Lithgow’s junior basketballers shot their final hoops of the season last week in the boys and girls grand finals. All the players were pumped and the games did not disappoint.
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A good size crowd was on hand to witness three fiercely contested grand finals of the junior men’s competition on Thursday, June 8.
Under 12 Division:
Minor Premiers Kings, comprising Alex Flynn, Michael Priestly-Lane, Thomas Best, Jessie Tesoriero and Jack Goodwin, had the better of the first half against Lakers (Jai Osbourne, Tom Giokaris, Jai McMillan, Justin Field, Dane Griffiths, Liam O’Regan and Magnus Kelly) and looked to have one hand on the prize with a 13-8 lead.
Lakers weren’t done though, and they slowly reduced the deficit to trail only 19-17 late in the contest.
Another Lakers’ basket with two minutes left tied it up at 19-a-piece and neither side could score in the last frantic moments, sending the game into overtime.
Desperate defence and rushed shots dried up the scoring with Kings able to grab the only points of the three-minute extra period and they hung on to win the title, 21-19.
Young referees Callum Flynn and Eli Morris did an excellent job officiating their first grand final.
Under 14 Division:
Wildcats and Bulls had finished the regular season as joint Minor Premiers and again little separated them after a physical first stanza with Bulls holding a slender 23-22 edge.
Bulls, represented by Josh Brown, Brayden Saville, Kade Inwood, Connor Moss, Harrison Wells and Taj Jenkins, had opened up an early 19-6 break only to see Wildcats (Brayden Drury, Riley Pascoe, Donovan Jenkins, Kynan Coombs, Eli Morris, Mitchell Wallace and Billy Rushworth) come storming back to get within one.
Bulls kicked away again after halftime though, going ahead 43-33 and then 53-37 before ultimately taking the victory, 55-45.
Referees Adam and Richard Marjoram kept good control of what was at times a rough-and-tumble affair.
Under 16-18 Division:
Minor Premiers Bulls (Kade Inwood, Hayden Cox, Ethan Pringle, Jack Mantle, Kory Pringle, Lachlan Kendall and Lachlan Wilson) went in as solid favourites against an understrength Lakers side.
Unfortunately Lakers were without the services of sharpshooter Fletcher Swift, who was in Melbourne for a tournament.
Bulls jumped out to an early 11-4 advantage but Lakers, consisting of Blake Goldspink, Austyn Lincoln, Zeke Evans, Hutch Evans and Connor Marshall, stayed in touch for the remainder of the period with Bulls going to the break 40-33 up.
Bulls came out firing in the second half though, and blew Lakers out of the water with a 17-2 run to go ahead 57-35. Lakers got back on their feet but couldn’t make a dent in the margin as Bulls coasted to the title, 73-51.
Craig Flynn and Richard Marjoram refereed a fast and physical end-to-end game very well.
Lithgow Basketball Association wishes to thank all the referees and bench officials who gave their time to officiate games throughout the season.
The next competition is set down to commence in mid-July.
Those wanting further information on any of the Lithgow Basketball Programs can do so by going to the Lithgow Basketball Development Facebook page or by contacting Richard Marjoram on 6352 1635.
Full Results:
- Under 12 Division: Kings 21 (A Flynn 8, T Best 6, M Priestly-Lane 4, J Tesoriero 3) defeated Lakers 19 (J McMillan 9, J Field 6, M Kelly 2, L O’Regan 2) in overtime.
- Under 14 Division: Bulls 55 (K Inwood 31, T Jenkins 10, C Moss 6, H Wells 6, J Brown 2) defeated Wildcats 45 (E Morris 18, D Jenkins 9, B Drury 6, B Rushworth 6, K Coombs 4, R Pascoe 2).
- Under 16-18 Division: Bulls 73 (H Cox 42, L Wilson 9, E Pringle 8, K Pringle 7, K Inwood 3, L Kendall 2, J Mantle 2) defeated Lakers 51 (A Lincoln 26, Z Evans 16, B Goldspink 6, H Evans 3).
