Champions Rezzers Green end their year on high note
THE reigning champions enjoyed a fruitful Christmas send-off in their Tuesday night clash against the Plate holders.
Resolution IT Green blasted to a comprehensive 69-27 victory over T&T Blue – formerly Thunder – at Les Beaucamps, while giving two young step-ups valuable experience in doing so.
And so Tiff Gervaise-Brazier’s side enter the Winter League top flight’s festive break in high spirits with the carrot of chasing down current leaders Blaze once action resumes in January.
After last season winning the ‘Prem’ bottom-four prize, the new-look Blues have rekindled solid form and relished another player-of-the-match performance from rangy young GD Sophie Cowley, this fifth nomination making her the division’s most decorated player thus far.
But this could not prevent a scoring onslaught spearheaded by Rezzers’ own ‘POM’, GS Clare Henry.
The Greens introduced B team youngster WA Savannah Goddard into what was otherwise a tried-and-tested starting seven and a fine first quarter capitalising on numerous turnovers out back put them 16-6 up.
Leading 33-15 at half-time gave them additional room for experimentation – and so they brought on U16 Evie Robinson.
Rezzers relished their strongest period yet, netting 20 and conceding only four, after converting their turnovers and releasing the ball well throughout court.
Gervaise-Brazier marked the youngsters’ contributions as a key draw of a match where they pulled further clear only in the final quarter.
‘We were really pleased with the game,’ she said.
‘It gave us the opportunity to try out different things we have been working on in training – sometimes we do not get the opportunity when the games are really competitive, so it was really good to introduce Savannah and Evie.
‘It’s really nice for us to bring the team out and give the younger players experience.’
Blaze A maintained their hairline three-point lead, however, through a tighter 61-36 win over Liberte NGT A at Grammar.
The former Zebras defied their recent injury misfortunes in a slick start and they actually edged Blaze in quarter one, leading 13-12.
Blaze soon got moving and worked up a 28-19 half-time lead, two more strong quarters ensuring they avoided an upset.
It was a game for the goal-shooters – Blaze’s young Chloe Khaira and Liberte’s back-from-injury Natalie Carre taking ‘POM’ honours.
The other ‘big three’ team, T&T Purple, also posted some high-scoring figures in beating Blaze B 72-41.
A blistering first half put the Purples 42-17 ahead and though proceedings were almost level from there, there was no coming back for their teenage opponents.
Purple WD Nat Cavanagh continued her run of form to seal ‘POM’ as Blaze B’s Codie Ford, subbed in at GK, echoed this.
