Open Girls Basketball
Open Girls Basketball NSW State Finals
The Open Girls Basketball Team recently travelled to Sydney to compete in the NSW State Finals, proudly representing our school against some of the strongest basketball programs in the state.
The girls began their campaign in impressive fashion with a dominant 48–29 victory over Northern Beaches Secondary College – Freshwater Senior Campus. From the opening tip-off, the team displayed outstanding teamwork, defensive pressure, and determination, setting the tone for a successful tournament.
In Round 2, the girls faced the highly regarded Westfields Sports High School. Despite a courageous effort and never giving up throughout the contest, Westfields proved too strong on the day, defeating our team 59–30. The girls should be commended for their resilience and positive attitude against one of the state's premier sporting schools.
Between games, the team enjoyed an unexpected highlight when they met NRL premiership-winning player Liam Martin, a proud Riverina local. The opportunity to chat with a professional athlete and fellow country representative was a memorable experience for all involved.
The next match saw the girls take on Denison College – Bathurst Campus, with a place in the medal rounds on the line. After an emotional and physically demanding start to the tournament, the team struggled to find the rhythm and intensity that had characterised their earlier performances. Despite their best efforts, Bathurst capitalised on their opportunities and secured the win. While the result was disappointing, the girls demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and used the experience as motivation heading into their final match.
The tournament concluded with a thrilling playoff match against Bomaderry High School to determine 5th and 6th place in the state. In what was an intense and physical contest, both teams battled hard from start to finish. With the scores close throughout and both teams dealing with foul trouble, the game came down to the final seconds.
With just 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock, Sarah stepped to the free-throw line after being fouled. Calm under pressure, she converted one of her two shots to give our team a two-point lead. The girls then produced one final defensive stand to secure a dramatic 59–57 victory.
To finish 5th in NSW is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the commitment, dedication, and teamwork shown by every member of the squad throughout the season. Every player contributed throughout the tournament, whether through scoring, defence, rebounding, leadership, encouragement from the bench, or supporting teammates in crucial moments.
The girls represented our school with pride both on and off the court and should be extremely proud of their efforts.
Congratulations to all players on a fantastic tournament.
Mrs Beth Chappell
Open Girls Basketball Coach