Wildcats Hunted Down on Home Court

by noelrr
24/06/2012

The Parramatta Basketball Association has lost both games of a double-header against the Newcastle Hunters on Saturday night at the Auburn Basketball Centre (ABC), in Round Twelve of the 2012 Waratah Championship League (WCL) competition. The ninth-placed Wildcats women (0-9) were up first against the sixth-placed Lady Hunters (4-5) and although the home team were in better scoring form this week, they extended their losing streak with a 75-37 loss. The young and inexperienced Wildcats squad could not stop Sydney Flames WNBL guard Katie-Lee Ebzery, who hit a personal tally of 37 points to match the total score from the Wildcats team. Although the eleventh-placed Wildcats men's team (3-9) has also been in poor form in recent weeks, head coach Merve Tait was hoping for a solid hit-out against the second-placed Hunters (10-2) in the main game of the night. That scenario was out the window from the opening whistle, with the visitors powering away to lead 28-13 at the end of the first term and 44-29 at half time. Newcastle continued to dominate through the third term, establishing a 72-44 lead at the end of that period of play before resting many of their key players. Coach Tait asked the Parramatta players for an extra effort in the final term and the home fans could at least be satisfied with the final score, as the Wildcats won the term 30-17 but still lost the game 89-74. The Wildcats face up to the reigning premiers (Illawarra Hawks) this Saturday night in Wollongong and will be fully aware this game could be an even tougher assignment. Whilst they may have started the season at a crawl, the Hawks have sprung back into life following the return of Wollongong Hawks NBL guard Tyson Demos, who has led his team to three consecutive wins in the past two weekends. The Hawks narrowly defeated the Sutherland Sharks 70-62 two weeks back but then hit top form on Saturday night against the Penrith Panthers, recording a runaway 98-61 win. A hard-fought 89-83 win over the higher-placed Hills District Hornets the next day (Sunday) has confirmed the premiers are back and are now a serious threat to repeat their 2011 title success this season. WOMEN: Newcastle Hunters 75 (Katie-Lee Ebzery 37 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, 5 steals) def Parramatta Wildcats 37 (Emma Bramston 12 points; Josie Taoi 7 points, 8 boards; Laura Winter 7 points) MEN: Newcastle Hunters 89 (Adam Stanger 18 points, Nathan Wilson 18, Deion Sims 17, Joshua Morgan 12, Matthew McGovern 12) def Parramatta Wildcats 74 (Goran Veg 17 points, 9 boards, 4 blocked shots; Rangi Kennedy 16 points; Jamie Newth 13)

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