Men’s Norwood Flames vs Woodville Warriors
The Norwood Flames (2-5) have struggled to gel early this season but are looking to get some wins going this season against the Woodville Warriors (3-3). The Warriors are a team that has been competitive in every game so far this season, a good test for the Flames who need to prove that they are in the top half of the Central division.
The game began with a near-instant triple by Cooper Osborne, sparking a 7-0 run to open the game. The Warriors tried to answer scoring 4 quick points but a combined effort from the Flames offence, highlighted by two threes by Riley Harrap kept the Warriors at bay. Both teams were hot from three, being able to answer each other almost every time the opposition drained a triple. But the Flames were rolling offensively, being able to outscore the Woodville and breaking away to a big early lead, going into quarter time up 19-32.
The second saw the Warriors find their offensive momentum, scoring 8 straight and forcing the timeout from Tim Odell. This timeout was unable to halt the Warriors’ offensive barrage, but it was able to get the Flames scoring again. Both teams finding their offence led to an entertaining quarter full of tough shots, big threes and flashy plays. Conversely to the first, the Warriors were able to gain the edge, clawing themselves back into the game on the back of an insane offensive quarter, the half ending Norwood still up 52-55.
The halftime talk from both coaches must have emphasised defence as both teams’ intensity on that end of the court elevated. Jack Hemphill was eventually able to start the scoring in the half, this opened up both teams as they attacked the rim with purpose, finishing through traffic. Norwood was able to answer every single bucket from the Warriors, holding them off. Jack Hemphill and Riley Harrap were offensive standouts this quarter, doing their best to keep the Warriors defence on their backfoot. The Warriors tied the game and got the lead late into the quarter before Riley Harrap hit a 3 to put the Flames back up, ending the quarter 70-72.
The final quarter saw another step up on the defensive end, as neither team wanted to lose this game. Eventually, a combination of Alex Dodson and Jack Hemphill brought the Flames to life, fighting to extend the lead, and trying their best to secure the win for Norwood. Woodville battled to regain the lead but were unable to go on any prolonged runs. The Flames did a good job controlling the final quarter, dictating the pace and holding their composure. This control enabled the Flames to end the game with a 10-point win, 86-96.
