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Women shoot high
Edition 1168, June 14, 2007 |
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“My job is to bring you back safely.” They were the words of HMAS Anzac’s Commanding Officer to his THE ADO women’s basketball team produced its best result in eight years to win bronze at the Arafura Games in Darwin from May 7-19.
ADF Basketball Association women registered strong preliminary wins against Papua New Guinea (PNG), Madang, and Northern Territory.
Coach Cpl Dean Burke said the team gelled well, despite only a week’s preparation in the lead up.
“I was really proud of the girls,” he said.
After narrow losses to Malaysia and USA, the team went into the bronze-medal play-off as favourites.
After a close first quarter, the ADF women came out strongly in the second session and steadily increased their lead to 31-25 at half-time.
PNG was in dire trouble in the second half with team captain Gamini Koroka fouled out early in the fourth quarter, giving the ADF women the boost they needed to take the game 67-57.
“We haven’t won a medal at the Arafura Games since 1999, so to win bronze is fantastic,” Cpl Burke said.
Team captain Flt-Lt Fiona Harris dominated inside the paint and led all scorers with 23 points. Pte Kylie Gaurino scored 15, most resulting from steals, while AB Bianca Lestuzzi chipped in with 12.
u After making it through a tough pool, the ADF men came up against the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Basketball Association (NATIBA) to play off for bronze but eventually went down 81-75. |
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