Wheelcats Settle for Silver in National League Final
The Be Active Perth Wheelcats have won silver in the 2012 National Wheelchair Basketball League this past weekend in Shellharbour.
Despite dropping their first game of the weekend to eventual winners the Wollongong Rollerhawks a double chance saw the Wheelcats given the opportunity to still qualify for the Championship game and a shot at the club’s seventh National title.
The Wheelcats dominated general play for the majority of their first semi final but a four minute lapse in concentration resulted in a 71-62 loss. Wheelcats veteran Robert Pike contributed 21 points, six assists and six rebounds in his best performance of the year but it wasn’t enough as the Wheelcats would go on to face Dandenong in a preliminary final.
With their sights still well and truly on Wollongong the Wheelcats were surprised by a much improved Dandenong, leading but just one point at the first break.
From there it was one way traffic at the Cats turned 12 points up at the half and extended it out to 20 by three quarter time. The final score; Wheelcats 77, Dandenong 54.
WAIS scholarship holder Shaun Norris was outstanding all game, adding 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win. Robbie Pike, Brant Garvey and WAIS athlete Adam Deans all hit double figures in the game to set up a rematch with the Rollerhawks.
The following day, in front of a capacity crowd of an estimated 500 people, the Wollongong Rollerhawks and Be Active Perth Wheelcats hit the court for the grand final replay.
The second was as tight as the first with the Rollerhawks looking like leading by six at the half before a Luke Pople bomb from just inside halfway at the buzzer gifted the Rollerhawks a nine point buffer at the half.
The Wheelcats continued to battle and got off more shots than the Rollerhawks but couldn’t get them to drop while the Rollerhawks offense continued to tick over. Wollongong’s Shawn Russell was dominated inside while teammate Brett Stibners continued to hurt the Wheelcats from outside.
In the end the Wheelcats just didn’t have any answers for the Russell-Stibners combination. Brett Stibners kept the score table busy finishing with a triple-double (29 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists). Team mate Shawn Russell had a double-double (27 points and 15 rebounds) while Perth Captain Shaun Norris added 25 points to go along with his 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Wheelcats captain Shaun Norris was awarded league’s mid-point MVP and a place in the all-star five alongside teammate Adam Deans.
– Wheelchair Sports WA