THE Bulleen Boomers have sustained their third loss of the 2022 Big V Women’s championship, after they were downed by the Sunbury Jets to the tune of six points when the two sides clashed at East Doncaster Secondary College on Saturday night.

It was a highly anticipated matchup that lived up to the hype, with the victors delivering a terrific performance, particularly in the final 10 minutes of play when they overran and outplayed the opposition to cement a spot inside the top four for the coming weeks.

The dynamic duo of Maria Steen Jepsersen and Ida Anderson ended up being the difference for Sunbury, as the pair dominated on the offensive end for the entire match. Jespersen had a game-high 30 points (13/19 FG) and 14 rebounds, while Anderson was not far behind with 28 points of her own. They were simply outstanding for all four quarters, and both stepped up in the final term when the win was up for grabs.

Olivia Bontempelli was the standout for the Boomers, continuing her good run of form to finish with 23 points, which was the most of anyone on her team. Unfortunately, the Boomers could not get going in the clutch and ended up being overwhelmed by the suffocating Sunbury defence to finish the contest.

The Boomers started the game in ideal fashion, nailing back-to-back threes and jumping out to an early lead. Sunbury fought back inside the arc, with a number of jump shots finding the bottom of the net as they looked to chip away at the deficit. However, Bulleen’s shooting was the difference, and at the first break, it led by three points.

To start the second term, fans were treated to an excellent duel between Jespersen and Bontempelli, as the pair traded buckets in the opening minutes. Anderson got involved soon after, and helped the Jets turn things around. Despite trailing at quarter-time, Sunbury ended up with a four-point advantage on the scoreboard at the main change.

There was a momentum shift to start the second half, with the Boomers firing in the third term to make things even more interesting. Rallying behind a balanced number of contributors, the home side outscored the opposition 24-18 in the quarter, and retook control of the game. Heading into the final term, the Boomers held a slim two-point lead on the scoreboard, setting up a thrilling finish at East Doncaster Secondary College.

Sunbury lifted in the final term, taking things up a notch on both ends of the court as it looked to conjure an impressive win. Jespersen was again amongst the action, and helped her side hit the front with her impressive scoring and rebounding performance. The Boomers could not keep up, and ended up being completely outplayed in the closing minutes as the Jets grabbed a six-point triumph.