This weekend was NBL1's Pink Round supporting the Breast Cancer Network of Australia and the Ringwood Lady Hawks had two matches this round with mixed results.

On Saturday evening the Lady Hawks had a thrilling and physical contest against Waverley Falcons at The Rings. Danni Bone and Toni Farnworth ignited the Hawks and the fans with early three-point shooting. As a team, the Hawks couldn’t be passed in defence, keeping the Falcons to just 3 points in the first 5 minutes of the game. Cassidy Mihalko’s four-point play threatened to lift the roof off the stadium! Carley Ernst shot three triples in the first quarter to keep the Falcons in the game. Ringwood led by 9 points at quarter-time.

Ringwood’s dominance continued in the second quarter. They led by as much as twenty-two points and at half-time the score was 49 to 33.

In the third quarter, Waverley lifted, and Ringwood found it hard to score. The action heated up and both teams were in foul trouble early. The atmosphere was tense as the Hawks’ lead was reduced to four points at three quarter time.

It was goal for goal for most of the last quarter, until Mihalko shot a triple that extended the Hawks to a nine point lead with three minutes to go. The Hawks ran it out 78-66 winners!
Ringwood’s Farnworth (25 points and 10 rebounds) and Mihalko (20 points and 8 rebounds) stuffed the stats sheet, while Waverley’s top performers were Ernst (20 points and 9 rebounds) and Kelly Bowen (15 points and 10 rebounds and captain).

After the game, Ringwood’s US import Megan Mullings said the key to the win was to ‘take advantage of situations where we were stronger. We had to crash the rebounds. Placing the ball in the hands of Farnworth, who is a great free-throw shooter was important late in the game.’

On Mother’s Day, the Hawks travelled to MSAC to meet the Melbourne Tigers. The Hawks started brightly and held a 6-point lead at quarter time. However, the Tigers dominated the second, outscoring Ringwood 32 to 11. The Hawks fought back in the third but the Tigers steadied in the last quarter to run out 18-point winners, 90-72. The highlight for Hawks fans was the first points in NBL1 for Jeena Skaria.

Farnworth (20 points) and Mullings (15 points, 5 rebounds) were the top scorers for Ringwood. WNBL star Jenna O’Hea (32 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists) and Louella Tomlinson (21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) starred for the Tigers.

The Hawks finished the weekend with 6 wins, 2 losses. Next week the Hawks host the Southern Sabres on Saturday night at The Rings.

Emma Hastings (Girls U12-2)