BASKETBALL
NBL/WNBL
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
TRARALGON’S Jack White and Melbourne United secured a top two finish on the ladder by the end of the home-and-away season, winning six of their last seven NBL games.
United defeated cross town rivals South East Melbourne Phoenix 103 to 93, however White missed the game with a back injury.
Prior to that, in their second Grand Final rematch of the season, United claimed victory over Tasmania Jackjumpers 94-92 at John Cain Arena.
Coming back from double digits in the fourth quarter, White was kept quiet, fouling out in 15 minutes and adding just five points and three rebounds.
Melbourne United are gifted a rest in the first week of finals, and will come back to play the winner of Perth Wildcats and Phoenix.
TURNING their WNBL season around from a disastrous start, Traralgon’s Jade Melbourne and UC Capitals have climbed back into the race for finals.
In the third instalment of the season, the Capitals got the better of Geelong United for the third time, 91-77, despite the game being at Geelong Arena.
What has turned into a Latrobe Valley showdown, Geelong United player and Moe’s Jaz Shelley was absent for the first time in her debut WNBL season.
Melbourne finished with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win.
Before that, the Capitals suffered successive losses to Sydney Flames, firstly in overtime at AIS Arena 92-88 and then easily 86-71.
Melbourne had a season-high 28 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the narrow loss while sitting comfortably at the top of the league for scoring.
Melbourne had four points, six rebounds and three assists in the next game.
Geelong United suffered two more losses against Bendigo Spirit at home, 81-60, and Perth Lynx, 95-77.
Shelley finished with 11 points and two rebounds in the first matchup, and then 25 points, six assists and three rebounds.
