The UEL Women’s second Basketball team are still without a win in the early season as they lost 44-57 to LSE University at SportsDock.
In their opening fixture, on the 9th of October, the home team lost to Westminster Women’s first team by 39 points, 69-30, so the team looked to improve on that result.
Slow Off The Blocks
Both teams started off the game slow offensively, with several shots being missed and many players trying to find their rhythm in the game. After LSE forward Kerry McPhee scored eight straight points, the first points of the game for UEL were from Lauren Bolger, who banked in a three-pointer in the corner after a quick timeout.
LSE were imposing their will in the first quarter with their size; out-rebounding the home team after most missed shots and making easy layups, as they led by eight. Latoya Raphael of UEL made some big plays towards the end of the quarter, as she had a steal and chasedown block on LSE guard Jiheng Xu, as the away team led 15-5 after the first quarter.
Entering the second quarter, LSE continued to play with the same intensity that they had showed earlier, with McPhee scoring off post-ups and layups as the lead had risen to 15. UEL had some noticeable plays in the second quarter, as off a defensive stop, Amanie Emmanuel found Wendy Wabende in transition for a layup.
UEL trailed LSE by 18 at halftime, losing 28-10.
Encouraging Signs
The third quarter was where the home team would really start to show some life, as they scored 18 points, more in this period than they did in the entire opening half. It started with Emmanuel and Sinead Prince both making mid-range jumpers for a quick 4-0 run which led to a timeout from LSE.
Off the bench, Bolger made a heavily contested three-pointer and the lead was cut to nine. However, right before the end of the quarter, star player McPhee would make a three of her own to put the lead back up to 12, as LSE led 28-40 heading into the fourth quarter.
The shot made at the end of the quarter from the away team was a backbreaker for the home team it seemed, as nine points would be the closest that UEL would get to a comeback, with LSE center Lea Barry using her size to overpower her match-up for easy layups.
After the game, Emmanuel of UEL gave her thoughts on the match and how the team has been playing so far this season, saying ‘the team didn’t have that many training sessions so for them to play like that, was pretty encouraging’.
UEL’s next game is on the 13th of November against the UAL 1st team, as they look to get their first win of the season.
Starters
UEL: Tiarna Bailey-Hibbert, Amanie Emmanuel, Latoya Raphael, Saffia Omar, Sinead Prince.
LSE: Kerry McPhee, Iga Trocka, Lea Barry, Jiheng Xu, Unnati Singh.
