WITH the score at 49-39 in their favour and with just eight minutes to go Bathurst Goldminers were in the box seat during their Women’s State League clash against hosts Shoalhaven Tigers on Saturday.
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However, the visitors ran out of both players and momentum in the closing stages, going down 60-57 in their second game of the season.
Goldminers were up 57-55 inside the final 10 seconds but a controversial missed Bathurst basket allowed the Tigers to go up the other end of the court and take the game away from the visitors.
With just seven Bathurst players able to make the trip Goldminers co-coach Paul Masters was proud of his squad’s efforts.
“The game just changed from that point [with Bathurst up by 10 points]. We began fouling them more and found ourselves in foul trouble. They hit some clutch baskets in front of a vocal home crowd and they just stood up,” he said.
“Everyone there for us put in a really big effort. Hopefully though that will be our last game with just seven players.”
Goldminers went into the half-time break down 23-21 but thanks to a third quarter resurgence went into the final term up 44-39.
Sadly for Bathurst they couldn’t keep the Tigers at bay.
Bathurst’s Jess Mathews and Claire Woolmington were both fouled out of the contest.
Top scorers for the visitors were Sophie Kleeman (17), Rachel Murray (13) and Woolmington (10). Kate Bellamy (17) led the way for the hosts and sunk the crucial final five points for the Tigers.
