Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Crusaders hold off Lions
EAST KENT LEAGUE LEADERS START THE YEAR WITH CONVINCING VICTORY
Canterbury Crusaders started the year with a 28-point win on the road against Thanet Lions to consolidate their position at the top of the East Kent Basketball League.
Crusaders started strongly and with a Steph Roworth three- pointer they had established a 7-0 lead inside two minutes.
Thanet opened their account in the third minute but Crusaders quickly responded with backto-back baskets from Benita Palmer who hit the target from the wing, making it 11-2 which forced Thanet to take a time out to stop the run.
Lions stepped up their defence and at the other end of the court, Isla Aitken converted her drive to the hoop, bringing it back to 11-4.
Crusaders managed just one further point from the free throw line and the quarter ended with a Nicola Court shot dropping to bring Lions back into the game at 12-6.
Crusaders regrouped and came out strongly in the second quarter.
They quickly reeled off three straight baskets and, as Sam Sauriol started to impose her close game on Lions, the Crusaders lead increased to 18-6.
Court hit back with another shot from the top of the key but it was to be Lions’ only basket in the quarter with Effy Panayiotou dominating the backboards with some excellent rebounding.
Crusader guard Roworth was quick and ruthless in offence and with back-to- back baskets, her valuable contribution gave her team a 24-8 lead at half-time.
Lions had their best period of the game in the third quarter which started with two threes via Court and Brazier, bringing the score back to 26-14.
However, any hopes of a comeback were ended when Takako Watters drained three straight baskets with some superb finishing.
Sauriol put back a rebound on the buzzer to see Crusaders take the quarter 10-7 and increase their lead to 15 points.
Liv Miller and Della HendersonHubbard put back rebounds for the Thanet team but it was not enough to stop Crusaders who dominated the final quarter.
Some slick moves inside the Lions zone between Sauriol and Panayiotou saw them combine to score all but one of Crusaders’ 15 points in the period.
As time ran out, Sauriol took her tally to a game-high 18 points with a strong baseline drive which she finished off left handed, making it 49-21 to Crusaders. Crusaders: Panayiotou (9), Hood, Palmer (4), Martin, Sauriol (18), Roworth (9), Vilne, Watters (9).