Battling Cadettes tame Fury

St Mirren Cadette Women took on rivals Falkirk Fury at The Oriam with both teams bidding for a place in the end of season national play-off final in April.

Smarting from a Scottish Cup defeat at Falkirk earlier in the season, Saints knew that a good start was essential if they were to progress to the showpiece final.

However, the game started slowly with St Mirren on the attack.

But they were unable to convert any of their chances.

Fury opened the scoring with a fine three-pointer which seemed to galvanise them into action as they followed this up with three consecutive baskets without reply to take a 0-9 lead.

Jenny Hall got the Paisley side on the scoreboard with a couple of free throw ups, before Laura Collins made a late break to reduce the deficit to 5-13 at the break.

Coach Cleary had some patient words with her players at the break, and although they lost a quick basket at the restart, Fiona Waddell finally found her form and grabbed a double-double either side of a basket from Laura Collins which tied the score at 17-17.

Saints began to exert control on the game as they took a four point lead, with Falkirk Coach Kim Bunyan calling a time-out to stem the tide of Black and White attacks.

A late Fury basket reduce the lead, with Saints going in at half-time 27-25 up .

aintsS came out of the blocks in the second half on fire with Laura Collins scoring four baskets in the first three minutes, ably supported by Waddell with her own hat-trick of baskets as Saints took control, with solid defence, and lightning-fast breaks, at 41-29.

Both sides then traded baskets as the tempo of the game dropped. Saints 48-36 ahead at the break.

Captain Laura Collins got off to a flyer with yet another quick basket as Fury began to look tired and dispirited.

Morven Robertson, playing her first game for several weeks after illness, started to find her mark with an eight point haul in the final quarter, and Coach Cleary took the opportunity to give her young bench some valuable court time in the closing stages.

The highlight of the final quarter was undoubtedly young under-13 player Neve Mitchell scoring her first NL Basket to close out the score before an appreciative crowd who almost took the roof off the arena.

Final score 68-47 Saints top scorers were Fiona Waddell with 20 points, Laura Collins on 16 points and Morven Robertson with 11 points.