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Writer's pictureOaklands Wolves

Big win for unbeaten Wolves

Oaklands Wolves go into the first international break of the campaign with a perfect record following a 85-73 home victory against Caledonia Gladiators, on Saturday.

Dani McCray led Lee Ryan's team with 17 points and five rebounds as Wolves broke open a close game down the stretch, while GB international Shanice Beckford-Norton also had five boards to go with her 15 points. Lavinia Da Silva and Tay McGhee-Pleasant each chipped in with ten points.

Ryan was understandably delighted with the victory: "This was a huge win for us! We have aspirations to compete right at the top of this year's SLB and getting the result against a really strong Caledonia team shows we are on the right path" he said. 

"The game was in the balance throughout, the teams defence was exceptional at times and gave us the base we needed to pull away at the end to get the win. The crowd were unbelievable, their energy played a huge part in the result today."

 Maria Albiero's trey opened the scoring for Wolves but it was the visitors, who were pre-season favourites for the SLB title, started strongly and took a 22-15 lead into the first break.

Beckford-Norton launched a good second period for the hosts and they gradually chipped away at the deficit .Terri Battle made it a one-point game at the five-minute mark before she iced a pair of free-throws to give Oaklands their first lead since the opening minutes.

There was little to choose between the two teams for the rest of the quarter, and McGhee-Pleasant's lay-up sent Wolves into the half-time break tied at 47.

An Albiero triple opened the second half scoring and with Da Silva also scoring from downtown the hosts led throughout the period before Ella Fotu hit a triple to send Wolves into the final break with a 70-63.

Beckford-Norton make it a nine-point game with the opening score of the fourth period but Gladiators hung around and it was 78-73 with 3:15 remaining.

But Beth Sarson stole the ball after the Gladiators' time-out and Fotu converted a lay-up and McCray sunk Wolves' seventh triple of the evening to seal the victory. 

In contrast it was a day to forget for Wolves' academy side as they suffered their first WNBL Division Two South defeat of the season with a 74-37 loss at London All-Stars.

The hosts edged a tight first period 19-13 but Wolves offence, led by nine from Caitlin Ryan and six from Darcey Woodman, dried up after that as the home team closed out the win.

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