Essex Rebels Women Continue Their Winning Ways Clocking Up Their Fifth Victory in a Row
The Essex Rebels Women’s basketball team captured their fifth win in a row this Wednesday, and 8th win of the season against the Cardiff Met Archers. The Rebels, who had just returned from a long trip up north to face Caledonia over the weekend, made another long journey down to Cardiff in a WBBL Championship clash. The two teams had yet to meet this season, with Cardiff searching to climb the league table and Essex looking to hold on tight to the third spot.
The Rebels looked tired to start the game, as they attempted to shake the journey from their legs. Cardiff, however, was in top form as they jumped out to a four-point lead in the first quarter. Essex found their footing over the next ten minutes, pouring in 27 points behind a huge display by DeAngelique Waithe who was seemingly unstoppable, as the teams entered the break with the Rebels up by 4.
The second half was a battle that went back and forth and down to the wire. Both teams scored 18 points in the third, and the Rebels just managed to hold onto a small lead in the final few minutes of play. Despite a sloppy game that resulted in 24 turnovers for the Rebels, they came away with a victory, finishing 78-73.
Head Coach Tom Sadler had this to say about his team’s win on the road, “I thought we were lucky to come away with that win. It’s tough to have two far away games in a row and I think that showed in how we played today. We looked tired, didn’t take care of the ball, and failed to convert some easy baskets we usually make. We were absolutely pushed to the limit by Cardiff whose record doesn’t reflect how good they are. They are aggressive on both ends of the floor and were relentless. Luckily, we once again were able to come out with a win, but I know the team won’t be happy with how they played today, and they know we’ve got Sevenoaks coming up where we won’t be able to start slow or turn the ball over.”
Top Performers Rebels:
DeAngelique Waithe – 26 points, 18 rebounds, 3 steals
Lu Costa – 17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals
Andrea Kohlhaas – 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Top Performers Archers:
M. Ball – 17 points, 8 rebounds
M. Marchizotti – 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
C. Bigica – 12 points, 3 steals
The Rebels will have to rest up and recover quickly, as they face perennial powerhouse Sevenoaks Suns this Sunday who are currently the only remaining undefeated team in the WBBL. The game, originally scheduled as an away fixture for the Rebels, will be played at the University of Essex Arena at 1pm. Follow our Essex Rebels social media pages for more information about livestream options.
