BSBL women’s 1st-grade: Brave Tornadoes Red suffer 16-point qualifying final loss to Tornadoes Black

A brave effort was not enough to get Tornadoes Red over the line in the Bunbury Senior Basketball Association women’s 1st-grade qualifying final, going down to Tornadoes Black by 16 points at South West Sports Centre on Friday night.

Red drained ten three-pointers as part of a red-hot shooting performance that kept them in the contest, but the quality of the minor premiers ultimately shone through in the 80-64 final score.

Black looked to be making a conscious early effort to play through centre Javene Fitch against an undersized Red lineup, but the swarming defence of the underdog saw them create transition opportunities which helped them jump out to a 22-18 quarter-time lead.

The ladder leaders wrestled back control in the second quarter, but Red hit several long bombs to ensure they remained within touch, trailing by three points at the main break.

A Red side that had only one substitute against to Black’s four ran out of puff over the course of the second half, which Black capitalised on to secure the win that locks down their grand final place.

Guard Ebony Bilcich was far and away the best player on the court for Black, scoring a game-high 22 points, setting up several easy opportunities for teammates and vocally leading the defence, while Jasmine Barrett nailed four threes as part of her 20 points for Red.

Aces Navy smashed Aces Sky 82-42 in the elimination final.

The clash was tied up as late as the second quarter but Navy came home with a wet sail, scoring an amazing 37 points in the final quarter as part of a 49-19 second half.

Sky had no answer for Navy’s Hannah Chatfield, who dominated the interior in scoring a game-high 30 points.