The Lancashire Spinners U16 Girls fell 41-38 to Sevenoaks Suns in the Development League semifinals on Sunday at Elton High School.
Steph Cornell led the Spinners with 15 points and Anya Badat and Antonia Fry each added eight.
Having advanced past Portsmouth in a convincing fashion, the Spinners U16 Girls faced the well-established Sevenoaks Suns, which had big game experience in playoff finals.
Sevenoaks took an early 10-2 lead as the Spinners struggled to adapt to an unfamiliar stage. But as the first quarter progressed the Bury U16 Girls relaxed and baskets from Cornell, Zara Paton and Antonia Fry cut the lead to 11-8 after one quarter.
The Spinners’ full-court pressure proved more effective of the two teams in the second quarter and following a Steph Cornell 3-pointer, the hosts added three quick baskets off turnovers to hold a slender 18-17 lead at halftime.
High quality defence by both the Spinners and the Suns forced the other to play deep into the shot clock in order to create an opportunity to attack the basket with scoring coming at a premium.
The third quarter was a continuation of the first half as each team probed for scoring opportunities whilst the coaches schemed hard to find the right plays.
Sevenoaks pushed in front 27-21 early in the quarter due to the Spinners inability to find the basket ahead but a 6-0 run, highlighted by baskets from Anya Badat and Antonia Fry, tied the game.
The Spinners grabbed a 30-27 lead two minutes into the fourth quarter only for Sevenoaks to even the score following a 3-point play moments later.
Running the same narrative, the Spinners held an advantage on three occasions with less than five minutes remaining and on each the Suns had a response.
Kiara McKeveley’s 3-pointer put Lancashire ahead 38-35 with two and a half minutes left but Sevenoaks managed to dry up Spinners offence. And a 6-0 run to end the game lifted the Suns into the finals.
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