Taunton Tigers Women got their first taste of National League Division 2 action with a difficult local derby against closest rivals Plymouth Racers. No Taunton Tigers Womens side has ever beaten the well established and more experienced side Racers in any previous National League encounters. The last meeting of these teams, in a basketball invitational event in May, had resulted in a heavy defeat for the Taunton Women, but this new look Taunton outfit pushed them right to the limit in their first National League outing. Coach John Abbot had put the Taunton squad through some grueling pre season training sessions and ensured that fitness would not be an issue for his side. The pre-match team talk encouraged the Tigers side to run the boards hard and take the game to their more experienced opponents.
Tigers got off to the flier they hoped for with Laura Dyke opening the scoring in the first minute and Captain Hannah Watkins scoring through good inside movement. The sides were evenly matched in the first quarter and although Tigers continued to score well on the break, sloppy defence was punished harshly by Plymouth being gifted easy points and enabling them to remain in contention. Plymouth were clearly the bigger side and Tigers leaked points through not fronting players and not securing their boards adequately, allowing Racers the opportunity to have second or third looks at the basket. That said, the Tigers half court press was working particularly well and allowed the girls to make easy steals and lay-ups on the break. The Tigers finished the quarter leading more comfortably than the 13 to 11 points suggested.
Plymouth reorganised in the second quarter, cutting down Tigers offensive options through an efficient zone defence. Tigers concentration lapsed as they found it increasingly difficult to score inside, nevertheless, the lead was retained until late in the quarter when once again, defensive lapses cost Tigers dear. As the last few seconds ticked away, Jenny Ridgway made a 3 point shot on the buzzer to maintain the Tigers lead into the break. Although originally allowed, heartbreak ensued as the referees changed their original decision and disallowed the score, with the result that Tigers trailed 23 – 21 at the half time break.
Plymouths zone defence remained totally dominant throughout the third quarter. Coach John Abbott had called for more patience on offense, but this served only to limit, rather than increase, options as lack of movement by the Tigers offense made defending simple for the Racers, who transformed Tigers turn-overs into 8 unanswered points, and a 9 point lead. Tigers were now struggling to score at all, unless it was on the break. A long range 3 point shot from Aimee Brook, who had a really solid game, redressed the balance and allowed the Tigers to finish the quarter trailing by 6 points at 35 – 29.
The Tigers had it all to do coming into the last quarter, but they had a real buzz to their game. Plymouth were clearly tiring and new import Sophie Keen, who played for Racers last season, took full advantage and scored 6 points in the first 3 minutes to bring the scores level. Frustratingly, Plymouth then made 6 unanswered points to restore a comfortable 6 point buffer with 3 minutes left. Tigers continued to work hard, hussling the ball at every opportunity not allowing Plymouth to settle. 2 more points from a Sophie Keen lay up, were followed by 3 visits to the free throw line for the Tigers, from which they managed another 3 points. At the final whistle, heartbreak for Tigers as a decidedly shaky Plymouth side hung on for a 1 point victory, 41 – 40.
This was a first rate performance by the Tigers Women, in their first competitive match at this level. There are clearly several things to work on as the season progresses and as the girls come to terms with the increased physicality and pace of the game at National League Division 2. This was, however, a very promising start to a season, where the initial ambition for the team is to establish a foothold for Womens Basketball at this level in Taunton. The girls have 2 games this coming weekend when they entertain London Westside at Wellsprings on Saturday, and then travel to play Reading Rockets away on Sunday. Tip off for the game at Wellsprings is 4:45pm (immediately prior to Tigers Men's game).