After a tough loss from the men’s and women’s side to University of Sydney (USYD) on 14 March, see whether the Carnabys could make a turnaround in their second game of the UBL season against University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
Women’s
The Carnabys women’s team faced off against the University of Technology Sydney, a semi-finalist in the women’s division for 2022. Despite a strong presence across the court, and determination which picked up in the second half, the Carnabys missed the win by a mere 5 points.
While the Carnabys were leading 21 – 13 by the end of Q1, UTS had rallied on the offense and were up 33 – 27 at half-time.
The score was back and forth for much of the second half, showing it could have been anyone’s game. The teams even met in a 41-all draw before UTS finished the 3rd quarter in the lead 47 – 41.
A key scorer during the game was 19-year-old Ella Thornton-Elliot (#20), whose ability to follow through across the court and reliably execute free throws made her a stand-out player.
Five-foot-seven guard, Sarah Allen (#24), showcased her technique with a masterful 3-pointer with less than five minutes to spare, taking the score to 57 – 47 in favour of UTS.
The last few minutes were nothing short of a gripping segment, as the teams were battling it out to get in as many baskets as possible. The Carnabys kept persevering to ultimately score a final five points, but unfortunately couldn’t secure the win. The final score was 57 – 52 (UTS).
Despite the loss, the women’s team certainly showed strong potential and talent and we look forward to seeing their growth over the season.
Men’s
Following a tough loss to USYD on 14 March, the Carnabys men played against the UTS men’s team who was last year’s runner-up in the division.
The first quarter of the game was a neck-and-neck competition between the west and east sides as they each maintained a good pace and held a draw for much of the first 10 minutes.
By the end of Q1, there was a six-point margin with UTS in the lead before Point Guard Tim Hollick (#7) scored the Carnabys’ first 3-pointer of the game early in the second quarter.
The Carnabys slightly dropped off in Q2 as they forced some shots from the outside which were made more difficult by UTS’ defence. Nevertheless, 7-foot Kane Waters (#25), software engineering student Tobey Martin (#11), and “scoring machine” Dyson Lowe (#31) all executed some smooth jump shots to keep the Carnabys afloat in the middle quarters.
Lowe certainly proved he’s a force to be reckoned with after some impressive layups, crafty passes, and court speed during the game.
By the third quarter, the Carnabys tightened up their plays with strong defence energy by the likes of Husam Roamer (#9). Waters continued to score baskets which took the Carnabys to the lead.
Unfortunately for the Carnabys, their lead was short-lived as the final quarter was UTS’ highest-scoring period of the entire game. The final score was 62 – 48.
Despite the loss, the Carnabys men’s team played fiercely, and each displayed their unique strengths which will be advantageous for future games this season.
