Oaklands Wolves’ Division Two women took the bragging rights as they hammered Herts rivals Stevenage Royals 62-24 on their own court on Saturday.
The visitors’ starting five was comprised entirely of players who’ve progressed from the club’s under-12 side and they limited Royals to just eight points in the second half on the way to their biggest victory of the season.
Even without coach Claire Abbott and centre Cleo Lewis-Gayle, Wolves were always in charge as a couple of early Rosie Porter threes helped them to a 16-10 first period lead.
The game really opened up in the second period as Porter and Caitlin Ryan [below] scored from downtown, and Wolves outscored the hosts 20-6 to lead by 20 at half-time.
Royals went nine minutes without scoring in the third period as an 11-4 run ended the game as a contest before Wolves wrapped things up with a 15-4 final quarter.
Porter led all scorers with 17 points and four steals while Ryan had a 15 point, 12 rebound double-double, adding five steals. Stella Ekblad-Piscitelli had eight boards to go with her nine points as Wolves moved up to fourth place in WNBL Division Two South.
Meanwhile Wolves’ WBBL play-off hopes took a knock as a disastrous third period saw them go down 92-74 at Manchester Giants.
The visitors trailed by a single point at the first break but a strong second quarter capped by a pair of Shaquera Wade free throws saw them lead 40-37 going into the locker room.
That proved to be the final time Wolves led in the game as only Wade’s layup troubled the scorers in the first five minutes of the second half and they were outscored 32-14 in the third quarter and had no way back in the final stanza.
Wade led Lee Ryan’s team with 19 points while Allison Day had 14 in a game Wolves will want to put behind them as they go into the international break.
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