Sparks set for possible decider
CAVAN EAGLES DROGHEDA SPARKS 17 25
ANOTHER impressive defensive display by this Sparks team in Virginia last Saturday means they stay top of the NEBB Girls Under-16 table with just one round of league matches remaining.
The team directly below Sparks, Blackwater Steelers, will host the Drogheda team in what could be a title decider on Saturday March 2nd in Monaghan.
Steelers have a game in hand on Sparks and are one of only two teams to beat Sparks this season, back in September by eight points.
That margin was the difference between Sparks and Eagles last weekend as the Drogheda team stretched out their winning streak to 11 games, but for the second week in a row Sparks had to dig deep to come away with the win in what was a low-scoring match.
Another fine display from Kate Kelly saw her finish top scorer with 14 points, but just as dominant at the other end of the floor was the individual defence of Nikola Busa who shackled and frustrated Eagles’ strongest player, despite the Cavan player’s size advantage.
After one quarter Eagles led 10-8, but that was the only time Sparks trailed in the game and the Drogheda team’s defence managed to keep Eagles scoreless in the second quarter.
By the end of the third Sparks had pushed their 11-10 half-time out to 19-14 as Zeina Khattab sank five of her six free throws to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Ava Prendergast, Ava Briscoe and Gretta McEvoy continued to push for fast break opportunities, Ellie Riggs and Abby Rice played their part with good work in defence and Ome Esajobor had a brilliant second half, with impressive rebounding along with a couple of key scores.
The final tally of 25 points was Sparks’ lowest total this season but they continue to find ways to win tight games.
Next Sunday they travel to Belfast to play a friendly match against Phoenix - tip-off 11,30am.