FOLLOWING an interrupted run into the postseason due to international tournaments, the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (BA CoE) ended up winning their elimination final clash against the Canberra Nationals in the NBL1 East Women’s competition over the weekend.

The CoE ended up finishing in fifth spot in the standings with a record of 12 wins and eight losses, just missing out on the top four but getting a favourable matchup against the Nationals, who did finish with a negative record of nine wins and 11 losses, but snuck into eighth spot.

Ultimately, the class gap proved evident throughout the course of the match, as the CoE broke the game open with a 24-10 second frame after a tight first quarter. They built into the second half nicely, and eventually won all four quarters en route to a massive 30-point win.

Although it was a balanced performance from the team overall, Isabel Smith was the standout for the victors, leading the way with a strong offensive showing at the AIS over the weekend to build into the semi-finals nicely.

Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (74) def. Canberra Nationals (44)

Isabel Smith – 18 points, four rebounds, two assists

In a match where four players on her team registered double-digits in the points column, Smith was able to lead the way with a strong scoring performance, and ensured her team’s hunt for the championship was still alive.

Like her team, Smith got off to a slow start offensively, finding that the shots were simply not falling early and not finding the bottom of the net in the first term. At quarter time, the CoE had managed to grind out a two-point lead in a slow start for both teams as the Nationals managed to keep it reasonably close.

Smith found the bottom of the net for the first time in the second quarter, nailing a nice reverse layup as the CoE began to break away. From there, the shots began to fall for Smith and her team, with the young gun nailing her first triple from a Sitaya Fagan assist. A trio of late layups from Smith helped the CoE break away on the scoreboard, and her ability to drive into the paint finish at the cup was becoming a real factor in the match.

The third frame saw Smith continue her relentless attack on the basket, drawing contact early before continuing to nail layups as the opposition looked to avoid fouling her. She was simply too slippery and elusive when attacking the hoop, unfazed by any interior defence from the opposition and keeping the CoE’s margin building towards 25 points at the final change.

Although the shots did not fall as easily in the fourth quarter, Smith was still able to cap off a successful performance with yet another finish in the paint, perfectly surmising her performance and what proved a winning strategy, before being subbed out having led her side to victory.

She finished the match with a game-high 18 points, shooting 8/15 from the field and nailing a perfect 7/7 of her attempts inside the arc, showcasing how damaging she was when attacking the basket. It was the perfect start for Smith and the CoE, who will be eager to keep their season going when they face the Albury-Wodonga Bandits in the semi-finals.