Sharks defy Wildcats surge in Grand Final clash

THE class and experience of Sharks Basketball Club has prevailed on the big stage again as it denied Wildcats a repeat win in the RL Signs Women’s Winter Championship Grand Final last night (Tuesday, September 17).

The Sharks 78-72 win over Wildcats marked the club’s 10^th Community Championship win, which head coach Paul Bugg described as a major milestone.

“It’s good to get to that number, our girls have played really well all year and to finally get to 10, we’re really pleased with that not only as a team but as a club as well,” Bugg said.

“We started really strong and put scoreboard pressure on early, and to Wildcats’ credit, they came back at us hard.

“Their outside shooters are where we have trouble with them, but they weren’t quite on the mark, if they were, it could have been a very different outcome.”

The Sharks seemed to have the game locked away early, blowing out to a 30-10 lead at quarter-time.

Wildcats’ coach Glen Sharp had stern words for his side at the first intermission, as it began its formidable task of reducing its deficit over the next three quarters.

An 18-14 scoreline in the second period and a 29-17 scoreline in the third brought the deficit back to four points, as Wildcats trailed Sharks 61-57 at the final break.

Wildcat Zahlia Foley’s three-point shot to open the fourth quarter hinted at a potential upset, but it turned out to be as close as her side would get to defeating Sharks.

Sharks relied on their core of former Supercat Alex Duck, Surf Coast Charger Cortney Hollowood, former WNBL representative Ebony Rolph and Bellarine Storm member Georgia Varley to get the side over the line.
The final margin was six points.

Hollowood was superb from distance and around the basketball, calculating a game-high 29-point effort, while Rolph and Varley combined for 34 with 17 points apiece.

Wildcats centre Chantelle Hall tallied 28 points in the loss, while Jasmine King was terrific with 24 points. Foley’s six points came by way of two triples.

Sharks had their fair share of challenges during the season with two of the side’s frontcourt members bowing out of the campaign early.

“We lost two of our bigs during their season to injuries, so we’ve really relied on Ebony during the back half of the year, but players like Ducky and Cortney are partly the reason why we have such a dynamic side,” Bugg said.

“At the end of the day, though, my job is just bring the lollies each week, these girls coach themselves, when you have the quality you have out on the floor, I just need to call a sub here and there and keep the wheels on so to speak.”

Sharks only lost two games the entire 2024 winter season and will likely go into the summer season as heavy favourites.