Taunton Tigers Women completed yet another great weekend of basketball for the Tigers club when they made it seven wins out of seven in the league and regained their top spot in Division 2 of the English Basketball league in defeating Guernsey in another pulsating game of basketball at Wellsprings. Incredibly Tigers are now one of only three teams in all 4 divisions of English Basketball who remain undefeated in league action this season.
Although originally scheduled to play Cardiff, a serious car accident to a group of Cardiff players led to a cancellation of that fixture and some hasty re-arrangement by Tigers to play Guernsey in their place. This was the first time that Tigers have entertained the Guernsey representative team, who finished a creditable 6th place in the World Island games in Rhodes during the summer. Entry into the English Basketball League presents a major logistic exercise for the heavily sponsored Guernsey side, who fly in every other weekend to play 2 games, before jetting back to the Channel Islands. Guernsey are certainly no push-overs, are ever-improving, and have made a real impact in this their first season in the National League as their comprehensive defeat of Bristol Storm in their previous game testified and they are good value for their current 3rd place in the league.
Tigers got off to an excellent start and established an early 6 point lead, before a bout of uncharacteristic turnovers, enabled Guernsey to ease back to parity by the 5th minute at 8 points apiece. A refocus by Tigers sorted out some early offensive issues and when penetrating drives by Jenny Ridgway and Hanna Byrne were rewarded by hard won lay-ups allowed Tigers to finish the quarter strongly leading 17 – 8. Strong inside moves by MVP Laura Dyke, who had an excellent game at both ends of the court, extended Tigers lead early in the second quarter, before Guernsey hit 8 unanswered points of their own. Milly Watkins, although not initially as prominent at the offensive end, was proving exceptionally effective in restricting the ever-dangerous Kerr, to poor offensive and passing options, and was well supported by gritty defensive work by Hannah Maddocks off the bench, Tigers entered the locker room leading 31 – 18 at the break.
The third quarter proved testing for the Tigers as Guernsey stormed back into the game and quickly closed the points gap. Tigers were now finding their offensive options increasingly limited, although valuable points by Emily Farthing, kept the score board ticking over, but not before Guernsey had cut the Tigers lead to a mere 6 points at the end of the third quarter. A long range 3 pointer by Kerr and a put back by Loveridge cut the Tiger's lead to one point. Guards Ellie Leader, Nicky Hartston, and Abby Pow kept things tight and well-organised at the defensive end and steadied the ship as Tigers weathered the Guernsey Storm, and hit 11 unanswered points of their own and closed out the game 59 – 49.
Assistant Coach, Jo Woods, was absolutely delighted with the result,
“Another superb result for Taunton Tigers Women. The girls performed really well today, in what was a tricky game for us, particularly after a somewhat disrupted training schedule and a series of illnesses over the past few weeks. Guernsey really pushed us in the 3rd quarter, but the girls gave a great defensive display and delivered at both ends of the court — a well deserved win which regains our top spot in the league.”