Rezzers captain ‘buzzing’ after hard-fought victory

But Lightning A put up a real fight in what turned out to be a Deloitte Winter League thriller, unfolding at the rarer setting of St Sampson’s High.

The clincher came through a scoring run that started deep into quarter three. After a brief lull, Rezzers reacted like a spring uncoiling and blasted to a late seven-goal lead, which enabled them to defy fierce retaliation from Lightning and edge the win.

Winning captain Tiff Gervaise-Brazier had to balance being ‘really buzzing’ after beating the leaders 31-29 with admitting to a somewhat rusty performance.

‘A win’s a win, and that’s what I’m going to take from today,’ she said, having lost to the same side by 12 earlier this season.

‘The positives were that we had so much versatility, the “rolling” subs really worked for us, and because we’ve got loads of centre-court players and not that many shooters, when something happens, everyone can muck in.’

While Rezzers adapt to their new set-up of moving shooters, Lightning had to shift their own circle around the work-related absence of captain Donna Brehaut.

The young Bryony de Garis consequently stepped up with a player-of-the-match performance at GA.

Meanwhile, in a scrappy match filled with turnovers and hence a low scoreline, Rezzers GK Abby McCracken proved a worthy winner of the other POM nomination.

Lightning had made better use of their chances early on to finish quarter one leading 10-6.

Constant pressure from own industrious defence, headed by Lorna Hall and Sammie Cox, had made life very tough for the Rezzers attack.

But Rezzers then fired a warning by drawing level through a brisk scoring run, and the sides proceeded almost goal-for-goal until half-time, at which point Lightning held a slender 15-14 lead.

Lightning hit their own run before long, but Rezzers bounced back hard by capitalising on the constant turnovers and bringing ball to goal more effectively.

After ending quarter three two up, they carried that momentum through to lead 28-21 mid-way through the final stanza.

That prompted a forceful reaction from Lightning, who soon hit their own purple patch, not harmed by Rezzers having to re-shuffle when GS Anna Trump cut her finger with four minutes left.

Lightning had threatened a draw by closing to one down – 30-29 – in the final minute.

They had a clear incentive to turn over Rezzers’ subsequent centre pass, but their hopes faded when the ball found a collected Emma Sykes and was cleanly converted.

The Island basketballer was among a handful of youth players representing Rezzers, including WD starter Evie Robinson.

A triumphant Gervaise-Brazier later highlighted their ‘good turnaround’ from lagging to leading by seven.

‘When we had the run, it was when we converted our turnovers – simple as that,’ she added.

‘Last quarter, I think we got tired. Everyone was tired and I think that’s the reflection of the league structure – while it’s really positive, we’re going a few weeks without a game and then you have two games on the trot.’

That follows the reduction in core Premier teams from six to five, while they have also missed training sessions over venue issues and player availability.

Deputising Lightning captain Anais Flatres took a few positives from their battling loss.

‘I think we played really well,’ she said.

‘We had Bryony at GA for a full game and I think she played really, really well and held her own.

‘I feel we should have converted a lot more of our turnovers... but that’s a learning curve really.

‘It’s great to play this team because they’re always strong and they come out fighting.’

Fellow top-three team Blaze later took all five points by beating Lightning B 58-38.

Lightning B had come remarkably close in the equivalent match-up earlier this season but Blaze started more assertively here, leading 36-18 at half-time. Lightning taking quarter three 12-8 ultimately proved inconsequential.

Blaze’s centre-court duo of Nena Copperwaite and Hannah Blondel shared POM for the winners as GA Emily Kendal took Lightning’s honours.