Kerr Goes Point-A-Minute
Tagged in: Kiwis Abroad, Tall Ferns
Tall Ferns captain Aneka Kerr matched minutes with points in her latest outing for the Townsville Fire in the Australian Women’s Basketball League.
Kerr had 18 points (6/9 FG, 6/8 FT) and four rebounds in 18 minutes as the second-placed Fire withstood a comeback from Tall Ferns team-mate Natalie Purcell and the Logan Thunder, before winning 83-66 on Friday.
Another national team member, Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, finished with three points (1/3 FG, 1/2 3pt) and an assist in seven minutes for Townsville, who led by 17 points at halftime but saw it shrink to just a point with a period to play after the Thunder rolled 31-18 in the third.
“It was a bit too close for comfort,” Kerr told the Townsville Bulletin.
“I think there was a period there where we lost momentum because we went away from what was going well for us.
“If you get a win you’re going to be happy with it but there’s still stuff that we can work on.”
The fire sit second at 12-3 behind the Canberra Captials, with Tall Ferns point guard Angela Marino, who were idle in round 13 of the AWNBL, a half-game back at 11-3.
Purcell finished with a team-high 17 points (5/14 FG, 3/9 3pt, 4/4 FT), three rebounds, an assist and steal in 38 minutes for the 3-13 Thunder.
Former Tall Fern Lisa Pardon helped solidify the Bulleen Boomers place in the top-four with seven points (3/7 FG, 1/1 3pt), four rebounds and an assist in 18 minutes in a 70-56 home win over the Dandenong Rangers on Friday, lifting them to 11-4.
In Europe, Tall Ferns forward Lisa Wallbutton and her Belgian club Dexia Namur stayed unbeaten in domestic competition at 12-0 over the holiday period and also advanced to the last 16 of the women’s EuroCup, after advancing past the Czech Republic’s Kara Trutnov 167-141 in a two-game series.
Namur now face Serbia’s ZKK Hemofarm Vrsac in a two-game series for a place in the quarterfinals, starting January 29.
In the States, Tall Ferns standout Jillian Harmon contributed six points (2/3 FG, 2/2 FT), six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 20 minutes as the Stanford Cardinal rocked fellow Kiwi Kezia Kelly and the Washington State Cougars 102-53 on Saturday. Kelly got 10 minutes of court-time for the 7-7, 0-3 Cougs.
With the win, the Cardinal moved back into the top-10 of the national rankings at number nine, improving to 13-3 and 4-0 in the Pac-10 conference.
Tall Ferns guard Micaela Cocks scored eight points (4/9 FG, 0/2 3pt), two rebounds, two assists, a block and steal in 34 minutes in a 81-53 home loss to Arizona State on Saturday, dropping them to 5-9 and 2-2 in the Pac-10.
At UC-Irvine, South Aucklander Kim Barnes had two points (1/2 FG), seven boards, two blocks and an assist in 30 minutes as the Anteaters fell 54-49 at home to Cal Poly on Saturday, falling to 3-13 overall and 0-3 in the Big West conference.
Harbour product Rebecca Dew had no points in five minutes of game time in the University of Hawaii’s 70-61 loss to Boise State in Boise, Idaho, on Monday, sending them to 3-13 and 0-3 in the WAC.
Waikato’s Alana Auld scored eight points (3/7 FG, 2/3 3pt), with a rebound, assist and steal in 14 minutes in Ohio Valley University’s 71-53 division two road win over Bluefield State on Monday, getting the Lady Fightin’ Scots above .500 for the season and in-conference.
In NAIA play, Canterbury’s Donna Lavea managed four points (2/4 FG, 0/2 FT), six rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 10 minutes in Lambuth University’s69-58 home win over Bethel College on Saturday, lifting the Lady Eagles to 12-4.
