News Update - 2005

Basketball - Academy Women Secure SESSA League Title

SESSA Women's Premier League

Winchester University College 28 v 85 HCCA Senior Women

SEEVIC (Essex) 54 v 69 HCCA Senior Women

The Community College's Senior Women's Basketball team secured its 3rd successive SESSA Premier League title with two victories this week to end another highly successful season on a high note.

Last Friday, HCCA travelled to Winchester and overcame University College by 57pts in front of the largest and noisiest crowd of the season. The Academy were never in trouble and opened up a massive 18pt lead in the first period as Bobbi Thompson took control with 9pts as Achai Biong dominated the boards. In an increasingly one-sided affair, all HCCA players contributed to the scoring lead by Biong (22) and Thompson (20) with Fiona Scarlett (14) and Ellenor McGhie (17) also in dominant form as The Academy ran out 85-28 winners.

Last Monday, HCCA took on South East Essex 6th Form Centre (SEEVIC) in what was effectively a cup final to decide the SESSA Premier League. This was always likely to be the Seniors toughest encounter of the year, with SEEVIC including 3 Southend Swifts National league players in their line up. The Colleges had met in the BCS Eastern Regional Championships semi-final earlier in the year where HCCA U-19's came from behind and squeaked a 1pt win.

The first period proved tight with The Academy running into foul trouble as Fiona Scarlett and Ellenor McGhie each picked up 3 fouls and had to be withdrawn. However, HCCA started to control the boards through Achai Biong and Carlene Harris. SEEVIC were reduced to perimeter shooting and looked to employ a motion offence to stretch the HCCA zone. This worked as Walkling, Edwards and Matthews drained treys, whilst point Andrews exploited over zealous refereeing to drive into the gaps and draw fouls. But with a minute remaining and the scores tied at 15, The Academy went on a 5 point rip started by Tara Ismail, and completed by the excellent Biong who hit her 11th pt of the period.

The second quarter was all HCCA. Tanine Nicholas was introduced to add extra pace and exploit obvious tiredness in the SEEVIC players. Jade Harris, Thompson and Ismail opened the margin to 11pts only stopped by another 3 pointer from Walkling. Biong, Carlene Harris and Thompson then ran riot with a 12 point run combined with some great Academy defence to shut SEEVIC out for the final 6 mins of the quarter to take a 37-20 advantage into the break.

The second half proved a more even affair as Coach Tony Garbelotto ran the bench and experimented with some set plays. The 3rd period ended with The Academy extending the lead to 18pts with McGhie (hitting her 2nd trey of the match), Scarlett and Biong draining all HCCA's 18pts. The final quarter saw Ellenor McGhie and Fiona Scarlett fouled out, and Carlene Harris dominating inside to score 8pts. Fittingly, Achai Biong hit the final points in her last competitive match for The Academy to secure a 69-54 victory. Centre Biong scored a match-high 29pts with forward Carlene Harris picking up 14. As usual, Jade Harris controlled the play, whilst Tanine Nicholas, Bobbi Thompson and Fiona Scarlett contributed some great defence against skillful and quick opposition. Ellenor McGhie (also in her final match) was less influential than usual due to picking up 3 fouls in the first quarter, but still manged to demoralise SEEVIC with her outside shooting and forceful presence whenever on court. For SEEVIC, Walkling hit 24pts supported by 15 from Kelly Matthews.

As in 2003, The Academy won the SESSA League winning all 12 fixtures, with only SEEVIC getting within 20pts. This completes a great season in which HCCA Women won both the SESSA Cup and League, the U-19's won the Eastern England Colleges Title, reached the semi-finals of the ESBBA National Academies Cup and secured a creditable 4th place in the National Colleges Championships. With the bulk of the squad still in their first year at the Community College, the foundations have been laid for an even more successful 2006 season.

HCCA Women v Winchester and SEEVIC: Achai Biong, Ellenor McGhie, Tara Ismail, Tanine Nicholas, Jade Harris, Bobbi Thompson, Carlene Harris, Fiona Scarlett, Charly Spencer, Ndaye Manga.

For further information, contact Chris Morris via this e-mail address or call him on 07786-485223.

Chris Morris - Sports Academy Coordinator

The Community College Shoreditch

17/5/05

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