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| FLGOFF
Eddie Reed pounds the ball down the court in South Australia’s
match against NSW. |
| Photo
by PTE Shannon Joyce |
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LACW
Heather Edwards (above) and CPL Ken Robertson (below) won
the most valuable player awards at the ADF national basketball
championships. |
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AIR Force has dominated the ADF national basketball championships
in Melbourne, taking out every individual player award.
Corporal Ken Robertson, from RAAF Base Wagga, won the men’s
most valuable player award and was the men’s highest point-scorer.
Leading Aircraftwoman Heather Edwards, from RAAF Base Glenbrook,
took out the women’s most valuable player award, while Corporal
Gillian Rutledge, from RAAF Base Williamtown, won the women’s
highest point-scorer title.
Flight Sergeant Graham Joce, from RAAF Base Williams, Laverton,
received the Frenchie McDougall Memorial Award, named after a
major contributor to the ADF sport who died in 1997.
NSW took out the men’s and the women’s titles at the
combined Service state team round-robin competition on November
20. The NSW men defeated Queensland by seven points, 80-73. It
was a closer three-point win for the NSW women over the ACT, 49-46.
The men’s final initially looked grim for NSW as they faced
an 11-point deficit to Queensland at quarter time, 13-24, and
at half-time were 13 points behind, 35-48.
NSW captain Lieutenant Michael Wicks said it was at that point
the team put in a combined effort.
The third quarter was all NSW as they clawed their way into contention
with strong defensive play and a more coordinated team effort
in offence. The NSW team shot to a two-point lead heading into
the final quarter. They held out Queensland to win.
In the women’s final, CPL Rutledge came out strongly for
NSW in the women’s final against the ACT.
The drive of ACT’s first championship appearance in four
years kept them fighting for points – only a few points
separated the teams throughout.
ACT coach Midshipman Peter Bounty said his team’s intent
was to rattle NSW from the start with full court man-to-man defence
and to control the tempo of the game.
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