The Rossendale Raptors Ladies team visited the Nelson based Turbines on Friday night for our final game of the season….. and what a game it was.  From the tip-off the Raptors showed their intent, scoring 8pts in the first minute while keeping the turbines pinned back in their own half. Our team played what has become their trademark tough defence resulting in some errors by the opposition and turnovers to the Raptors. 

Excellent defence from Lisa Dickinson really put the pressure the opponents.  At the offensive end there was a great mix of fast breaks (many of which were finished by Beth Cattle, scoring a game high 27pts).  The movement of the ball, and rotation of players in the new set play led to open shots by Michelle McMannus 10pts, Verity Postlethwaite 10pts and Jemma Tansey with 6pts.

The post players cut through the key to find the basket.  This led to Michelle Gilliver scoring 17pts together with, Sarah Gallagher 14pts, Viv Calderbank 2pts and Bryony Carrol who showed her old team what they missed out on by scoring 15pts, and took advantage of the rebounds at both ends of the court. The first half came to a close with the Raptors leading 60pts to 16. The second half started well as the ladies were on the hunt for their first 100pt game. At 5 minutes in and with another 14pts on the board, the Raptors lost their focus allowing the improving Turbine team to go on a 8 for 0 run, and then limiting the Raptors to a further 5pts for the rest of the quarter. Another 12pts in the first few minutes of the final quarter put Rossendale back in the frame for their target. 

Composure was lost under the self-imposed pressure of the illusive 100pt game. Forced shots and drives of old, began to find their way back into the Raptors game and the Turbines began to commit fouls in order to stop the Raptors. For the first time all game, the Raptors found it difficult to finish at the basket and the free throw line, with ten missed in the final quarter.  With a little over a minute left to play, and three points short, it was left to the final basket of the game to clinch a well-deserved, 101 to 34 victory. Congratulations for a great win in a game that was never really out of our control.