THE Bulleen Boomers have continued their impressive 2022 Big V Women’s campaign, downing the fourth-placed McKinnon by a final margin of nine points at East Doncaster Secondary College on Sunday afternoon.

It was a matchup that had plenty of surrounding intrigue coming in, given both sides are in the midst of successful seasons. The Boomers were favoured, but each club is hopeful of winning it all in 2022, so there was every chance McKinnon could have grabbed a huge win in the context of its season. Things were played out in a tense fashion in the first half, with neither side really on top at the main break of play.

McKinnon trailed by just two points heading into the final two quarters, with a real shot of causing an upset and potentially moving up the standings. However, the Boomers produced the most dominant period of the game in the third, outscoring the opposition 18-8 in that time and jumping out to a considerable lead with just one term to play. The visitors fought bravely to keep themselves in the game in the final period, but the task was too tall for McKinnon, with Bulleen grabbing its 17th win of the season and cementing second spot in the standings.

For the winning side, Louella Tomlinson was the star of the show, producing a terrific double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. She went to work inside the paint and found the bottom of the net in the form of lay-ups and post hooks. Tomlinson was the top scorer and rebounder for the side, and also poured in four assists, one steal and a pair of blocks. By far the most dominant performer for the Boomers, she was a key figure in getting Bulleen to a match-winning lead in the third quarter.

Despite the loss, McKinnon was well-led by the efforts of Emily Suckling, who was a force to be reckoned with whenever she had the ball. Coming off the bench, Suckling delivered a game-high 20 points, with four baskets coming from inside the arc, while another four came from downtown. Her 33 minutes on the court were as crucial as any player’s, and although McKinnon fell short on the scoreboard, they were only in the game thanks to Suckling’s magnificent offensive performance.

With the top four now sealed, there is every chance these two sides will face off in the postseason in the coming weeks. Given it was just one term that essentially decided the match, that matchup may prove to play out in thrilling fashion once again.