It's grand final week for the Ararat Basketball Association with seven grades playing off for top spot in the winter competition plus a curtain-raiser game for our Little Redbacks showing off the skills they have acquired over the last six month through attending the Little Redbacks program.
Girls' The grand final was a fairly one sided affair with Jazz never pushed from the centre jump and eventually winning 30 to Knicks 10 points. Tops scorer for Knicks was Marley Bourizk with four points and for Jazz, Sabaya Woods with 15 Points. MVP was named as Mia Robb.
Under 12 Top placed Kings played off against third placed Wizards. Kings were missing the agile defensive player Stella McAdie due to a broken arm but the scoring power of MVP Nate Dadswell was just too strong for Wizards in the end, going down by 15 points.
Under 14 Second placed Pelicans finally broke the drought and over ran top placed Grizzles in a tight contest with Pelicans' Jed Rhodes awarded MVP.
Under 16 A depleted Lakers team kept pushing right to the end, coming very close to taking the lead in the last half, albeit just four players due to Aaron Chaplin being in early foul trouble and Lachie Cranston's 14 point haul. But Pistons' tall timber Alec Carthew (who was named MVP for the match) finishing with 33 points kept Lakers at bay and they ran out winners by 13 points.
Under 18 Aztecs 56 defeated Mowhawks 29. Jezza Woods' accurate shooting from the floor, with 35 points, saw him take out match MVP.
B Grade The Crooks' Ben Robertson topped off his team's win with an MVP award voted by the umpires. The eight point difference was an indication of how tight this game had been at times but the Heat couldn't turn up the temperature and in the end lost 35 -27. It was not all bad news for the Heat with Aiden Marr taking out top goal scorers for the season with 360 points.
A Grade: The tables looked like turning with first-placed favourites Bulls having to fight hard against the old guard of third placed Honey Badgers. Michael Harricks was hot from the floor, not only taking out A grade's top goal scorer with 254 points for the season but also walking away with the MVP securing his team's victory over Honey Badgers by six points.
With the end of our domestic season for 2019 ABA are about to enter the representative squad season, with Ararat Redbacks heading to both Bendigo and Portland over the summer break. We wish them every success.
Don't forget to register for our 2020 Summer season at www.araratbasketball.com. Registrations must be received by 24 January. No late entries will be accepted as the season starts on 4 February. The Ararat Basketball Association thanks all the players, coaches, umpires, scorers and parents who make our competition a success. Have a safe Christmas break and see you in 2020.
RESULTS
Girls Jazz 30 defeated Knicks 10; Under 12 Kings 29 defeated Wizards 14; Under 14 Pelicans 42 defeated Grizzlies 37; Under 16 Pistons 53 defeated Lakers 40; Under 18 Aztecs 56 defeated Mohawks 29; Senior B Grade The Crooks 35 defeated The Heat 27; Senior A Grade Bulls 51 defeated Honey Badgers 45
