THE second day of action at the 2024 Under-18 Club Championships in Joondalup on Wednesday saw some contests go right down to the wire as the best young talent in Australia continues to shine.

One of the most exciting games of the day saw the Cockburn Cougars emerge one-point winners over the Warwick Senators early in the afternoon in a cracking affair. The game went down to the final minute of action, but the Cougars did enough to keep the ball away from the opposition as the clock ran down.

Cockburn actually trailed at stages throughout the final term, as the Senators did some impressive work on the offensive end early in jump out to a solid lead. However, the Cougars tied up proceedings with two minutes on the clock, setting up an enthralling finish.

The two teams traded clutch baskets, with a Warwick triple seeing the team hold a one-point lead with just over 60 seconds on the clock. Cockburn found itself under tremendous defensive pressure as it looked to kick the ball to an open player, and as the Senators collapsed on the baseline, it left Matilda Campbell open in the corner.

She knocked down a deep two despite enormous pressure in the context of the match to give the Cougars back a one-point lead, ultimately winning the match in the process. Although both teams conceded turnovers under serious defensive pressure from the opposition, time was Warwick’s biggest enemy and Cockburn was able to run out the clock.

Campbell finished with 12 points for the match, and was unmatched in terms of big plays down the stretch. However, she did have some help from Amelia Corasanti, who had a team-high 13 points and knocked down a massive triple in crunch time that showed she is ready for the big moments. Kinley Paterson had 11 points and rounded out an excellent team showing from Cockburn.

Warwick’s Natalie Chisi led all-comers with 16 points, and was excellent in getting the Senators into a winning position, while Isabella Andrew had 12 points of her own and Keira Reilly posted 11 points and was solid as well.

In total, there were 10 boys and nine girls games that took place at HBF Arena, and the contenders are beginning to cement their place at the top of the tables. In the boys competition, the Central Districts Lions, East Perth Eagles, Diamond Valley Eagles and Dandenong Rangers all remain unbeaten from two games, while the Melbourne Tigers, Sandringham Sabres and Cockburn Cougars are yet to lose a game in the girls division.

The action continues at HBF Arena today, in the final day of pool matches with the finals set to begin tomorrow and conclude on Sunday.

U18 Girls Club Championships

Binar (43) def. by Joondalup Wolves (57)
West Adelaide Bearcats (74) def. Warwick Senators (46)
Perry Lakes Hawks (65) def. Rockingham Flames (38)
Lakeside Lightning (57) def. by Keilor Thunder (109)
Joondalup Wolves (74) def. Tasmania Tigers (53)
Warwick Senators (53) def. by Cockburn Cougars (54)
Rockingham Flames (63) def. Canberra (59)
Melbourne Tigers (77) def. Norths Bears (49)
Sandringham Sabres (49) def. Hills Hornets (32)

U18 Boys Club Championships

Binar (35) def. by Frankston Blues (69)
Central Districts Lions (68) def. Perry Lakes Hawks (65)
West Adelaide Bearcats (77) def. by Dandenong Rangers (87)
Rio Tinto Wildcats Academy (39) def. by East Perth Eagles (87)
Canberra (67) def. by Diamond Valley Eagles (73)
Joondalup Wolves (86) def. Warwick Senators (60)
Kalamunda Eastern Suns (77) def. Knox Raiders (76)
Willetton Tigers (69) def. Cockburn Cougars (32)
Tasmania Devils (65) def. by Kalamunda Eastern Suns (86)
Knox Raiders (74) def. by Willetton Tigers (83)