Wolfpack WABL teams were back in action for Round 15 of the 2024 WABL season. Round 16 is the final round of the regular season as the Wolfpack set their sights on finals.
The U12 Girls are shaping up well as we approach finals. The U12 Champs Girls jumped out to a 26-13 halftime and kept the pace up on their way to a 57-26 victory. They sit 2nd on the ladder as we approach finals in 2 weeks. The U12-2 Girls kept it close through 3 quarters against Redbacks 1s. in the 4th quarter it went awry, suffering a 5-18 run. Despite the loss, the U12-2 Girls are 7th on the ladder and poised to make some noise at finals. The U12-3 Girls game followed a similar script, staying within touching distance through the first 3 quarters before a pivotal run by Hawks 2s decided the game. Our U12-3 Girls are 6th heading into the final round of the regular season. The U12-4 Girls defeated Senators 33-15 to solidify their 4th place position on the ladder. The Wolfpack scored consistently in each quarter and managed to allow 0 points in the 3rd quarter.
The U12 Boys Champs and 2s teams each came away with wins in Round 15 and sit in 2nd place on their respective ladders. It’s been a great season for each of these teams thus far and look forward to seeing each of these teams perform in finals. The U12-3 Boys defeated the Suns 1s team on Sunday. The Suns came into the game with only 1 loss and sit atop the ladder. The Wolfpack have won 5 of their last 6 and are looking dangerous as a 6th seed. It great to watch the spirit and comradery of this team!! The U12-4 Boys took a defeat to at the hands of the Redbacks 2s. The 3rd quarter saw the Wolves go from trailing by just 4, to trailing by 16. Despite the defeat, the U12-4s still sit at 4th headed into Round 16.
In the U14 Girls, the U14-4s played well but just couldn’t get the ball to drop on some of their finishes, losing 23-33 to Redbacks. With the 14-4 Girls sit in 7th with a chance to move up as high as 5th heading into the last round. The U14-3 Girls fought off a slow start, trailing by 8 at halftime, but took over in the 3rd, cutting the lead to just 5 points. The tide turned back towards the top-of-the-table Suns at Ray Owen and we were defeated 37-46. Our U14-3s now sit in 4th but can climb as high as 2nd. The narrow defeat would give the team confidence that they can put it together come finals. The U14-2s took a loss at the hands of the 2nd place Rockingham Flames. Despite dropping to 4th, the Ben Watson lead Wolfpack squad are geared and ready for postseason play. The U14-Champs Girls matched up with Cockburn Cougars and used a 17-3 run bridge the 1st and 2nd quarters to go from trailing by 5 to up by 9. The game stabilized for a bit and with a 14 point lead to start the 4th quarter, Olivia Kalbermatten and Ruby Coolican canned a pair of 3-pointers, and Emily Epple and Zoe French found 2-pt scores to push the lead all the way up to 22. The 3rd-place Cougars managed to mount a bit of a comeback but in the end the Wolfpack came out victorious 67-56. With the win, the Wolves have won 3 of their last 4 and move into 5th place in a very competitive Champs field.
The U14 Boys had quite the weekend! The U14-2 Boys climbed to 3rd on the ladder with a thorough defeat of Slammers 1s 78-51. Hayden Montgomerie rained in 5 triples in the game on his way to a game-high 19 points. The U14-3 Boys established a 17 point advantage at halftime and managed to hold on for a 68-61 win. The victory cements their 3rd place position heading into round 16, the last of the regular season. The U14-4 Boys matched up with Cockburn 3s and the Wolves were able to come away with a 56-46 victory. Jack Bisland and William Scott scored 14 and 13 points respectively to pace the ‘Pack. This team sits at 5th heading into their last game, but with a strong performance, they could finish as high as 2nd as they look to punch their ticket to finals. The U14-Champs Boys suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Cougars at the buzzer but coach Robb Hobbs can still take away that his team can play with anybody in the division. The Wolves would have a chance to avenge this loss if the ladder remains static as the Cougars sit at 3rd, and the Wolfpack sit at 6th.
The U16 Girls had a slew of difficult defeats on Sunday. The U16 Champs were well and truly in control of the game at the beginning, mustering a 15 point advantage, and heading to the 4th quarter maintained a 4 point lead. Scoring dried up a bit in the 4th and Wolfpack lost 58-70 in the end. They sit at 5th. The U16-2 Girls lost a nip and tuck game with Willeton, 58-62 and are placed 6th heading into Round 16. The U16-3 Girls were able to pull through against Flames 2s with a 58-52 victory. Naomie Verheyden made a 3 in the waning moments that doubled the Wolfpack lead from 3 to 6. Charlotte Watson scored 16 points to lead the Wolves. The Wolves sit at 4th with a possibility to finish 3rd, 4th, or 5th pending next weeks game. The U16-4s were defeated by Eagles. With a win and a little bit of help in other games, the Wolves can still move into the 8 for finals.
The U16 Boys had a pair of wins and losses on Sunday. The U16-Champs had a tough start, immediately down 20, culminating in a 25-point loss. Now they sit 6th heading to Round 16. The U16-2 Boys are 8th with a loss to Lakeside 1s, 73-109. The U16-3 Boys sit 1st on the ladder with their 101-62 victory over Mandurah. The U16-4 Boys trailed by as many as 13 in the 2nd half and found some critical plays that helped them seize momentum on their way to a 87-83 win. The Wolves now sit at 4th in their division.
The U18 Women are shaping up strong, heading into finals. The U18 Champs are now in 3rd place with their win over Cockburn Cougars on the Road. The U18 Women Green are also in 3rd despite a 9-opoint loss to Mandurah. With a win in Round 16, they can reclaim the 2-seed. The U18 Women White and the U18-4 Women will each look to have strong efforts in round 16 to close out the regular season.
The U18 Men had a pair of outstanding victories for the U18-Champs and the U18-2s. The Champs Wolfpack defeated Cockburn 100-81, while the U18-2s defeated the Lakeside 1s 75-57. Each team sits in 7th place and looks capable of causing an upset or 2 come finals. Despite a 4-point defeat in a thrilling contest, the U18-3 Men are locked into 6th regardless of their Round 16 Result. The U18-4 remain undefeated at 15-0 and sitting atop the ladder. Their opponent in round 16 is the Raiders 2s, and likely their first round opponent in finals as well.
The U21 Women defeat the Redbacks 78-55. Lani Purser and Ananya Tushir each knocked down 3 triples in the contest. For Ananya, it is her league-leading 44th 3-pointer on the season. The Wolves have a crucial matchup with the Southwest Slammers in Round 16, with the winner being crowned the minor Premiers.
The U20 Men have to great opportunities at finals. If the U20-2 Men can manage a win in Round 16 against Eagles, they will go through as the 8 seed on the strength of their point differential. The U20 Champs Men will close out their regular season with a clash against Senators. They can finish 4th with a win and only as low as 5th in the final standings.
Round 16 will be the final round of the regular season as the Wolfpack look to be in great form heading into Finals!