Australiabasket.com All-New Zealand WBC Awards 2014 - Aug 4, 2014
Australiabasket.com All-New Zealand WBC 1st Team 2014
Leger-Walker
Blair
Tuki
Taylor
Purcell
Finals MVP: Brooke Blair (169-PG-94) of North Harbour B. Player of the Year: Kalani Purcell (175-F-95) of Auckland LH Guard of the Year: Brooke Blair (169-PG-94) of North Harbour B. Forward of the Year: Kalani Purcell (175-F-95) of Auckland LH Center of the Year: Jessica Tuki (185-F-87) of Waikato W. Junior Player of the Year: Krystal Leger-Walker (177-G-97) of Waikato W. Coach of the Year: Jody Cameron of North Harbour B.
Harbour Breeze took out the 2014 Womens Basketball Championship with a stunning come from behind victory over Waikato Wizards in Porirua today, winning 62-56 to win back the title they last held in 2010. Waikato came out blazing and soon had a commanding 15-2 lead and the situation only got worse for the Breeze when forward Morgan Robertson (174-F-88, college: La Salle) crumpled under the basket clutching at her right ankle. A long delay saw Roberts eventually assisted from the floor and taken to hospital as coach Jody Cameron looked to get her troops minds into the game. That she did, going small and running at the Waikato defence in a 17-8 second quarter performance that closed the margin to 4 at the main break and the Harbour side were back in it. The pace of the game was having an effect on Waikatos offence too, the Wizards were suddenly forced into poor shots on the back of poor decisions. Breeze coach Jody Cameron says going small was always an option for her team. Since pool play we have gone a lot smaller, finding that we have some strong, athletic guards that can mark the forwards at key times, so we kept rolling with that and found it was working for us. It was also giving us mismatches on offence with larger players covering a true three. Leaving the bigs off in the final paid off for us as well but everyone on this team knows their role and understood what we were looking to achieve. Breeze took the lead for the first time late in the third quarter and led by two points going into the final break but it was anybodys game at that point. Cameron was rotating her players effectively, ensuring a fresh five on the floor that were able to maintain a high pressure defence in the face of Waikatos shooters. The Wizards for their part were desperately trying to stay in the game against the now confident Breeze, veteran captain Leanne Walker (168-G-68) was marshalling her troops but the shots werent falling and soon the fouls started mounting. For Waikato Jessica Tuki (185-F-87) posted a double/double of 11 points and 11 boards while Walker herself chimed in with 8 points and 5 boards in 29 minutes from the bench. Krystal Leger-Walker (177-G-97) was busy all over the stats sheet with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. For the winners it was a typically team effort with contributions all over the roster. The Blair sisters were a huge factor, Brooke with 16 points and 4 boards while older sister (by a year) Shinae posted 10 points and 5 boards despite playing most of the final quarter on 4 fouls. 15 year old Tera Reed showed her potential again, not overawed by the occasion in providing 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting. Shinae Blair (177-G-93) says the Breeze never panicked in the early going, even when down 15-2 and seeing a team mate carried off to hospital. I think we were always calm, we usually take a while to get into the game, it is just a matter of sticking together and getting into that third quarter when we then took the lead. We are so excited, all the girls played really well, I am so proud of them. I did what I did for the team, whatever I did out there was to help bring home the trophy. We wish Morgan was here but she put her heart and soul into earlier games to get us here so she is a huge part of this. Players will now await news as to whether they have been invited by Tall Ferns head coach Kenney Kereama to trial for the team ahead of a four nation tournament in China later in August. That list will be released on Monday with a three day trial in Christchurch in just on a weeks time before the final roster stays in camp before departing to China. For now though the Breeze can celebrate a coveted Womens Basktball Championship victory, one that looked most unlikely for the team seeded 6th coming into the final tournament but the past few days have shown them to be worthy champions. Cameron looked back on a stunning turnaround but one that didnt surprise her knowing the quality of her players. Everyone is determined to get to the final and then it is on the day. Of course we always wanted to come down here and win but the players determine that and I just tweak them as they need it. Based on the last tournament we were probably lucky to scrape into the finals in 6th place but once we got the first win under our belts against Waikato (in pool play) there was a confidence there and everyone came to play as a team. Courtesy of: basketball.org.nz
Search
InStat FREE TRIAL
Your promo code is eurobasket Click for FREE TRIAL to InStat
CiBRQIj
