Best yet for Crusaders

Basketball

Canterbury Crusaders produced possibly their best performance of the season to see-off the challenge of a tough Canterbury Christ Church team in their East Kent Basketball League clash.

The university side has been greatly strengthened with the acquisition of National League guard Zita Mendes.

However, an accomplished team performance with four players getting into double figures, saw Crusaders win by 34 points.

Danielle Muckian, in the starting five for the first time this season, was first to get the scoreboard ticking over.

Niamh Mooney levelled for Christ Church but Crusaders then went on a 13-point streak without reply.

The scoring was spread between four players with Muckian hitting a three followed by Emma Loane, Steph Roworth and Effy Panayiotou all getting in on the act to open a 15- 2 lead.

Mendes and Mooney hit back but the Crusaders’ offence was on a roll and with Loane and Benita Palmer knocking down their shots, the first quarter finished with the home side 19-9 up.

Crusaders dominated the second quarter, restricting Christ Church to just seven points with some excellent defence.

Roworth and Loane were everywhere, stealing the ball to get possession while at the other end, Crusaders created chances which were slickly finished.

Although Anna Mckenna and Emma Harvey put points on the board for Christ Church, when Sam Souriol converted the last basket of the half, Crusaders were clear at 42-16.

Christ Church rallied in the third with Verdzhinia Hadzhieva, Mooney and Mendes hitting seven points to reduce the deficit to 44-23.

However, the reintroduction of Muckian and Roworth paid immediate dividends as they racked up a quick 10 points Crusaders’ Steph Roworth going to the hoop against Christ Church and, with Panayiotou joining the scoring from the top of the key, the quarter finished with Crusaders increasing the lead to 56-25.

Crusaders ran the bench in the final quarter and Sophie Moseley put in a Crusaders’ Danielle Muckian gets around Zita Mendes, of Christ Church fine performance in defence two from two from the foul bringing down the rebounds line. Sonya Hood made it 65-33 under the boards. with an open shot and Palmer

Sauriol took the game inside hit back- to- back baskets, and despite some tough taking her tally to 12, to seal defending, she persisted and the game 69-35.

Crusaders: E Panayiotou (6), E Loane (9), S Hood her tenacity paid off and she

(2), B Palmer (12), D Muckian (17), S Moseley, S went into double figures with

Sauriol (10), S Roworth (13) M Grudina

Craig Batchel connected with a tremendous 28lb mirror while Lee White tussled with three mirror carp to 26lb 14oz and Lee’s son Stuart caught a specimen common weighing 35lb. A five-fish haul was reported by Bradley Linell comprising three of 20lb-plus and an even heavier mirror carp of 30lb followed by a 34lb common. Brian Gaymer bagged a 21lb common carp and a linear carp – a carp with a line of scales along the lateral line – of 23lb 10oz. Stonar Lake remains quiet with fewer anglers on the bank and fewer fish caught generally. Tony Dellaway’s 12 big bream to 7lb 3oz is one of the best bream catches so far this autumn from Stonar and Frank Manning also reeled-in bream to 5lb and most notably roach to 1lb 4oz. Fewer of the big Stonar carp have been seen and Lee Cull’s seven carp to 18lb 8oz was the best of the recent carp hauls. Junior CDAA member Louis Bourton was also in on the action with a great catch of a 13lb common carp.

The Canterbury & District Angling Association Cooke Pike Cup was held on Sunday in atrocious conditions at Fordwich and Trenley lakes. Only four adults and one junior braved the immediate aftermath of Storm Angus with wet and windy weather persisting throughout the day. Unfortunately, junior angler Henry Weir did not weigh in this year and could not emulate his junior and senior match win last season when he banked six fish for a splendid total of 27lb 2oz. Two of the adults also didn’t weigh in but the first and second-placed anglers both caught three fish each. John Hosking was the clear winner with a total weight of 22lb 8oz. John’s best fish was 12lb 12oz. Second-placed Steve Matthews banked smaller jack pike for a total of 12lb 12oz. The CDAA annual Match Group Cup, open to all association members, was fished at Grove Ferry on the River Stour’s upstream and ‘E’ section. At the 3pm whistle, Mark Taylor was the clear winner with 24lb 8oz of fish, nearly 10lb ahead of second-placed Andy King with 14lb 10oz. CDAA competition secretary Dan West reported quality skimmer bream, roach, chub and perch all coming to the net. Third place went to Glenn Brett who finished with 13lb 7oz ahead of Mike Brett with 12lb 14oz in fourth. Away from the competition at Grove Ferry, Dave Lowery targeted predatory pike and reeled in a lively 17lb 12oz fish. The informal ‘Old Boy’s match’ saw some good weights from ‘E’ section with all seven weighing in over 5lb. The best of the weights was 10lb 10oz taken by K Hopton and T Eversham, while A Smith hooked 8lb of mixed fish.