady Avs' flying start was star foward Olivia Bowen, who scored ten points in the first half on her way to collecting the finals MVP award, and Tavia Shaw, who was dominant at both ends of the court.

At the resumption of play, the Angels scored the next four points to regain the lead, but this was short-lived as the Lady Avs settled again to draw level in the third 12-12. But with some 20 seconds to go, Angels' top player Donesha Love found the ball in her hands behind the arc and was fouled on her three-point attempt, she looked focused as she stepped up to sink all three to warm cheers of Angels' supporters. Time ended and the score was locked 45-45.

If the Angels were to have any chance of winning the championship, they needed to make inroads in the third quarter. The Lady Avs didn't allow this to happen they continued to hold sway  and it was the hot hand of Bowen that kept them in charge as she opened the quarter with a three-point bomb.

It was the start of an 11-4 run inside the first five minutes of the quarter as Lady Avs opened a 56-49 lead and looked on the verge of having the game as good as sewn up by full-time.

Shibon Spence provided the Lady Avs with added spark as she scored 15. Shaw had super numbers scoring 12 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, making 2 steals and was strong under the basket with 2 blocks.

Love, Omesha Peterkin and Ladonna Lamonth remained consistent to score six of Angels' only points of the fourth quarter as the Lady Avs dominated to lead their rattled opponents 20-5

Bowen was a unanimous choice for the MVP as she wrote another chapter in the start of her glittering career. In 29 minutes on court, Bowen finished with 21 points, thirteen rebounds, two assists and two steals. She was simply a class above.

On the other hand, Angels' instrumental leader Love had a sub-par performance, she played below her own standards only managing to score 13 points. Peterkin led her team with sixteen while Lamonth had another balanced game leading everybody with eleven rebounds while sinking 8 points and making 2 steals.


By Khurt Comrie for WBA.