Thrilling grand final

THE Bricklayers stormed back late in the match to claim a thrilling grand final victory, being crowned men’s champion, while the Has Beens proved anything but as they claimed the women’s title against the Parrots.

Rounding out a great night’s basketball, 50 Shades of Klay edged out the McHarrys in an epic men’s B grand final, decided by a single point.

Men’s A

Bricklayers 56 def Renegades 53.

The men’s decider captivated spectators, blending skill and physicality in a match that often resembled footy.

Zane Duursma’s skill proved decisive, with the 16-year-old’s brilliant three-point shooting late in the contest helping set up the Bricklayers’ remarkable comeback and 3-point win.

Big bumps and tough contests were on show throughout the match, with a spectacular charging foul from Lucas Byrnes highlighting the determination of players on both sides not to take a backward step.

At one stage in the first half, both sides received a referee’s warning, only adding to the theatre.

The Renegades settled quickly early in the game, proving sharp in offence, with Ash Zuidema looking particularly threatening after opening the scoring.

The side seized a 6-2 lead before the Bricklayers knew what had hit them, with Zane Duursma then providing a sample of his later heroics with a three-pointer to keep the Bricklayers close.

However, the Renegades had the edge in class for much of the first half, breaking out to a 32-17 lead and seemingly in command at half time.

The leading side looked like doing enough for most of the second half, but the Bricklayers refused to wilt under the pressure, growing in confidence as Zane Duursma hauled them into contention.

While it was a team effort and everyone contributed to the Bricklayers triumph, Zane was thoroughly deserving of the MVP award bestowed on him, although younger brother Willem also had a huge game.

Zane finished with 26 points, including sinking four shots from outside the three-point arc.

“Usually I go home every night and practice shots from long range and it’s helped me tonight,” Zane said after the game.

He compared the physicality of the match to footy, something he clearly enjoyed.

Rounding out a brilliant night for the Duursmas, 14-year-old Willem earned the honour of being voted the competition’s best player over the regular season.

As well as his determined and crucial defensive contribution during the grand final, Willem had a huge impact on the scoreboard, with 18 points in the decider.

He was thrilled to be voted the competition’s best player at such a young age, having to battle it out with adult opponents each week.

Willem loves basketball and footy and is yet to decide which to pursue as a potential career, waiting to see what opportunities arise in a few years.

He described the grand final as “a good tough battle”.

“They had white line fever, we had white line fever,” Willem said.

Nathan Trotto was again the top scorer for the Renegades, with 17 points, just ahead of Cameron Stone who managed 15 points.

Zuidema finished with nine points for the beaten side.

With the Renegades having one less bench player than their opponents, fatigue may have played a part late in the game but the class of the Duursmas was undeniable.

Women

Has Beens 43 def Parrots 27.

While the Parrots enjoyed a numerical advantage of one, allowing them the luxury of a bench player, the Has Beens ran out the game strongly to finish 16-point winners in the ladies decider.

The winning side’s youngest player Maddie Smith, aged 20, proved crucial, seizing the grand final MVP honour with a commanding display in which she scored 21 points, almost half the Has Beens total.

Her contribution included a staggering five three pointers.

“Those three-point shots hurt us at the end,” Parrot Melanie Hughes said during the after-match presentation.

A Parrots three pointer on the cusp of half time had the eventual runner-up sitting just a couple of points behind at the halfway stage.

An arm wrestle ensued early in the second half, with the teams at one stage locked together on 21 points apiece.

After some scoreless end-to-end basketball, the Has Beens eventually edged ahead.

While a close finish appeared likely, the Has Beens shooting proved too strong throughout the remainder of the contest, with the Parrots unable to capitalise on many of the scoring opportunities they created.

Although the final margin was comprehensive, MVP Smith described the match as “a good hard contest”.

She was pleased with her defensive efforts as well as her decisive shooting late in the game, she said when asked about her vital contribution.

It was a big night for the Has Beens, with Kate Thomas announced as the best player of the regular season.

Thomas was a strong contributor during the grand final, finishing with eight points and creating many opportunities for teammates with her work around the court.

“She reads the ball so well and her shooting is almost perfect, and she’s really good at intercepting the ball and fast breaks,” Smith said of Thomas’ season honour.

Thomas can also take some of the credit for getting her cousin Smith involved with the Has Beens, initially as a fill in.

Jessica Edgar was the beaten Parrots top scorer with nine points, with Sally Trease registering eight points and Kate Sperling seven.

Men’s B

50 Shades of Klay 43 def McHarrys 42.

While the men’s championship team had been crowned earlier in the evening, that in no way detracted from an epic B grand final, with 50 Shades of Klay

sneaking home by the slimmest of margins over the McHarrys.

Such was the commitment of the combatants that both sides had a player fouled out of the contest, with the McHarrys Jackson Harry and Klay Ethan

Lavis ultimately confined to their respective benches.

The Klays started the game with just their five oncourt players, with the McHarrys benefiting from one on the bench.

Alej Lacanaria (16 points) and eventual grand final MVP Adrian Ballagh (14 points) shouldered most of the scoring responsibility for the victorious Klays.
Ballagh was the only player in the game to hit multiple three-point shots, managing two maximums.

Mason McGannon led the way for the McHarrys with 18 points, with Sam McGannon (11 points) and Josh McGannon (7 points) also helping keep their side in the hunt.