Ilkeston Outlaws 70
Hinckley & Bosworth Lady Hoops 53
Ilkeston entertained Hinckley and Bosworth Lady Hoops in the Midlands League, Midlands at Bilborough College on Saturday.
Both teams opened in man to man defence. Ilkeston introduced th
eir new “double stack” offence, brought in to encourage more to happen after the initial fast break fails.
It all worked beautifully in the first quarter as Ilkeston created a couple of good shots which they missed and Hinckley missed two free throws.
Then the fast break came together with Sophie May and Demi Drew converting two. Hinckley then made their first basket and both teams made one from two free throws, 5-3 to Ilkeston in the third minute.
May got on the end of another break and Emma Chambers scored two from the worked offence. The pattern became one of Ilkeston scoring a flurry of baskets, followed by one from Hinkley. Ilkeston ended the quarter well on top 29-9.
From the second quarter on Hinckley adopted a zone defence and this put the brakes on the Ilkeston scoring spree.
The Ilkeston girls are mostly under 14 with two 14 year olds. No zone defence is allowed in the U14 league or local junior league and their inexperience at attacking zones showed.
Opening the second quarter Ilkeston seemed lost and Hinckley pulled back seven points without reply.
It was basket for basket throughout the rest of the quarter as Ilkeston got some method in their offence and were still able to fast break successfully.
Hinkley won the quarter 18-12 but still trailed by 14 at half-time.
Ilkeston continued to break well but the offence against a set zone defence stuttered. Fortunately the fast break enabled them to pinch the third quarter 15-12 with May getting ten in the quarter.
The effort had drained Outlaws and their defence became less effective in the final ten minutes and the offence became a succession of hopeful but often forlorn long shots over the Hinckley zone.
Nevertheless they clung on and tied the quarter 14-14 to run out winners 70 – 53.
This Saturday they face Nottingham Wildcats at the Cavendish Sports Centre at midday.
Ilkeston main scorers: Sophie May 25, Charlotte Wright 17, Demi Drew 10, Emma Chambers 10.
The full article contains 389 words and appears in Ilkeston Advertiser newspaper.
