Taunton Tigers Women welcomed Birmingham Bears to their Wellsprings lair for the top of the table clash between the top two clubs in Division 2. Bears, an extremely experienced outfit and are the reigning league champions and last season's play-off runners up, are a tough side to meet at this level. Ex-Tigers player Becky Brindley, turned out as point guard for the Blazers, presenting the unusual spectacle of no less than 11 Taunton Basketball Academy players taking the court at National League level — a great testimony to the coaching skills made available through the Tigers' set up.
Tigers believed they had prepared well for this game, however, any pre-game expectations were blown apart early in the 1st period as Tigers trips to the basket proved fruitless, whilst Bears offence machine was almost faultless as they nailed almost every shot they attempted from range. Although Tigers were competitive on their boards, it was at the expense of pressure on the perimeter as an early 3 pointer by Winter, was followed by a brace of three's from Brindley as Bears raced into an early 15 – 4 lead. An urgent time out by the Tigers temporarily slowed the outside threat, but opened up opportunities inside for Bearrs inside players, allowing them to close the quarter leading 23 – 8.
Bears had certainly done their homework on Tigers inside threat and continued to keep them at the start of the 2nd quarter, and a devastating spell of extremely high percentage scoring by the irrepressible Brindley, with 4 more 3 point long range shots, virtually killed the game off for Tigers, who trailed 41 – 10 half-way through the quarter, until a late spell of 3 point scoring by Hannah Watkins and Jenny Ridgway brought things back to 49 – 19 at the half-way stage.
The third quarter proved the most even scoring of the game, and anyone arriving without knowing the score, would have had trouble separating the sides on ability as both contested the game on a more equitable basis. The Bears rich vein of scoring had finally blown itself out as baskets were traded at both ends and Bears entering the final stanza leading 62 – 29.
Tigers stuck bravely to their defensive task throughout the last quarter, demonstrating good ball pressure and good defensive rotation and matched Bears score for score until foul trouble intervened in the last couple of minutes and skewed the result even more in Bears favour, allowing them to deservedly take the game 78 – 38.
Team manager, Jim Hartston, whilst naturally disappointed with the result was gracious in defeat,
“We were beaten today by a vastly experienced team who have remained undefeated in the league since we managed to get the better of them in early November. Bears were certainly up for this game, and their scoring percentage in the first half was extraordinarily high at 70 percent — we certainly couldn't live with that and, whilst we believed it couldn't be sustained throughout, it took the game too far away to allow any recovery — full credit to them.”
“Whilst we remain joint top of the league at present, Bears have a game in hand on us, and it will be up to us to try to return to winning ways, and hope for a Bears slip-up before the end of the season, to allow us back in.”