Tigers Women continued their winning ways in their last home game against local rivals Plymouth Raiders when the sides met for the fifth time this season at Wellsprings. With the cup and league honours even at 2 games apiece, and Raiders just above them in the league, Tigers expected and got a tough game.
The Women got off to just the start they wanted — boxing out well, denying scoring opportunities, and running the boards well. Hannah Watkins, Aimee Brook and Hannah Maddocks, took advantage of the early supremacy and eased the Tigers into an early lead, before Raiders settled into their slower and controlled game. This provided the platform for the consistent and ever dangerous Karen Ruiz to restore some parity before the Tigers closed out the quarter leading deservedly 15 – 8.
The second quarter was a far more even affair with honours shared. Early scores by Jenny Ridgway and Nicky Hartston, increased Tigers score before Lizzy Fabian, who had hit 27 points earlier in the season against the girls, made some of her trade mark jump shots at Tigers took the half 29 – 22.
The half-time break energised Raiders as they hit 8 unanswered points and forced an increased number of turnovers from the Tigers. Whilst Tigers hung on to the Raiders shirt-tails with some valuable points from Laura Dyke and Emily Farthing, both Tigers and Raiders lost influential players to injury (Aimee Brook – damaged hand, Lizzy Fabian – Achilles), before Tigers reached the break leading 42 – 35.
More unanswered points for raiders at the start of the final quarter eased them into the lead for the 1st time in the game, before Abby Pow, Jenny Ridgway and Ella Hewton snatched the game away from them down the straight. Late fouls on the Tigers girls were punished harshly from the free throw line as Tigers won the game with some ease 59 – 47.