The Ipswich Senior Women moved to 3-0 in 2019, and 6-5 on the season with a comfortable 74-55 win against the Sevenoaks Suns. Coming into the game off the back of two big wins against Solent and Bristol to start the year, Ipswich were in a confident mood.
Sevenoaks started the better of the two teams, opening up a 6-0 lead to start the game – but once Ipswich found their feet, the game looked to be a comfortable one for the Suffolk side.
Without playing their best basketball of the season, Ipswich slowly built a lead through the first two quarters. Harriet Welham connected on three triples in the first half of the game while Danni Cazey was in fine form, getting scores in transition as well as the half court. Elsewhere, Becky Harwood-Bellis again showed what a fantastic addition she is to the team with her customary spork off the bench while Esther Little and Cameron Taylor-Willis dominated the backboards for Ipswich. The second quarter ended on a spectacular note with Cazey’s step-back three on the buzzer giving the hosts a strong nine point advantage going into the interval. 37-28.
The third quarter started with and Ipswich blitz, and the home side opened things up with a 12-0 run. Cazey, Little and Welham caused havoc with their defence while Charlotte Redhead connected on two long range efforts as Ipswich extended their lead to well over two. Ella Pearson and Amy Linton came off the bench to make key plays as Ipswich continued to stamp their authority on the game, again expanding their lead, winning the period 25-8, taking a 26 point advantage into the game’s final stanza.
The fourth quarter was something of a formality for both teams. Ipswich Coach Nick Drane was able to take Welham out of the game with seven minutes to play and rest the league’s leading scorer while youngsters Pearson, Taylor-Willis and Redhead continued to maintain the Ipswich advantage as the Suffolk side cruised to a comfortable 74-55 win. Welham finished with a game high 20 while Cameron Taylor-Willis contributed a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Esther Little collected a massive eighteen rebounds in the win.
“I thought we did what we needed to do to get the win today” said Ipswich Head Coach Nick Drane. “We’ve played two outstanding games to start the year, but last week’s break didn’t do us any favours in terms of momentum – so after a sluggish start, to beat a good team like Sevenoaks is great. Our focus now shifts to next Saturday, Reading won’t be an easy game by any means”.
Ipswich go into next weekend’s home double-header with Reading Rockets and Barking Abbey in the knowledge that two wins could put them in a good position with the battle for playoff seedings heating up.
Top scorers:
Welham 20, Cazey 13 and Harwood-Bellis 12.