THE most exciting game to take place in the National Basketball League (NBL)1 South competition over the weekend was a battle between the Mt. Gambier Pioneers and the Geelong Supercats. In a cracking contest at The Ice House on Friday night, the two sides locked horns in what was a highly anticipated matchup between two of the best teams to start season 2022. The winner of the contest would be pretty well placed in the standings, so the stakes were pretty high, and the game lived up to the hype.

There was a lot to enjoy purely from a basketball perspective, as both teams delivered some high-quality play on both ends. In fact, they could not be separated by the time the fourth quarter wrapped, so the game headed into overtime, which was a fitting result given the entertainment factor of the contest. As extra time rolled on, it looked like the same result would come, until Pioneer Shakera Reilly nailed a clutch three with less than 30 seconds remaining to put her side up by as much. It ended up being the final basket of the game, as Mt. Pioneer claimed a thrilling win. The result sees the Pioneers remain atop the standings, while on the other hand, Geelong slipped down to sixth.

Mt. Gambier Pioneers (82) def. Geelong Supercats (79)

The Pioneers were able to fire in the opening term, getting off to a flying start in the first 10 minutes. Cassandra Brown was the real spark for Mt. Gambier, getting going in a big way with a couple of threes early in the term, and finding her way to the free throw line amongst those shots too. When the first quarter wrapped, the home side held a seven-point lead and looked in good nick to continue their form for the rest of the game. What they did not count on was the Supercats lifting in the second term, finally getting their offence right and matching the output of the opposition. They were able to reduce the margin by two points, but would still need to lift their work on the defensive end if they were to turn things around.

The improvement continued from Geelong, as it resumed chipping away at the deficit in the third quarter. Unlike the first half, the Pioneers struggled to get off an easy shot, only producing 11 points for the term, while the Supercats were able to find some success in scoring the ball inside the paint. Heading into the final term, it was a tie ball game, with a vital win up for grabs for either team. It was an extremely tense finish to regular time, with the lead changing hands with every bucket. Jessica Scannell tied up proceedings again with 54 seconds on the clock, and neither club produced a match-winning bucket, as the contest continued in overtime. With five minutes added, each side had the opportunity to win the game, and in the end, it was Mt. Gambier that took that chance. Reilly’s three ended up deciding the contest, as the Pioneers emerged three-point victors.

Like a few of her teammates, Brown played all 45 minutes of the game, but no one had a bigger impact for all four (and a bit) quarters. She finished with a game-high 32 points, and was a focal point of the Mt. Gambier offence. She managed to create buckets from both inside the paint and behind the arc, going five of eight from downtown. Reilly had 13 points, and the most important three of the game. WNBL star Sara Blicavs fought valiantly for the Supercats and finished with a team-high 22 points, showcasing her class.