In the last round of the regular season for our Winged Victory, they took on their cross-country rivals from the West. Usually it's us who have to make the trip, but this time we were able to play both sets of games at home.
First up, the University of Melbourne faced off against Curtin University.
It was the Carnabys who came out of the blocks strong, scoring the first five points. The Winged Victory was quick to turn the tables, however, putting points on the board through Kai Garnaut and Harvey Moore. The first half didn't consist of much defence, both teams putting up decent numbers, the Winged Victory scoring over 30 points in both quarters. Dihan Wiggett made life hard for Lachlan Betram, one of the league's leading scorers, holding him to just 11 points. It was Harry Evans and Dean Supliegjav who stood up for their team, but a disastrous third quarter, where they only scored nine points, was enough to know the game was over. Winged Victory went on to score 122 points, with more than half the team scoring in double figures.
The women's team fought hard in this game; they were within reach going into half-time, but unfortunately, their shooting was not at its best. Ruby Nicks, who can usually knock them down, struggled this game, going 1/12 from three, and as a team, they shot at less than 25% across the board. Lara Essex (13pts, 5rebs, 5stl) was aggressive, Kayla Salmons and Victoria Poulos had 10 points apiece, but ultimately it wasn't enough. The Carnabys may have only hit six three-pointers themselves, but Tiana Sears (26pts, 12rebs, 2ast, 4stl) made half of them, along with some strong inside play, earning herself 11 points off free throws alone. Between Sears and Captain Aleka Kabugua's (18pts, 6stl) spark off the bench, the Winged Victory could not keep up.
The very next day, both teams took on the University of Western Australia.
In what was supposed to be a relatively easy game for the men's team, it was surprisingly a lot closer! UWA came out of the blocks firing, as if they didn't realise they were playing the top team. The game was tied after the first term, and the Winged Victory led by only three points at the main break. Wilson Amos (23pts, 5rebs) and Dihan Wiggett (11pts, 9rebs, 6ast, 4stl) were strong performers; they kept the score ticking over, but it was a shooting masterclass from Joshua 'Spud' McNally (26pts, 8/13 3PM), who lit it up from deep in the second half. In what seems to be a common theme for the men's team, their third quarter brilliance, this time putting up a wild 36 points. Keegan Schrick and Joe Harwood were valiant in their efforts, but the damage had been done. It was deeply unfortunate to see University of Melbourne player Matthew Power leave the game with a shoulder injury, and it is important to note the delay this caused and the effects this had on the game. The Winged Victory grabbed the win and put up another 100-plus points game.
Fighting for a spot in the finals, the women's team had one last chance to keep their hopes alive. Sitting well below UWA on the ladder, it wasn't going to be easy. A determined winged Victory locked in on defence, keeping their opponents to a mere 45 points. Playing against a shorter team, Jenna Teasdale and Sydney Meares took advantage inside, but the rest of their team was kept at bay. While it wasn't a particularly good shooting game for the home side, players stepped up and hit big shots when it was needed. Jess Freeman (8pts) hit a couple, and Layla Prince (11pts, 4rebs, 2stl, 2blk) was a force to be reckoned with. They went on to win by 12 points, and regardless, they should be proud of their efforts.
Thanks to their final win and some results falling our way, the women's team will be joining the men in the 2025 UBL finals!
The Men finished the regular home & away season on top of the ladder, meaning they are Minor Premiers, and the Women snuck in at 8th spot.