Ipswich roll into second half of the season with 9th win in 10

Ipswich Basketball Club’s Senior Women moved to 9-1 with an emphatic 90-54 win on the road to in-form Thames Valley Cavaliers.

Ipswich, who are adjusting to life without injured point guard Coco Leung, as well as the absence of key players such as Charlotte Redhead, Susannah Rafiu and Becky Harwood-Bellis, put together a ruthless first half performance that saw them enter in interval with an astonishing 48-19 advantage, with the team seemingly in unstoppable form.

It was their stifling defence that allowed Ipswich to get out in their customary running game, holding a team to under sixty points for the third straight game. As ever, it was Harriet Welham leading the offensive charge, as the 2020 league MVP helped herself to another twenty-nine points, while Esther Little had a record-breaking performance, collecting a career high twenty-eight rebounds to go with eleven points and eight assists. Ella Pearson looks to be thriving in the starting line-up, while Danni Cazey was again in fine form, collecting fourteen points. Cameron Taylor-Willis continued her fine post-Christmas form, putting up eighteen points to go with nine rebounds, while Ipswich also got another outstanding contribution off the bench from youngsters Alice Fallon and Hannah Gray, while more experience at senior level was offered to academy players Millie Pearson, Abbie Yorke and Makenna Williams.

Esther Little dominated defensively with 28 rebounds and 4 blocks (Photo: Pavel Kricka)

Ipswich will now take a well-earned rest from league play this weekend, while the rest of the league do battle. Ipswich will hold on to their top spot in the league table, despite not playing, and as the league enters the second half of the season, Ipswich will be able to enjoy a weekend of rest and relaxation while the chasing pack take games off each other.

“This was our best performance of the season so far, especially in the first half” Said Ipswich Coach Nick Drane. “We have had to adjust some things and the girls have bought into those changes, which makes my life as the coach so much easier. Defensively, I don’t think we have ever played better – and the bench have really stepped up and made the absence of so many key players, a much easier transition”.

Following this coming weekend’s break, Ipswich will host Cardiff Met Archers on the 13th March, as they look to record their tenth win of the season. With other teams taking games off each other, Ipswich couldn’t ask to be in a better position moving forward.