THE MELBOURNE Tigers have managed to chalk out a gritty six-point win over the Altona Gators when the two sides clashed at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Round 13 of the Big V Youth Championship Women’s season.

It was a top of the table clash between the top-seeded Tigers and the second-placed Gators on Sunday afternoon, in a blockbuster matchup that certainly could act as a preview for the postseason in the coming months.

Although Altona got off to a flying start, the home side managed to steady in the second half, and held on in the fourth quarter to move to an impressive record of 16 wins and two losses, stretching their lead on the Gators (13-5) even further.

Melbourne Tigers (71) def. Altona Gators (65)

The opening minutes of the match saw the Gators jump out to an early lead, finding success scoring inside the arc to hold a seven-point buffer in the first quarter. Although the Tigers did look better as the quarter rolled on, a late triple to Altona’s Lucy Barth saw the Gators take a five-point buffer into the first change.

The second quarter saw plenty of back and forth action as the lead changed hands on several occasions and neither side could break out to a significant lead. Every time the Gators looked to push ahead and build on their work in the first term, the Tigers had the answer, and when the buzzer sounded to mark half-time, Melbourne’s deficit was cut down to just three points.

The third term proved the most pivotal in the context of the match, with the Tigers storming out to a hefty lead on the back of some excellent work on both ends of the floor. The Gators were held to just 10 points for the quarter, and allowed the Tigers to not only hit the front, but also take a six-point lead into the final frame.

It was a scrappy contest in the last 10 minutes of the match, with neither side able to truly get any cohesion on the offensive end and hit the scoreboard meaningfully. The Gators did well to draw within two points early in the period, but the Tigers hit back to push the lead above five points, and when both sides dried up on the offensive end, it was enough for Melbourne to hold on.

The duo of star Tigers Josie Agnew and skipper Leila Davis proved the difference for Melbourne, both putting together standout performances and proving vital in getting their side over the line. Agnew poured in 21 points and three steals, proving central to the team’s offence, while Davis posted a whopping double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds.

For the Gators, skipper Alicia Sciberras delivered a huge double-double of her own with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Cassie Dodemaide was even more influential on the glass, pulling down a whopping 18 boards to go with six points.

ACROSS THE COURTS

Melbourne (95) def. McKinnon (48)
Sandringham (67) def. by Dandenong (71)
Kilsyth (56) def. by Altona (88)
Ringwood (72) def. Waverley (57)
Bulleen (99) def. Pakenham (71)
Dandenong (80) def. by Waverley (83)
Diamond Valley (104) def. Bendigo (60)
Nunawading (82) def. by McKinnon (85)
Frankston (35) def. by Sandringham (57)
Casey (79) def. Keilor (78)