BASKETBALL

SCOTS BOOST CAUSE

Two wins, a trophy and medals and two outstanding results against world-ranked national teams was the excellent outcome of the Scottish Women’s basketball national team trip to the Far East.

Though nothing can yet be guaranteed, coach Bart Sengers and his team must have impressed the powers-that-be in the International Federation and Commonwealth Games Federation, and strengthened their chances of being invited to fill one of possibly four vacant places in the 2018 games in Australia.

After a 52-51 defeat, straight off the plane in Bangkok, to Thailand, a team ranked 45 in the world, Scotland went back to Kuala Lumpur to finish third with a won-two lost-two record in the Malaysian International Invitation Tournament.

They saved their best until last, defeating Fo Guang from Taiwan 80-67 with Dee Hayward completing a high-scoring five games (average 20.75) with another 22 points while Hannah Peacock hit top form with 19 points and nine rebounds.

Sarah Thomson added 16 and Erin McGarrachan 11.

The previous day Thomson’s three three-pointers in the first quarter had put the Scots in with a great chance against hosts Malaysia, world No 43, who just held on for a 67-64 win. Thomson had 15, McGarrachan 13, Hayward 10 and Arbroath’s Hannah Robb nine. Results: (Bangkok) Thailand 52 Scotland 51; MABA Tournament (KL): Scotland 61 Shanghai 63; Scotland 72 Nan Shan 71; Scotland 64 Malaysia 67; Scotland 80 Taiwan Fo Guang 67. Final positions: 1 Malaysia...3 Scotland.