Basketball: Amazons stop the All-stars shining

The Amazons had already secured the league series, having beaten the All-stars in every game before the final.

They started on the front foot and were rewarded quickly as Lara Whittaker streaked down the floor and nailed a three-pointer. She asserted her offensive domination and went on to score a team-high 15 points.

The key to the Amazons authority in the first quarter was the concerted effort of the starting five players to rebound.

Fiona Binnie, the team’s top rebounder, was outstanding in the first quarter. Bognor made five substitutions halfway through the first period and the new players maintained the intensity level.

The quarter ended with an impressive 23-4 lead.

The second quarter was similar – the Amazons exploited Holbrook’s lack of speed and continued to catch them on the break.

Amazons were guilty of some lazy defending but silly fouls did not convert into Holbrook points.

Zsofia Zitanyi scored an impressive six successive points to finish the quarter. The Amazons led Holbrook 43-15.

The third quarter saw an Amazons lull as the All-stars came out with renewed desire.

Holbrook put their five tallest players on the floor in an attempt to slow down Bognor’s rapid scoring. This decision paid off as the Amazons were disrupted by the increased defensive pressure.

The quarter was back and forth and finished 8-8, making it 51-23 with one quarter left.

Then it was the time to reassert the Amazons’ dominance. They looked to punish the All-stars and did so.

Smith, Gabb and Flynn began with a burst of unanswered scoring. Topped off with another three-pointer from L Whitaker (14), the Bognor side went on a 9-0 run.

Holbrook struggled to put points on the board and started unnecessarily fouling Amazon players.

The quarter ended 15-7, bringing the final score to 66-30, meaning the Amazons finished the season with an impressive win and the title of Sussex League champions.

Top scorers: L Whitaker 15pts; J Gabb 12; Z Vitanyi 8.