Tigers steal points at Wulanda

A NIGHT to forget for the Pioneers Men and Women at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre last Friday night when the Melbourne Tigers came to town and took the points in both matches.

The undermanned OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers Women weer outclassed by the Melbourne Tigers, while the Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers Men suffered a narrow 11 point defeat.

The Tigers Women set the tone in the opening quarter, posting 31 points as they looked to take any home court advantage out of the contest, powering to an 82-57 victory.

No Haliegh Reinoehl was always going to make the task an uphill battle for the home side and the 14 point quarter time lead was never really challenged.

Melbourne shot 12/16 from the field in those first 10 minutes including knocking down five three-pointers to open up that 14 point quarter time advantage and while the Pioneers were able to stem the bleeding to only trail by 16 at the main break, they just couldn’t eat into the Tigers’ advantage.

The Tigers got out to as much as a 31 point lead in the second half before settling for the 25 point victory that has the Pioneers season on a knife edge and the Tigers safely in play off position at this stage.

South Australian born Opal Izzy Borlase top scored with 16 points with 3/6 shooting from behind the three-point line as she led the way for the visitors..

Now sitting at 6-10, the Pioneers Women were best served by Isa Brancatisano who delivered 23 points, nine rebounds, seven steals and three assists on 4/11 three-point shooting.

Cat MacGregor added 10 points, three rebounds and two assists, Chloe Hildebrand nine points, five boards and three assists, and Keryl Ousey seven points, two assists and two steals.

There was plenty on the line in the men’s match with the Pioneers looking to stay inside the top two and the Tigers looking to elevate their play off position.

There was no Harry Froling for the Melbourne Tigers but Tom Wilson and Jack Purchase combined for 60 points, which proved telling in the final wash up.

It was the home side that started with the hot hand, nailing 9 from 18 from the field in the opening quarter, while the Tigers kept jacking up three pointers with a poor 20 per cent conversion.

The Pioneers enjoyed an eight point lead at the first change but it was the Tigers who had the better of the going in the second quarter and by half time only trailed the home side by two points.

The third quarter is when the damage was done.

The Tigers posted 40 points and their three point inaccuracy of the first half was a distant memory as they nailed eight from nine to turn that two point deficit into a 19 point lead.

It proved a bridge too far despite the Pioneers getting the better of the final quarter and they now sit with a 10-6 record.

Joe Palmer finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, Akech Aliir also had 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals, Kaden Archie 15 points on 7/8 field goal shooting, and Amarco Doyle 12 points and six rebounds.

RESULTS:

WOMEN:

Melbourne Tigers 82 (Borlase 16, Braslis 15, Tofaeono 14) d Mount Gambier Pioneers 57 (Brancatisano 23, MacGregor 10, Hildebrandt 9)

MEN:

Melbourne Tigers 95 (Wilson 34, Purchase 26, Arcidiacono 17) d Mount Gambier Pioneers 84 (Palmer 23, Aliir 20, Archie 15)