Big V Youth League Women Round 13 – Werribee Devils 64 v Warrandyte Venom 69, Saturday June 25th, 2016

Youth League Women (2^nd, 10-3) 64 lost to Warrandyte Venom (1^st, 12-2) 69

Werribee	14	14	15	21	64
Warrandyte	21	9	12	27	69

Natasha Currao 15 points, 5 rebounds

Charlotte Vincent-Lord 11 points, 3 rebounds

Eliza Herne 9 points, 7 rebounds

Alex Moss 9 points, 10 rebounds

Taylah Lea 6 points, 9 rebounds

Tegan Hindle 5 points, 6 rebounds

Rachel Miller 5 points

Teaghan Doyle 4 points, 5 rebounds

In Round 13 the Werribee Devils Youth League Women (2^nd, 10-3) hosted the Warrandyte Venom (1^st, 12-2) in a top-of-the-table clash at Eagle Stadium. Their previous encounter was in Round 4, and the Venom got up by two points, 58-56.

Both teams took a while to get going, and they traded baskets early on. Charlotte Vincent-Lord hit a couple of free throws early on and Taylah Lea scored the Devils first field goal three minutes into the match. Their next score was three minutes later courtesy of Alex Moss, but not before the Venom hit a couple of baskets themselves, to open an early lead. The Moss basket was answered by an Maddison Taylor three-pointer, then a free throw from Moss was followed by five points from Ellie Locke and Michaela Kuen, and the Venom found themselves with a double digit lead. Natasha Currao stepped up for the Devils with seven points in the last two minutes of the quarter and the Devils trailed by seven at the first break. Moss and Currao were the main contributors on the scoreboard for the Devils, while Teaghan Doyle (3) and Lea (5) helped out with the rebounding.

Moss started things off for the Devils in the second quarter, but the Venom put together five consecutive points to again take the lead to double digits. Vincent-Lord scored as she was fouled and made the bonus free throw, only to be answered by a couple of baskets from the visitors. In the last six minutes of the quarter the Devils began to gain some momentum, a 9-0 run getting them within two points at half time. Vincent-Lord and Moss scored four points for the Devils, while Currao, Doyle and Eliza Herne had two points each. The rebounding load was also shared, with Tegan Hindle (4), Moss (4) and Jenna Thomas (3) the main contributors.

Ellie Locke hit a three-pointer to kick-start the Venom, but from there the third quarter was a see-sawing contest. Every time the Devils would give themselves a chance to take the lead, the Venom managed to score in reply. When Herne hit a three-pointer and Hindle sank a couple of free throws inside the last two minutes, the game was tied up. Kuen responded for the Venom, followed by a basket from Rachel Miller. When Hindle nailed a trey with 0.21 left in the quarter, the Devils had the lead for the first time in the match and went to three-quarter time in a positive frame of mind.

As expected, the final quarter was hotly contested and both teams traded blows on the scoreboard early on. The Devils managed to maintain their narrow lead. The turning point came with 4.40 to go, when Taylor hit a three, giving the Venom back the lead. Locke and Izzy Feller added baskets over the next 90 seconds while the Devils remained scoreless. This gave the Venom a five point lead, which would eventually be the final margin. Lea, Moss (four points for the quarter), Herne (four points) and Currao (four points) all scored in the last three minutes and did their best to keep the Devils in the game, but Venom’s Izzy Feller was equal to the task, scoring eight points herself in that same period. In the end, once the Venom got the lead back in the final minutes, they did what they needed to in order to keep it and walk away with a five point win, 69-64.

In Round 14 the Devils (3^rd, 10-4) host the Coburg Giants (4^th, 8-6) on Sunday at 1.00pm. The last match between the two clubs was in Round 3 and the Devils triumphed in overtime, 77-71.

Werribee v Warrandyte - Box Score and Stats

Werribee v Warrandyte - LiveStats and Play-by-Play

Werribee v Warrandyte - Full Game on YouTube

Big V Youth League Men Round 13 – Werribee Devils 63 v Warrandyte Venom 76, Sunday June 26th, 2016

Youth League Men (3^rd, 11-5) 63 lost to Warrandyte Venom (5^th, 9-6) 76

Werribee	17	12	21	13	63
Warrandyte	16	15	26	19	76

Josh Tang 21 points, 5 rebounds

Josh Zamperoni 14 points, 8 rebounds

Mitch Alush 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals

Jesse Harberger 6 points, 9 rebounds

Kodi Opetaia 5 points, 7 rebounds

Bubby Luxford 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

In Round 13 the Werribee Devils Youth League Men (3rd, 11-5) travelled to take on the Warrandyte Venom (5th, 9-6).

The first quarter was a closely fought contest, and neither team led by more than three points. There were five lead changes and scores were tied six times. A Kodi Opetaia basket in the last minute put the Devils up by one point at quarter time. The Devils had a good spread of scorers: Josh Zamperoni, Opetaia, Jesse Harberger and Josh Tang all started with four points each. Mitch Alush had three rebounds and Bubby Luxford dished out a couple of assists.

Justin Ronan-Black kicked things off for the Venom in the second quarter but was immediately answered by Luxford. Alush then scored twice and Zamperoni hit a three as the Devils opened up an eight point lead at the halfway mark. The Venom then scored six unanswered points in thirty seconds before Tang replied for the Devils. There was no score from either team for the next two and a half minutes, before the Venom hit the last seven points of the quarter to take a two point lead into half time. Alush led the Devils with four points, supported by Tang and Zamperoni with three points each. The rebounding load was spread evenly, with Travis Dale, Luxford, Tang and the Harberger boys grabbing two each.

Alush and Tang struck first for the Devils in the second half, briefly retaining the lead, but were immediately answered by the Venom. Zamperoni then hit the Devils next four points as both teams went goal-for-goal but the Venom maintained a narrow lead. A pair of Alush free throws with four minutes remaining gave the Devils the lead again, but five unanswered Venom points gave them some breathing space. The home side’s lead got out to seven points before Opetaia and Alush got the Devils back within four points inside the final minute. A three-pointer from Venom’s Callum Langmaid restored their seven point lead at three-quarter time. Alush top-scored for the Devils with eight points and two rebounds, Tang contributed six points and two rebounds, while Zamperoni added four points and two rebounds. Opetaia also grabbed three rebounds and Luxford fired off a couple of assists.

Both teams were scoreless in the first two minutes before Luxford scored first for the Devils. It was the only Devils basket for three minutes as the Venom added six points to extend their lead to double figures. Tang hit a three-pointer halfway through the quarter, then the Devils didn’t score again until inside the final two minutes, while the Venom added another six unanswered points. Zamperoni landed a three-pointer and Tang added five points with a minute remaining, but the Venom were able to maintain their double digit lead and take away a 13-point win. Tang finished with eight points for the quarter, while Zamperoni scored three points and grabbed two rebounds. Jesse Harberger (four) and Opetaia (three) led the rebounding.

In Round 14 the Devils (3^rd, 11-6) host the Sunbury Jets (5^th, 9-6) on Saturday night (8.00pm). The last time they met was in Round 6 and the Devils took a 95-84 away win.

Werribee v Warrandyte - Box Score and Stats

Werribee v Warrandyte - LiveStats and Play-by-Play

Werribee v Warrandyte - Full Game on YouTube

Big V Division One Women Round 13 – Werribee Devils 54 v Chelsea Gulls 74, Saturday June 25th, 2016

Division One Women (10^th, 2-11) 54 lost to Chelsea Gulls (6^th, 7-6) 74

Werribee	7	13	16	18	54
Chelsea	14	14	26	20	74

Bex Van Kuyk 24 points, 16 rebounds

Jessica Slade 13 points, 13 rebounds

Doni Lewis 10 points, 3 assists

Jackie Silcock 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Nicole Greene 9 rebounds, 4 steals

In Round 13, the Werribee Devils Division One Women travelled to take on the Chelsea Gulls. The previous meeting between the two clubs was back in Round 7 and Chelsea won it 103-63.

The Gulls started better, jumping to a 10-0 lead after five minutes thanks to Billie Lucas who scored eight of the ten points. Bex Van Kuyk (five points, four rebounds) finally got the Devils on the board and was joined by Nicole Greene. The Gulls got their lead out to 11, before baskets to Van Kuyk and Greene pegged the margin back slightly and neither team scored in the final two minutes of the quarter. The Devils seven point first quarter total was their lowest for the season so far. Greene grabbed four rebounds, while Jessica Slade and Jackie Silcock had three each.

The second quarter was an even contest, with the margin hovering in single digits in favour of the Gulls. Jasmine Lovejoy started the Gulls off but was quickly answered by Jackie Silcock. Slade and Van Kuyk combined for four unanswered points which brought the Devils within five. The teams traded baskets for the rest of the quarter and the Gulls only managed to add one point to their quarter time lead. Devils coach Mahaela Jackson became ‘playing coach’ when she subbed in for her first run of the season with 3:21 left in the quarter. Slade led the Devils with seven points and four rebounds for the quarter, while Lewis and Jackie Silcock contributed two points each. Greene had three rebounds, while Van Kuyk had two assists and three rebounds.

The two teams went goal-for-goal in the early stages of the third term, with the Gulls Lucas trading blows with Van Kuyk and Lewis, but a 13-2 Gulls run through the middle stages of the quarter blew the margin out to 19 with 4.39 remaining. Slade and Van Kuyk did their best to stem the flow, but another eight unanswered points increased the Gulls lead late in the quarter. Van Kuyk scored the last four points of the quarter for the Devils, but they faced an 18-point deficit at the final break. Van Kuyk dominated for the Devils with 10 points and five rebounds, while Lewis and Slade each scored three. Jackson grabbed a couple of rebounds and Jackie Silcock gave away a couple of assists.

The Devils have struggled in fourth quarters in recent weeks, but to their credit they didn’t let this one get away. A Jodie Ferguson 3-pointer inside the first 20 seconds was answered by Slade and Lewis. Lewis scored again, and then four points from Olivia Luttrell were answered by Van Kuyk. Five points from Lucas put the margin back out past 20 but Van Kuyk, Slade and Jasmine Silcock replied again. A Lucas three-pointer in the final seconds resulted in a 20-point win to the home side, which from the Devils point of view was a huge improvement on their previous matchup. Van Kuyk finished with eight points and four rebounds for the quarter, joined by Lewis with five points and two rebounds. Slade had three points and five rebounds and Greene nabbed three steals.  

In Round 14 the Devils (10^th, 2-12) have a double header. On Saturday night they travel to take on Latrobe City Energy (6^th, 8-6) and on Sunday they’re back at home against Hawthorn Magic (9^th, 4-10) at 3.00pm. Their previous match against Latrobe was in Round 4 and it was the Devils first win for the season, 82-71. They last took on Hawthorn in Round 6, and lost 90-91 in a double overtime classic.

Werribee v Chelsea - Box Score and Stats

Werribee v Chelsea - LiveStats and Play-by-Play

Werribee v Chelsea - Full Game on YouTube