Southend Swifts U16 girls 81

Stockport Lapwings 46

SOUTHEND Swifts have made early progress towards basketball’s biggest youth event - the Final Fours in Sheffield.

Basketball has now reached its first round play-off stage where the cross-conference competition is hotting up.

Swifts under 16 girls made progress towards the Final Fours – but still have two rounds to go before they reach the big time.

Southend took on and beat Stockport Lapwings of the Northern Conference at the weekend. Swifts’ Daisy Herd and Charlotte Bennett scored from close range and a three-pointer from Megan Jones made it 7-4. Lapwings replied but Southend had the next 12, culminating with an Emma Pallett three and it was 19-6 after six minutes. The Essex side were determined to settle the tie early and two further long-range efforts from Jones and six points from Bennett made it 36-14 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter there were scores from Clare Gold, Zoe Willis and at half time it was 53-27. By the end of the third quarter Swifts pack had pushed the score to 69-35.

Stockport continued to work hard but in the end Swifts margin of victory was 81-46. The leading scorers were Bennett (with 17 points) Jones (16) and Gold (14).

This weekend sees the three Swifts girls teams in national quarter final action. On Saturday the under-14s defend their seasons unbeaten record with a home tie against Nottingham Wildcats. In the afternoon, the under 18s take on reigning national champions Hertfordshire Warriors. And on Sunday the under 16s look to get to the Final Fours with a home game against Hounslow Hawks (1pm tip-off).

 

Worthing Thunder 107

Southend Swifts 74

IN the National League under-14 boys first round play-offs Swifts U14 Boys travelled to the south coast and were defeated by the undefeated South One League winners Worthing Thunder.

Swifts, missing Victor Adebaye, Lewis Jeffery and Matty Nicholls, struggled to contend with their rivals speed and power.

The hosts started well but Dan Adebayo replied with an early score.

However, a Worthing 7-1 run followed before Adebayo scored again.

Swifts’ big men, Jacob Thorne, Matt Kerridge and Alex Skingle started to find the basket, but the visitors struggled to stop their hosts scoring.

They were 19-31 down at the end of the first period and by the end of the game teh score was a one-sided 107-74.

Swifts top scorers were: Kerridge 18, Thorne 17, Adebayo 17, Skingle 12.