SATURDAY 19.11.11
ILKESTON OUTLAWS 31 – MANSFIELD GIANTS 83
Ilkeston Outlaws local rivals Mansfield Giants were the visitors at Kirk Hallam College on Saturday in the Div 2 North clash in the senior women’s England Basketball League.
Mansfield had won the the fixture last season in a canter, hardly breaking sweat and Outlaws were determined to do better this time.
It didn’t begin well – Giants went 4 ahead before Louise Bradley replied for Outlaws.
Six more came from the visitors before Jo Gregory got one for Outlaws which spurred Giants to an 11 – 0 run.
Outlaws man to man defence was not coping well with the tremendous height and strength advantage Mansfield have and ended 6 – 24 behind at the quarter end.
A change in the second quarter to a new zone defence, a 2 – 3 formation based on the famous Syracuse University zone, brought some extra bite to the home team’s defence and although Mansfield continued to keep the score rolling they were having to work much harder for every point and Outlaws caused turn overs and got away on fast breaks much better. The quarter score of 8 – 19 was an improvement but the new resilience of the defence was hopeful. Helen Oakes had scored twice with Donna Bishop and Sharon Hickson also getting on the scoresheet.
Half time Ilkeston 14, Mansfield 43.
Outlaws persisted with the zone throughout the rest of the game and grew in confidence with it. Mansfield’s superior height and experience enabled them to work the ball around and eventually get it into a big player, usually Levitt who had 28 in the game. Outlaws 13 in the third was a good score for them but even though they made many forced errors Mansfield still racked up 27. Oakes got two more baskets in this quarter for her best game of the season, Emily Arshamian and Donna Bishop each scored, Natalie Lebeter continued her season’s great run with another 2 of 2 from the free throw line and Sue Wild got her first point in the EBL from the line.
Offensively Outlaws were poor in the final quarter with only 4 points, a free throw each from Lebeter and Arshamian and a fine driving lay – up from Demi Drew but the best defensive quarter of the game saw them hold Giants to only 13 points in the final 10 minutes for a final score of
Outlaws 31, Giants 83.
The score wasn’t much better than last time but at least Giants had to work hard for every basket for three quarters and knew they had been in a scrap.
Natalie Lebeter was yet again voted Most Valuable player by the team in her final match before setting off for work in France.
Natalie will be greatly missed. She has been an excellent Captain and one of the main driving forces in the team on and off the court for the last three years.
She was in the original team formed in 1999 to represent Erewash in the Derbyshire Millennium Youth Games and through graduating at a local University she was able to be an ever present, along with Susan Hawes, in the team that continued after most of the original squad went to Uni. The Outlaws players all wish her well in France and hope she returns next season.
Scorers: Helen Oakes 8, Donna Bishop, Sharon Hickson and Louise Bradley 4, Natalie Lebeter and Emily Arsamian 3, Demi Drew and Jo Gregory 2, Sue wild 1.
SATURDAY 05.11.11
ILKESTON OUTLAWS 42 – SUNDERLAND CITY PREDATORS 74
Ilkeston Outlaws senior women hosted visitors Sunderland City Predators at Kirk Hallam College on Saturday in a game of what ifs and might have beens.
Along with Outlaws the Predators are among the Divisions four lowlier teams – teams Outlaws must first get to grips with to demonstrate real improvement.
Last year in both matches Ilkeston were the better team in all areas but one but still came out of well beaten on each occasion.
The one area of indifference and weakness was then lack of fire power and despite enormous hard work in the summer it is still a big failing and demonstrates the difference in being a shooter and being a scorer.
As last season at home Ilkeston took the game to the visitors strongly in the first quarter and created many excellent scoring opportunities, but as before few were converted and the end of quarter score of 10 - 6 to Sunderland was a travesty of the balance of play, except, Sunderland, to their credit took advantage of most of their scarce opportunities whilst Ilkeston, to their chagrin, frittered away their many, and better, opportunities.
As last year, at that stage Sunderland realised they were very unlikely to lose and relaxed and played confidently. They won the second period 21 – 15 but a 21 – 31 half time deficit was no disaster for the home team and their chances still looked bright at the restart. An 11 – 26 third period score showed the optimism unfounded as they squandered ever easier opportunities and committed too many unforced errors gifting more points to their guests.
A 10 – 17 final period loss gave a delighted Sunderland 74 – 42 win and a very disappointed home team and coaching staff a frustrating defeat.
The bright side is this is their highest ever score for three years in local league or EBL.
Last weekend was the first weekend they were not the lowest scorers in the division and in fact five teams scored less than Outlaws last weekend. They are getting better and still continue to make progress.
The team voted debutante Ashli Naisbitt, ironically an ex Sundarland player, their Most Valuable Player.
Naisbitt scored 8 points, Helen Oakes top scored with 10 in a fine all round performance, Emily Arsharmian continued her good run with 6.
Other scorers: Kerry Jones and Demi Drew 4 each, Natalie Lebater and Becky Attewell 3 each, Sharon Hickson 2 and Donna Bishop 1.
SATURDAY 29.10.11
DONCASTER EAGLES 71 – ILKESTON OUTLAWS 27
Following back to back defeats the first weekend of the season Ilkeston Outlaws senior women were on Saturday at this season’s new entrants, Doncaster Eagles, with a very weak squad due to injuries illness and late unavailability.
The original 9 available looked a decent team but light on guards. With Demi Drew unavailable due to late work commitments and starting centre Donna Bishop taken ill on the Friday the travelling 7 lacked pace and perimeter play experience.
That notwithstanding they began well with Jo Gregory scoring the opening basket from a good turn around jump shot. The Doncaster tesam is based on their last year’s successful under 18 side and even at this stage versus a fresh Outlaws five Doncaster’s youthful enthusiasm and long junior experience was evident as they attacked the basket with brio, verve and power.
Outlaws man to man defence was being breached at this stage but a change to a 2 – 1 – 2 zone proved no better as the Eagles youngsters waltzed through it or nailed long outside shots.
Outlaws Captain Natalie Lebeter bravely attacked off the dribble and drew fouls as she has done in all preseason games and last week. At the fouline she continued her successful run and kept the score rolling for the visitors. Gregory and Lebeter’s points and a basket from Helen Oakes saw the first quarter end with Eagles ahead 18 – 10. Not a bad quarter for Outlaws.
A return to man to man defence by the visitors slowed Eagles down and made them fight for every point. As this effort began to tell on Outlaws small squad their scoring dropped but they kept Eagles down to 13 in the second quarter and so their own 7 points from Theresa Hess, back to back scores from Emily Arsharmian and another 1 of two frees from Lebeter showed less deficit than in the first quarter.
Given the squad available to Outlaws the halftime deficit of 17 – 31 was creditable given the strength, speed and long junior EBL experience of their, admittedly young, opponents.
Tiredness took its toll on Outlaws in the second half. A second quarter which went 17- 6 to Eagles was just tolerable and Outlaws were still on course for their target of plus 30 points for and less than 60 against.
That was not to be – Doncaster pressed full court for the entire last quarter and their extra speed, strength and endurance blasted Outlaws 23 – 4 in the final stanza. Defensively, though exhausted, Outlaws kept many of the drives out but the home team then just used a kick out play to give the ball to fine perimeter shooters, usually Matthews who bombed in 18 long range points.
Another heavy defeat for Outlaws but two other Div 2 sides recorded similar loses with only 27 and 20 points to their credit. The division is rapidly splitting into its own three divisions with Manchester, Sheffield and Sefton looking very powerful.
Natalie Lebeter was again voted MVP and she scored 7 points. Newcomer Emily Arsharmian had a good game with 12 points, 16 year old Theresa Hess weighed in with 4 points and Helen Oakes and Jo Gregory got 2 each.
SATURDAY 22.10.11 Ilkeston Outlaws 25 – Bury Blue Devils 85
SUNDAY 23.10.11 Sefton Starlights 103 – Ilkeston Outlaws 22
DIFFICULT START FOR OUTLAWS BUT SHOWING PROMISE
After a narrow defeat in the Maid Marian League on Wednesday Ilkeston Outlaws Senier Women had two difficult matches at the weekend in the England Basketball League Division 2 Women (North) entertaining Bury Blue Devils on the Saturday and away to Sefton Starlights on Sunday.
Both these teams ended last season in the top half of the league table and had defeated Outlaws 14 – 111 and 122 – 27 respectively in the corresponding fixtures.
On the surface the 25 – 85 and 22 – 103 defeats to these teams do not seem much of an improvement but given that Outlaws are now attempting a much more adventurous long passing game and that most errors were caused by ambition not lack of skill or intent then these results are promising.
Sharon Hickson was outstanding versus Bury and was rightly voted Most Valuable Player for Outlaws. Scorers for the local team were Hickson and fellow veteran Helen Oakes with 5 each, Louise Bradley had 4, Natalie Lebeter 3 and Claire Brudenall, Theresa Hess and Kerry Jones 2 each.
Exhausted after Saturday and with a long uncomfortable trip to Merseyside Outlaws gave a good account of themselves against Sefton. Demi Drew and new signing Jo Gregory were joint MVPs.
Sixteen year old Drew top scored with 7, Captain Lebeter and Donna Bishop got 4 each, Gregory 3 and Hess and Heidi Barlow both got 2.
Considering they were without two of last season’s consistent high scorers these were promising performances with new players making impressive debuts.
