By Tyler Lewis
A game of basketball can shift so rapidly.
After losing each of the first three periods – trailing 64 to 75 at the final change – the Casey Cavaliers turned the tables on the Frankston Blues in a clinical fourth-quarter.
The Cavs shifted from underdogs – appearing out of the contest – to favourites who couldn’t surely blow it in swift time.
Hearts were well and truly in mouths with 15 seconds left in regulation time, when Frankston’s Dylan Smith launched a three to tie the game.
The shot was heavily contested by Jordan Bell, who recovered from the fake to apply a crucial second defensive effort.
It wasn’t the only match-defining play from Bell, who was the reason for the three-point deficit in the first place – draining a contested three in the previous play with 22 seconds remaining.
When Matt Donlan reeled in the defensive board, the Cavs were home, as Donlan was sent to the line for two free throws.
By making his first free throw, Donlan secured an already likely victory.
Bell finished the game with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Nathan Frost (14 points, seven rebounds) made the most of his chances, shooting 100 per cent from three and 83 per cent from the field.
This week marks a double-header of NBL1 basketball, with games on Saturday and Sunday.
The Cavs will roll out the welcome mat to Ringwood Hawks on Saturday night, before travelling to Red Energy Arena to take on Bendigo on Sunday.
While there was no shot made for the remaining two minutes of the match, the Casey Cavaliers women’s side had a similar heart-stopping finish.
Rachel Bell hit the eventual match-winner for the Cavs, as she worked around the brilliant screen from Sarah Boothe.
Boothe (27 points and 11 rebounds) and Bell (23 points and eight rebounds) were an excellent combination throughout the night, combining for 50 of the Cavs 65 points.
Louise Brown also stuffed the stat sheet, bringing down a scrupulous 17 boards (11 defensive, six offensive).
The 65 to 63 win over Frankston has propelled the Cavs into ninth position on the NBL1 Women South ladder, with an important pair of matches against first and second seeds Ringwood and Bendigo to come.
The two wins for both the men and women’s sides followed a terrific ceremony performed by Bandok Tati, who honoured the Aboriginal land of Casey.
