KESTRELS COME UP SHORT AGAINST CAVS IN FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
The Kestrels lose out to the London Cavaliers 61-50 after a low scoring first half performance, meaning they miss out on the NBL Division Two Pool B title. Faith McDowall Dodd continued her fine form with another double-digit points haul, scoring 14 points across the afternoon.
To open the game, the Kestrels established themselves as a well-coached unit, finding offensive rhythm in their half court sets and efficient ball movement, but it was the Kestrels pace in transition that created the first bucket as Bentley broke away and finished between three Cavalier players. However, Boo Morrissey instantly responded down the other end with a three, showing why the Cavaliers offence would be a threat through all 40 minutes of basketball. The Kestrels looked the more comfortable in the opening few minutes, building a strong lead at 11-3 with simple buckets from close range. Boo Morrissey closed out the first quarter with a confident three-point shot that went down after two scoreless minutes for both teams and cutting the Kestrels’ lead to five.
The Cavaliers continued their impressive run at the beginning of the second, Emma Bush hitting a three just 10 seconds into the possession, right in front of the Cavalier bench. Zuri Mullings followed that up with another fast break bucket, this time a layup that levelled the scoring, added to by Morrissey and Taziveyi Dangarembga to complete a 10-0 Cavaliers run. Eddi Morrissey, not to be mistaken with her sister Boo, entered the box score with an experienced move, getting Anna Idiata Mendez to overcommit with her outstretched arms, sending Morrissey to the line to shoot two.
Aimee Nwabisi, who was playing as the priority point guard in the half court, pulled up with strong self-belief and lacing the right wing shot from downtown. The Morrisseys continued to cause issues going into the half, getting successful trips to line and propelling the away side to 29-21.
Despite being down on the scoreboard, the Kestrels came out in the second half with the impressive ball movement that was on show at the start of the game, but the ball seemed to not find its way into the basket. That being said, McDowall Dodd began to find her way into the game with a three in the corner and then netting two from two at the free throw line 30 seconds later.
Eddi Morrissey, however, had something to say about the Kestrels trying to find their way back into the game. With tempers flaring after a coming together on the floor between Nwabisi and Boo Morrissey, Eddi Morrissey stringed together numerous buckets – a comfortable mid-range jumper and then a top-of-the-key three to make it 42-31 with a minute left in the third.
After the break in play between quarters and a talk from coach Kiely Reed full of enthusiasm and intent, her players showed the same intent in the opening possession as McDowall Dodd knocked down a three in the face of the defender. From then on, for every Cavaliers’ bucket, the Kestrels fired one back, with potentially one or two more to bridge the gap. This was a team performance, each player adding to the team total, Andrea Kurkowski, Earleesha Jackson, Nwabisi and a Sophia Miell three to close the Kestrels to just five behind, at 54-49. When Ruth Bentley was fouled underneath the basket, that five-point margin was reduced to four and the energy inside the Solent Sports Complex began to build.
However, that would be the last Kestrels bucket of the game, Dangarembga and Mullings shared 11 points in the final minute and a half to end the scoring at 61-50, despite the late fight from the Kestrels.
Top Performers:
Faith McDowall Dodd – 14 points
Andrea Kurkowski – 7 points
Aimee Nwabisi – 7 points
A strong road win for the London Cavaliers puts them on 13 wins for the season, just one win and one place behind the Solent Kestrels, the teams currently sat 3rd and 4th in the league after wins elsewhere for Barking Abbey and the East London Pheonix. The Kestrels are guaranteed playoff seeding but it is yet to be confirmed their final positioning, as the London Cavaliers play host to the Cardiff Met Archers next weekend.
The Kestrels have now completed a very successful regular season, with an impressive turn of the year, beating league leaders Barking Abbey and going unbeaten from the 4th of January to the 7th of March. All the players can be incredibly proud of their performances across the regular season, now onto the playoffs.
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