Ajax cleans up South Pacific in final
AJAX has defended its women’s club basketball title in emphatic style.
The South Pacific Magic had been unbeaten heading into the final, but last night Ajax was far too good.
It put on a clinic to take the game away from the Magic late in the first and early in the second quarters, emerging a 6540 victor.
The Magic led 62 early after two Natalie Visger turnaround jump shots.
However, that was the biggest lead it had all night.
It changed hands several times early, before Ajax opened a buffer late in that first quarter.
A Natalie Smith jump shot, followed by a Nicole Ruske layup off a steal from the inbound made it 149.
When Danielle Frost hit a baseline midrange shot a possession later, the Magic was forced into a timeout a minute from the break.
It stemmed the flow, although Ajax added a free throw to make it 179 at quartertime.
However, Ajax continued its dominance into the second quarter and a Hannah Matehaere layup made the lead doubledigits.
The Magic finally answered when Laura Overton finished off an offensive rebound, but it was struggling to get anything going on offence.
Ajax continued to get the shots it wanted and when it did not, it crashed the offensive glass well.
Threepointers to Ruske and Frost extended the lead to 2913 four minutes into the second quarter and the Magic had a long way back.
The Magic was again able to stem the flow, limiting Ajax’s looks at the hoop.
However, it still battled on the offensive end and trailed 3522 at halftime.
That lead became 20 midway through the third as Ajax continued to exert its dominance and prevent the Magic from scoring.
The Magic managed just two points through the first five minutes of the quarter, although its shots began to fall again later.
Despite that, Ajax maintained a comfortable lead and was in complete control at 4731 at the final break.
That continued through the fourth quarter and, while the Magic never stopped pushing the pace, coming back was always going to be a bridge too far.
Ajax extended the advantage to 20 early in the quarter and continued to get looks at the hoop.
The Magic began trying its luck from deep, but Ajax kept up its intensity until the end and emerged a deserved victor.