MOUNT Gambier Lakers women suffered a second defeat to Millicent Magic on Saturday in round nine of South West women’s Country Basketball League season.
The Lakers faced the Magic for the second week in a row, this time at the Icehouse, with a tight game always expected, after last round’s five-point victory to Millicent.
It was no disappointment, as the two sides went basket for basket for much of the night, with the Lakers keen to reverse their recent loss.
In the end just four points separated the two sides, with the Magic victorious, but not without a fight.
Sunday’s second game against the Colac Kookas produced a more positive result for the Lakers, with a 30-point triumph away from home.
On Saturday Olivia Wormald took to the court for the Lakers despite some injury doubts and top scored for her side with 17 points, while Mickaela Horrigan (11) and Keryl Ousey (10) also reached double figures.
Alana and Emily Winter led the way for the victors, with 19 and 10 points respectively, while the remainder of the scoring was shared around.
While Wormald found the first basket of the game, Millicent soon hit back through Sally Houlihan and the contest was on in earnest.
The Magic held a six-point advantage mid-way through the term, but the Lakers soon closed it down off a three-point play from Wormald.
By the first break the visitors led by three points, with an exciting contest developing.
Baskets to Ousey, Claire Hunter and Tara Bryant had the game back on even terms early, but Alana Winter again responded and the Magic held sway.
At the long break the Magic had stretched the lead to five points, but the Lakers were right in the contest.
The third term saw Millicent lift the intensity early, with baskets to Emily and Alana Winter extending the margin to 15 points before Sarah Ritter hit a two-point shot against the tide.
The Lakers pushed hard, but could only close it to 12 points at the final break.
The last term required a sustained effort from the Lakers and it came.
Wormald opened the quarter with a two-point basket, but Houlihan replied for the Magic.
Horrigan responded, as did Jess Venn.
It was then the Lakers began to find some momentum, with Horrigan, Wormald and Ousey all finding the hoop to swing the momentum and close the margin to six points mid-way through.
The Lakers continued to push hard and closed the margin to five points off a Hunter two and when Wormald hit a three with less than two minutes to play the game was up in the air.
However, the cool heads of the Magic prevailed for a well-deserved victory.
Ready to bounce back from the defeat, the Lakers responded with a solid display against the Kookas on Sunday.
By the first break they held a 13-point lead, which stretched out to 17 by the main break.
A solid run in the third busted the margin out to 28, with Ritter and Ousey dealing the bulk of the damage with 10 and eight points respectively for the term.
From there Colac was out of the match, with the Lakers holding out in the final quarter to prevail by 30 points.
The Lakers now sit in sixth on the ladder behind Millicent, but remain two games behind the ladder-leading Warrnambool Mermaids and three behind second and third place due to byes early in the season.
If the Lakers can finish their busy second half of the season strongly, they should work their way up the table.
