No problems Houston
WITH their season on the line, the Bond University Bull Sharks responded in the best possible fashion with a hardfought win over the Wildcats, spearheaded by recently named national 19-and-under netball squad member Abi Houston.
After a sluggish first quarter, the Sharks trailed by five at the opening break.
But the injection of Houston into the match was one of a couple of changes made by coach Sheryl Burns which turned the momentum of the game.
With youngster Rylee Burns swapping the wing attack bib for the centre with captain Kristen Oxenford, and Houston inserted at goal keeper for Shenae Grant, the Bull Sharks turned it on to lead by three goals at the main break 26-23, taking the quarter by 16-8.
Houston racked up many of her 11 steals or deflections in that second quarter.
Having been sidelined for much of the season by the stellar form of regular starter Grant, Houston grabbed her opportunity with both hands and caused all sorts of problems for the Wildcats, coming off an upset loss to the Thunder in their last outing.
The Bull Sharks built on their lead by another two goals in the third to head for home with a five-goal lead.
With the Wildcats making a run, the Bull Sharks sealed the match during one sensational defensive stand where, despite the Wildcats being awarded five consecutive calls, the young Sharks’ defensive end held strong for 70 seconds, refusing to allow the lead to be closed (49-46).
The Sharks received standout performances across the court, including from Houston’s defensive partner, Emily Gilbert, exciting young mid-courters Burns and Ava Black.
The Ruby team continued their purple patch of form, staying in touch with the top two with an upset win against previous ladder leaders, the Ipswich Jets, 57-51.
Ash Keefe, Bond’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2019, played her best game of the year with a 60-minute defensive effort.