Sports
Tower of strength
By SBLT Peter Bounty

Volume 49, No. 1, February 8, 2007
 
TOWERING: Most valuable player and top points scorer of the tournament, CPL Andrew Peate from RAAF Base Edinburgh, takes it to the hoop for SA against Queensland in the final of the ADF Basketball Association national championships.
Photo by CPL Hamish Paterson
RIVALS at the recent ADF Basketball Association national championships have quickly become allies with the selection of representative men’s and women’s teams for the coming Arafura Games.

The Arafura Games will be held in Darwin from May 12 to 19 with Air Force providing coaches as well as five members of the women’s team and four of the men’s.

The ‘twin towers’, FLTLT Fiona Harris and LACW Belinda Walters, along with ACW Karen Herbert, proved the high fliers as the ACT/Wagga women’s team made history with its grand final success at the nationals at RAAF Base Townsville recently after losing the previous two deciders to NSW.

NSW gained some solace by winning the men’s crown for the fifth consecutive year, with LAC Richard Van Der Snoek the leading point scorer.

It was a case of third time lucky for the ACT/Wagga women, who made history by winning the title for the first time since the competition began in 1983.

With four ADF representative players, some exciting new talent and two grand final losses fresh in their memory, the ACT/Wagga girls were always going to be tough to beat.

They were undefeated and met the combined VIC/WA team in the final.

“The women’s game was an entertaining game of basketball played with intensity and spirit with both teams battling hard throughout the game,” VIC/WA women’s coach FSGT Brian Lawrie said.

“ACT/Wagga went to an early eight-point lead towards the end of the first quarter and maintained that spread until the last quarter, when VIC/WA edged within five.

“The ACT/Wagga team’s experience and depth on the bench stopped the fightback and they went on to a solid 11-point victory.

“ACT/Wagga was controlled well on court by ACW Karen Herbert, with big boards and support from the ‘twin towers’, FLTLT Fiona Harris and LACW Belinda Walters.

ACT/Wagga’s surprise package was ADFBA newcomer MIDN Kiri Northdurft, who penetrated well against the VIC/WA defence and top-scored for the game with 21 points.”

Final scores and top scorers were: ACT/Wagga 73 (MIDN Kiri Northdurft 21, FLTLT Fiona Harris 16, ACW Karen Herbert 15) d VIC/WA 62 (PTE Kyle Guarino 20, LS Narelle Ponder 20, CPL Danni Stone 11).

In the men’s competition, NSW’s fifth consecutive national title came only after a gutsy win against QLD in a tough, physical encounter.

NSW took the lead in the first quarter by five points and QLD was dealt a huge blow with the injury of point guard and former NBL ‘Rookie of the Year’ PTE Lachlan Armfield, which forced him to sit out the rest of the of the game. This allowed NSW to step up and by half time it had a healthy 12-point lead.

It seemed NSW had the game in the bag into the last quarter until Queensland veteran CPL Dean Burke brought the crowd to life with a three-point shooting rampage, hitting four in rapid fire to bring Queensland back in the game. But with key QLD players fouling out late in the game, NSW held on to win by four points.

Final scores and top point scorers for the men’s game were: NSW 80 (AB Nick Clancey 23, LAC Richard Van Der Snoek 19, LCPL Jarrod Entwistle 18) d QLD 76 (CPL Peter Kelly 20, CPL Dean Burke 17, CPL Jason Brown 13).

The competition attracted teams comprising members from the three Services, as well as Defence civilians representing QLD, the NT, ACT/Wagga, NSW, VIC, SA and WA.

A lack of numbers from some states reduced the women’s competition to five teams. SA was unable to field a team and a decision was made to combine the VIC and WA teams.