City of Sheffield Hatters missed put on the domestic treble as they were beaten by UWIC Archers in the play off final

Sunday 25 April 2010.

Women’s National League Play Off Final, Amaechi Centre, Manchester.

City of Sheffield Hatters 52 UWIC Archers 56

City of Sheffield Hatters fell at the final hurdle on Sunday, falling to just their second defeat of the season to rival UWIC Archers in the women’s play-off final.

Hatters started the day looking to complete the domestic treble by adding the play off trophy to the League and cup double which they had already been secured.

After a low scoring first few minutes, Hatters raced into the lead, forcing UWIC into an early time out. This did little to halt Hatters charge and by the end of the first quarter, the League champions had a 15-7 lead.

Back came UWIC to level the game t 16-all, within the first 4 minutes of the period. The Welsh sides surge, forced Hatters coach Vanessa Ellis to call a time out to settle her team. Shortly afterwards, Hatters faced another setback as Shanna Oaddams committed her 3^rd foul of the half and was taken out of the game by coach Ellis.

The two sides then continued to trade baskets with Hatters edging out to a six point lead with a minute to go in the half. UWIC came back with a Kate Butters three pointer, but it was the South Yorkshire side who took a three point lead into the locker rooms, leading 24-21 at half time.

The second half started with the two sides cancelling each other out, each adding just 2 points in the opening two minutes of the second half. Hatters then took control of the game and, after a Helen Naylor three pointer and two from Lisa Hutchinson, UWIC coach Damian Jennings called another time out. The move did little to stop Hatters and with three minutes of the quarter remaining, they had increased the lead to 40-30.

Back came the Welsh side once more, scoring the next eight points to reduce the deficit to 40-38 with 45 seconds left in the quarter. Hatters steadied themselves once more and by the end of the quarter had stretched the lead to 5, going into the final quarter 43-38.

Hatters opened up the lead to 7 points at the beginning of the fourth before the Welsh side rallied again. With the two sides trading baskets, Hatters led 48-44 at the mid-point of the final quarter. Back came UWIC once more and levelled the scores with just three minutes remaining before Lisa Hutchinson restored Hatters lead.

The Welsh side were not to be denied and staged a late fight back to storm into the lead for the first time with just 67 seconds remaining. That was to prove decisive, with UWIC increasing the lead to 6 points before Shanna Oaddams scored what would prove to be the last points of the game with 5 seconds left. With the clock running down, Hatters were unable to add further points and UWIC closed out the game to win 52-56.

UWIC’s Stef Collins was named MVP with 17 points and 8 rebounds, with Shanna Oaddams leading Hatters with 12 points.

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24 hours earlier, Ros Mason with 23 points, had led the Hatters to the final after a thrilling 62-59 semi final victory over Barking Abbey.

Hatters lead from late in the first quarter and with just over four minutes remaining in the third, Vanessa Ellis’s side had stretched the lead to 14 points.

Back came Barking and with 8 minutes left they had levelled the scoring to set up the thrilling finale. Up stepped Mason to score Hatters next six points to secure her side a place in the final by the narrowest of margins.