Tigers upset Giants home opener
Kalgoorlie locals packed in shoulder to shoulder to see the first Giants home game for 2010.
The Tigers received some big reinforcements in the paint after just falling short of the East Perth Eagles last week, welcoming former Giant import forward Ty Shaw and Melbourne Tigers centre Daniel Johnson into the starting lineup.
Veteran guard Ian Callaghan also returned to provide a leadership boost to the Tigers young front court rotation.
Scoring was hot for the Tigers early, posting a 37 to 25 point first quarter behind a spray from beyond the three point line.
After comfortably controlling much of the first half, a lapse late in the second quarter saw the Giants sneak back within 2 points to finish the term. The Giants turnaround continued out of the locker room in the second half, capitalizing on several Tigers turnovers in the third.
Guards Todd Earle, Jimmy Bowler and Ryan Hulme showed their range as the Giants leapt ahead by 13 yo close out the third.
Failing to get back to the rhythm of the first quarter, the Tigers offensive struggle appeared to be the end of them.
Foul trouble began to take its toll on both teams with Tigers Mark Jones fouling out in the opening seconds of the fourth.
Giants import John Vaudreuil and defensive specialist Matthew Leske also hung on to the game with five fouls.
Facing a seemingly impossible deficit, 6 foot 10 centre Daniel Johnson gave the Tigers a mental spark for the Tigers with a thunderous, one hand jam over the Giants talls.
Shooting guard Alex Prince, after being briefly sidelined earlier in the game with a cut to the head returned to show why he is one of the league’s biggest offensive weapons, catching fire late with some crucial triples to level the game.
However the Giants showed some defiance to the Tigers run, with Todd Earle posting some big buckets including an unlikely bank shot with the shot clock fading to keep the lead late.
But an amazing 21 point display in the final quarter from Prince, including some clutch free throw shooting in front of a loud and vocal Giants crowd, the Tigers notched their first victory for the season 110-108.
Prince finished with astonishing, game high 37 points to lead the Tigers. Johnson was also big in his first game for the season with 27 points and 9 rebounds.
For the Giants, Earle was hot with 22 points and 5 assists followed closely by Vaudreuil with 17.
Week 3 will see the Tigers tough schedule continue with a double header for both Men’s and Women’s teams facing the Kalamunda Eastern Suns Friday night then heading back to Willetton for the first home game of the season against the Perry Lakes Hawks Saturday.
Article by Willetton Basketball Association
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