BSBL women’s: Tornadoes Red move to top of the ladder with 37-point win over Bulls Gold

The headline game in Friday night’s Bunbury Senior Basketball League women’s A-grade action at South West Sports Centre saw Tornadoes Red move to the top of the ladder with a dominant 37-point win over Bulls Gold.

In a clash where the winner was guaranteed first position, Red showcased their championship credentials by never letting their opponents into the contest, shining on both the offensive and defensive ends in an 89-52 victory.

Red now sit one win ahead of reigning premiers and Tornadoes compatriots Tornadoes Black in first, with both teams having played nine games for the season — one fewer than their rivals.

Despite coming into the contest at a numerical disadvantage with only six players available, Red made a fast start, taking an 11-point lead into quarter-time after a 10-2 run to close out the term.

They grew their lead to 16 points at the main break and 20 at the final interval before piling more pain in the last quarter, ensuring there was to be no late comeback by stacking on another 25 points.

The competition’s leading scorer Grace Adams continued a standout season on the night with another 27 points, while Isabella Andrew (22 points) and Jasmine Barrett (21) ensured their scoring attack had good balance.

Despite the loss, South West Slammers trio Courtney Bayliss (16 points), Skye Palmer (15) and Mia Anderson (12) gave their all for Gold.

* Aces Sky were too good for Conquerors in the other fixture, winning by 48 points.

The 88-40 result keeps fourth-placed Sky in touch with the competition’s top sides, with the winners sitting one win behind Black and Gold and two victories adrift of Red, while Conquerors remain without a win for the season.

Sky took a 21-point lead into the final break and blew out the margin further with a dominant final term where they scored 31 points and restricted their opponents to just four, closing out the contest with a run of 22 unanswered points.

Conquerors’ Shontai Farrant led all scorers in the defeat with 24 points, while five of Sky’s players finished with double-digit point tallies, led by Isabella Wilmot with 21.