Storm girls retain their league title
Basketball Ayr Storm’s U16 girls retained their Strathclyde League title in style with a 91- 50 win at Kyle Academy over Glasgow City.
Undefeated in the league this season, the home team knew a win would seal their third successive title at this age group, and a first for head coach Maria Vasilaki, who joined the club at the beginning of the season.
Guards Petra Kurcikova and Emily Nolan drove Storm forward at every opportunity, with centre Abbie Middleton proving a handful under the basket. The trio were responsible for 22 of the points that saw Storm lead 24- 10.
Storm continued in the same vein in the second quarter, with their full court defense and intense pressure on the ball, exemplified by Belmont Academy’s Alex Breslin.
Ayr’s U16 debutants this season, Freya MacDonald, Michaela McNeil and Melissa Graham all found baskets to help take a 51- 18 lead at the interval.
Ayr’s aggressive defense came at a cost, as Kurcikova picked up her fifth foul just inside the third quarter. Her early departure seemed to unsettle them for a while and Glasgow took advantage, with their captain Grace Gormley, helping close the gap to 63- 35.
Ay r re ga i n e d t h e i r composure and returned to the smart offensive play that had proved so successful in the first half.
Tenacious defence from Niamh Keenan, and strong inside play from Eve Meechan, Middleton and Graham saw Ayr comfortably home.
Captain Emily Nolan, with a game high 30 points, was thrilled. She said: “The girls have worked hard this season, so I’m delighted for every one of them.
“We still have important games to come, and our focus is on continuing the good form.”
The girls also won 73- 47 in their U16 National League Division Two play- off quarter- final against South Lanarkshire Colliers. Nolan ( 16pts) Kurcikova ( 15) Meechan ( 12) Keenan ( 11).
The win sees them progress to the Final Four weekend in Edinburgh where they take on Perth Phoenix in the semi final.