Crusaders take on youngsters

Basketball

With no game in the East Kent League, Canterbury Crusaders fielded a side to play Herne Bay’s development squad in a friendly to provide their players with some game experience. With the inclusion of just one experienced player, Sam Lee, the average age of the Bay team, which included Year 7-9 girls, was at least half that of the Crusaders’ side. Predictably, when the game started, Crusaders had most of the possession and comfortably took the first quarter 12-4 with Lee scoring all of Bay’s points. However, in the second quarter, Bay grew in confidence and there was a big cheer when Daisy Harris hit her first basket. Crusaders were delighted to see the return of Justine Sibley who reminded everyone what an accomplished player she is with six points and, with the last basket of the first half, she put Crusaders 22-7 up. Bay kept at their game and Mollie Eyles and Jenefer Wills both found the target to make it 28-11. The Crusaders’ passing game became a bit sloppy and was picked off to give Bay the chance to reduce the deficit. However, Bay’s finishing fell just short and, with Lee rested, Crusaders went inside and Sam Sauriol took her tally to 14 points with some deft moves to make it 36-13 at the end of the third. The final quarter belonged to Crusaders captain Benita Palmer who, despite some excellent defending from Faye Batty, ran in 12 points taking her tally to a game high 22. Lee hit six points in the final period but time ran down and it finished 50-19 to Crusaders. Crusaders: E Panayiotou (4), J Sibley ( 6), M Grudina, S Hood, B Palmer ( 22), L Martin (4) S Moseley, S Sauriol (14).