Barbados came from behind to defeat Sri Lanka 63-59 and kept their chances alive to play for ninth position at the World Netball Championships late Wednesday night in Singapore.
This match was harder than it should have been, considering that Sri Lanka are ranked 18th, nine places lower than Barbados.
But the Bajan lasses simply had no answer for Singapore’s towering 6ft 7in shooter Tharjini Sivalingam. Vice-captain Latonia Blackman took on the job for one quarter, then Barbados’ tallest player Laurel Browne took it on for the next three.
Sivalingam was a rock for her team, a perfect 59 from 59. But in the end it was not enough.
Barbados led 8-5, but the first-quarter score of 18-13 showed that Sri Lanka would not be dismissed easily.
They kept within reach as the match went on, then outscored Barbados 18-16 to close to within three (34-31).
The momentum stayed with Sri Lanka who were suddenly leading 39-37.
The pendulum swung again and Barbados went ahead 48-44, but as the final minutes of the game approached, the scores were locked 55-55.
However, Barbados weren’t relying on one player to do the job. Lydia Bishop scored 37 from 44 and Nikita Piggott had her best offensive output with 26 from 34 to give Barbados the win.
They will take on No. 5 Fiji who needed extra time to get rid of a pesky Singapore side ranked 21st.
Singapore would not go quietly, and three of the first four quarters ended in ties. The scores were locked 43-43 at the end of regulation time, and it was in the first period of extra time that Fiji pulled ahead 50-45 to take the decisive lead.
In the other matches, Samoa beat Malaysia 54-45 and will play Wales who edged Botswana 47-46.
After a day’s break, the teams playing for the top eight positions will be back in action. (SAT)
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