TAUNTON Tigers WOMEN 139 – 8 ROLLE COLLEGE

Taunton Tigers Women welcomed Rolle College to their SCAT lair for this top versus bottom of this Exeter and District League fixture. Although this should have been a home fixture for Rolle, lack of sports hall facilities has meant that they are presently playing all their fixtures on away courts. After the dismal performance of the previous (abandoned) fixture at Exeter Eagles, less testing opponents were a welcome change for the Tigers. That said, it is always easy to make light of such games, and it is easy to be brought down to the level of the opPOSITION. It is testament to the Tigers that this was never an issue in this game as the side maintained its focus, shape, and game plan from start to finish and, as a result achieved a scoreline rarely witnessed in Women’s basketball at any level.

Within minutes of the start of the game, it was apparent that the inexperienced Rolle College girls were going to struggle to get close to the well-drilled and determined Tigers outfit. Captain Jenny Ridgway was prominent in the early scoring as the Tigers went on a “basketfest” and stormed to a 35 – 2 point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Tigers stuttered at the start of the 2nd quarter as turnovers started to creep into their play – mainly due to complacency and over-elaboration. Coach John Abbot re-focussed minds over the time out and brought more discipline to proceedings – the result was 34 unanswered points as Tigers entered the half time break leading 69 – 2. The story continued in much the same unrelenting scoring vein throughout both the 3rd and 4th quarters as the Tigers rotated their bench at will against the inexperienced Rolle side and finished the game winning 139 – 8.

Whilst all the Tigers girls managed to get their names on the score-sheet (another improbable statistic), the biggest cheers of the eveninge were reserved for every point that Rolle managed to put on the board. This game was played in an excellent spirit by both teams, however, full credit is due to the Rolle girls, who although totally out-gunned, never let up in their endeavours or in the manner with which they contested the game. Tigers remain the only undefeated Women’s side in the Exeter League and now top the league.

Tigers Scorers: E Farthing 25; J Carter 10; A Pow 14; N Hartston 8; H Maddocks 8; M Pattemore 1; J Ridgway 19;L Clifford 14; C Coles 5; A Brook 10; P Kostrejova 24. Match report by Jim Hartston.