Sport
28 November, 2022
Lady Blazers still alive, men’s team misses out
There was drama aplenty in the final round of the Country Basketball League (CBL), with the Maryborough Lady Blazers making the finals, but it appears it is season over for the men. The Lady Blazers were able to book their spot in the finals thanks...

There was drama aplenty in the final round of the Country Basketball League (CBL), with the Maryborough Lady Blazers making the finals, but it appears it is season over for the men.
The Lady Blazers were able to book their spot in the finals thanks to a 73-44 victory over Swan Hill, which means that they will now face a rematch of their 2021/22 grand final a week early with the unbeaten Bendigo Braves.
Boasting a very young line-up, Swan Hill were able to remain competitive throughout the first half of their game against the Lady Blazers, with just nine points seperating them at the main change, as they led 30-21.
However, Maddy Egan inspired the Lady Blazers throughout the second half, taking control of the game with her force inside the paint to record a game-high 22 points, while the Lady Blazers will have been pleased to see five other players record over five points.
Keisha Tonzing scored 13 points, while playing-coach Claire Blower added 12. Claire Constable was a welcome return to the team, adding 11 points, while Charlotte Cain and Elisa Pica added six and five points respectively.
In a back-and-forth game, Maryborough were able to shoot clear in the last quarter to record a 90-75 victory.
Matt Johnston set the tone for the Blazers with four three-pointers in the opening quarter, setting the crowd in the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre delirious.
However, Swan Hill kept tabs throughout the first half, and it was just a nine-point game at the main break, with the Blazers leading 42-33.
The Blazers were able to increase their lead to a game-high 13 points early in the third quarter, but the Flyers were able to mount a charge by going on an 18-5 run to level the scores with just over a minute to go in the third quarter. However, inspired by Johnson, Kya Lanfranchi and Brady Neill, they would go on a quick 8-0 run to finish the quarter as 63-55 leaders.
That run proved crucial in the context of the game, with Maryborough then going on a 18-7 run to increase their lead to 19, before easing to a 90-75 victory.
Johnston’s shooting, which featured many threes being hit from significant distances, led to him top scoring with 22 points, while Bailey Jacobs was impressive, scoring 18 points. Darcy Bond contributed 14 points and Neill scored 12.
However, it appears that the men’s team has not qualified for finals, with the CBL using head-to-head records to seperate the Bendigo Braves and Blazers, who finished with identical 5-3 records, with the Braves’ 74-71 victory over the Blazers last week currently looming as the point of difference.
A further update on CBL finals details will be made during the week.
