O’Brien Shines as Rebels Women Dominate Ipswich in Season Opener
The Essex Rebels Women’s team kicked off their 2024-25 season with a commanding 91-60 victory over Endeavour Ipswich in the SLBW Trophy opener in front of a packed Essex Sport Arena.
Ipswich, despite competing in the lower WNBL Division 1 (Women’s National Basketball League), managed to keep the game tight until halftime. However, the difference in quality between SLBW and WNBL began to show in the second half, as the Rebels asserted their dominance and pulled away for a convincing win.
Taylor O’Brien, who earned Player of the Game honours with a stellar performance on her debut, led all scorers with 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 3 three-pointers, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals to cap off an impressive stat line.
Supporting O’Brien’s efforts, newcomer Lauren Park-Lane made an immediate impact with 17 points and 6 assists, while Brooke Flowers dominated the paint with a double-double of 17 points and 20 rebounds.
Rebels’ fans would have been particularly pleased with the Rebel’s defensive performance, forcing numerous turnovers and capitalising with 26 points off those mistakes. They also controlled the paint, scoring 48 points inside and running the fast break effectively for 22 points.
Coach Cookson commented:
“It was great to be back in front of our home crowd and starting our season off with a win. This group is full of potential and I’m confident we have what it takes to be a very competitive team in the competition. Credit to Ipswich who represented NBL extremely well. Coach Drane has built a hub for developing young British talent, and that was clear to see with his young roster. Wish them the best of luck for this season.”
Current Betty Codona Trophy Group B Standings:
- Essex Rebels (1-0)
- Endeavour Ipswich Basketball (1-1)
- London Lions (0-1)
Next up, the Rebels face the London Lions, last year’s champions and EuroCup winners, at Barking Abbey School on Saturday, 12th October, at 6.30pm. This will be the second and final game of the Trophy group stages, and a win will see your Essex Rebels at the top of the bracket progressing to the next round of the competition.
#UpTheRebs
