The WABL season is well underway as we went into Round 2. It’s an exciting time of year when teams are coming together and starting to build chemistry as they settle into the regular season rhythm of having a game each week. The overall Wolves record for the day was 18-19.
The Under 12 Boys age group went 2-2 on the day. The Champs boys were up as much as 7 in the first half versus Willetton and were playing fantastic. They had a rough 3rd quarter and Willetton took the lead by 10 at the end of the period. The boys fought back in the 4th to make it a close game but ultimately fell short 77-70. Team 2 was in control all game long against Willetton’s 2s and ended up with a 42-30 win. Angus Mills had a big 12-point game, and Damon Veljacich added 9. Team 3 lost 79-43 to the Lakeside 2s. Josh King, Jack Dudley, and Noah Jochimsen led the way with scoring tied at 7. Finally, Team 4 went to Cockburn to play Cockburn’s 3s, and came away with a 56-41 victory. The team won all 4 quarters, but it was only a 4-point lead at halftime, but the boys pulled away a bit with a great 18-9 3rd quarter.
The Under 12 Girls age group went 1-3. The Champs team had a tough game against Willetton and drop to 1-1 on the season. Team 2 had an exciting, close game against Hills Raiders 1st team, but came just short in the end, 33-36. Azalea Keating led the team in scoring with 13 points. Team also 3 fell short against Lakeside’s 2s. The Wolves girls were up at first quarter time, but then a lid went over the basket for a scoreless second quarter. It ended up costing them momentum and the game slid away. Team 4 had a 32-24 victory over East Perth. Maddy Hazell and Kiara Keep led the team in scoring with 6 and 8 points respectively.
The Under 14 Boys went 2-2 on the day. The Champs boys were close the whole way but ended up 10 points short versus Warwick. Sandile Magaisa and Matteo Commisso led the team in scoring. Team 2 had a rough start versus Redback’s 1st team which cost them. They got down 27-10 at quarter time just adjusting to the size and speed. Once they settled into the game, they were even the rest of the way through the final 3 quarters. Team 3 was dominant straight from the jump, getting out to a 44-21 lead at halftime, and finishing the game 76-45. Zion Ochieng had a big day with 18 points, Liam Adeline had 13. Team 4 had an exciting win versus Perry Lakes. It was a tie game after quarter time, but the Wolves boys caught fire with a 15-6 4th quarter to win 52-43.
The Under 14 Girls went 2-2 also. The Champs played a terrific even first half against Warwick, but lost control of the rebounding battle a bit in the second half and the game slipped away. They continued to fight and kept the game competitive, but ultimately lost 45-59. Team 2 had a big 61-29 win over Warwick’s 2s. Ella Sherwin had a big 16-point game, and Kyona Nelson and Amelia Weaver were also both in double-figures. Team 3 got a 5-point win over Warwick also. Arya Grinceri and Eve Kallis were both double-digit scorers and led the way in that category. Team 4 had a close loss to Cockburn. It was a terrific game by the Wolves girls outside of the 3rd quarter. The 3rd quarter they went down 16-3. The rest of the game the Wolves won by 6.
The Under 16 boys went 3-1. The Champs boys lost a close one to Warwick. The Wolves had a dreadful 33-12 start and fought back hard the whole rest of the way, but fell just short 81-90. Team 2 had an exciting win versus Rockingham’s first team. Chase Peroomal, Harrison Connolly, and Hudson Dimond all had double-figures, while Kade Cavanagh led the way with 18. Team 3 won by 17 versus Warwick, 74-57. This can be chalked up to their dominant 29-12 third quarter as the boys went crazy coming out of halftime. Oli Toms had 17, and AK and AJ (Aiden Kiely and Aiden Jones) both had 13. Team 4 came up against Perry Lakes team 3, and also had a victory, 88-79. Marcus Bower had a big 25-point performance.
The Under 16 girls went 1-3. The Champs had a rough game and a loss against the Senators. Team 2 was playing East Perth’s first team and had a game full of excitement but ultimately lost 55-57. The Wolves went scoreless in the last minute-fifteen, and the Eagles scored the final 4 points of the game to go up two. Team 3 beat the Suns by a score of 48-32. It was a balanced scoring effort, but Asha Jennings and Andi Morris led the way with 10. This game was a matter of fast starts as the Wolves went up 19-3 at first quarter time, and the game held pretty much steady from there. Team 4 had a tough game and lost to the Eagles also 76-36. Lily Henderson had 14 points, while Kiiana Nelson-Graham and Sydney van der Westhuyzen chipped in 10 apiece.
The Under 18 Boys went 2-2. The Champs boys got down early and just couldn’t get momentum back, eventually falling 71-93 in a game where the team’s scoring was fairly balanced. Team 2 had an exciting but heartbreaking finish versus Mandurah’s first team. There were 4 players in double-figures, but Jeremiah Gatluak had 19 and led the team. The boys had a brilliant 3rd quarter to take the lead, but then had a couple late game plays go against them in the 4th for a 81-78 loss. Team 3 had a 99-89 win over Warwick Green on the back of a 28-12 4th quarter finish for the Wolves who came on strong in the final quarter. Angus Bacon had 20 points to lead scorers. Team 4 had a blowout win over Hills. Ethan Jongsma had a massive 36 points while William Parker partnered with him for another 33.
The Under 18 girls went 2-2 as well. The Champs girls played well defensively but had a tough game generating efficient offence, falling to Warwick 48-66. Team 2 beat Hills Raiders 59-37. They had balanced scoring and a steady, consistent victory, winning all 4 quarters and never leaving anything to doubt. Team 3 lost a very close one to East Perth 72-81. It was a well-played game, just a tough 2nd quarter, which the Wolves lost 28-11. Team 4 had an exciting game, and it was close all the way through. In the end they prevailed 43-40. Emily Vukman and Eva Thompson led the way with double-figure scoring.
The Under 21 Champs girls had a big win 105-59 and 6 players were in double-figures. The Under 20 Champs boys won 91-79 versus Warwick. 5 players were in double-figures in a balanced effort for them as well. The U20-Team 2 men were close all the way through but lost 80-83 to Hills Raiders. The Raiders hit 3 straight 3s down the stretch of the 4th quarter making it tough for the Wolves to get over the line. In Open Men and Women, the Women won big over East Perth, while the Men fell short in a close game.