POST-GAME REPORT DECEMBER 23 V TOWNSVILLE FIRE
Last night’s game between the Deakin Melbourne Boomers and the Townsville Fire saw the Boomers return to form and destroy the Fire in an amazing comeback game for the team.
The Boomers only brought nine players to the bench last night at the Townsville Entertainment Centre, with Aimie Rocci missing the game due to a late knee soreness and Jordin Canada still sitting out after her head on collision with Jade Melbourne last Friday.
The starting five for the Melbourne Boomers were co-captain Keely Froling, Monique Conti, Naz Hillmon, Tera Reed and newly minted Opals squad member Sara Blicavs. For the Fire, it was Stephanie Reid, Courtney Woods, Zitina Aokuso, Cassandra Brown and Mikaela Ruef.
The Boomers were determined to come out swinging off the back of three straight losses, and swing they did.
The first was tight with Melbourne winning the jump ball and scoring the first points of the match.
Naz Hillmon scored 7 points in the opening quarter, the start to a very good night for the US import and utilised her IQ on court to help put the Boomers up at quarter time, 15-18.
The second quarter was another close and fired up performance from both teams, with Fire eager to keep their 7 game streak going and Boomers to break their losing streak.
Saffron Shiels and Amanda Zahui B were both leaders on court for the Fire and assisted their team in scoring some amazing layups.
Boomers’ development player Lilly Rotunno and Sara Blicavs hit some amazing 3’s in the second to help the Boomers take the lead heading into halftime, Boomers up 30-32.
With the third opening up with scores level, no one was prepared for the absolute clinic that the Melbourne Boomers put on, the side scoring 29 points in the third.
Naz Hillmon, scoring 10 points for the quarter, was aided by fellow Boomers teammates Penina Davidson, Keely Froling, Mon Conti and Sara Blicavs in absolutely serving a feast of buckets to help cement the win for the Boomers.
Townsville didn’t give up the fight at all, Courtney Woods really made her presence known on court with some amazing driving layups and pull up jump shots in the third.
The quarter closed out with the Melbourne Boomers in front with a substantial lead, 44-61 and finally seeing some success on court after some difficult losses.
The fourth just continued to be a return to form for the previously disgruntled Boomers, with 21 points secured in the final 10 minutes.
Blicavs, Froling, Hillmon and extended injury replacement player Sherrie Calleia continued to show everyone why the Boomers are a finals making team, scoring shot after shot and assisting each others efforts on the way to the basket.
The Fire kept fighting the good fight, both Courtney Woods and Cassandra Brown were firing off shots and making amazing steals to aid in their offensive efforts.
The Boomers ultimately took the win, 62-82, hopefully giving them a newly found confidence on court and ready to face the rest of the season with more grit and determination than before!
The Melbourne Boomers will now have a few days off for the holidays and will return home to the Boom Box in a weeks time on Saturday the 30th of December, facing off against the Bendigo Spirit.
You can purchase tickets here or watch for free on 9Now at 5pm!