Some brilliant individual performances as well as a total team effort saw Pine Hill St Barnabas come from behind in the dying minutes to snatch the Senior Knockout netball title from Phoenix Security Spooners Hill on Saturday night.
St Barnabas edged the Fast5 champions 44-43 at the Netball Stadium, with some great plays from MVP Shonette Bruce, wing defence Jeneice Clarke and goal attack Sheniqua Thomas.
It was also sweet revenge after Spooners Hill held on for a 20-19 victory over St Barnabas to win the Intermediate 1 title. Newbury Ballers were merciless in their 30-10 hammering of Fusion for the Intermediate 2 crown.
The Junior Knockout match between St Barnabas and Rangers will be played on Saturday after rain affected that game and threatened to put a damper on what had promised to be a great evening of netball.
All of the matches started late, but spectators were glued to their seats for the see-saw final. It was a close game throughout with the score frequently tied.
The introduction of Julie Phillips at wing attack and the shift of Samantha Browne to centre worked almost immediately, with St Barnabas taking the biggest lead of the match (31-26).
Spooners Hill clawed their way back with some solid centre court defence, drawing to within one (33-34) and eventually going ahead 36-34 with two quick goals to start the fourth quarter.
St Barnabas never panicked, with the veteran presence of Phillips, Jackie McConney and goalkeeper Bruce on court to steady the younger heads.
With the teams exchanging goals, Clarke made a brilliant interception, and St Barnabas went on to take the lead 39-38.
A second interception in the very next sequence gave them a two-goal lead while Spooners Hill seemed to be falling apart. Renee Rudder left the game limping, and starting goal attack Keisha Griffith returned to the court, only for the switch to be made minutes later when Rudder went down and had to be lifted off.
More changes saw Joyann Cooke return at wing attack and Colleen Griffith at goal attack. Clarke also went down and had to be treated, but returned to torment Spooners Hill.
Down by three goals again (38-41), Spooners Hill scored three straight to tie the game, after drawing to within one on a steal by centre Chekirah Shepherd.
The scores were locked at 41 and 42, when McConney made a key turnover. Although Griffith missed, Lydia Bishop scored and all Spooners Hill needed to do was score on their centre pass to get a little breathing room.
Clarke almost had another steal, but wing defence Kizzy Marville saved the ball, only for it to be lost again in midfield.
Then came another one of those big individual plays. With the game on the line, 14-year-old Under-16 national Thomas sank a mid-range shot to tie it (43-43) and St Barnabas’ newly-acquired senior national shooter Laurel Browne scored on the centre pass to put them ahead 44-43.
Spooners Hill were hoping for one more chance to tie it, but Clarke picked off Shepherd’s centre pass and St Barnabas played it around as time expired.
Bruce deservedly took MVP honours. Nothing was safe in the air from her and she and McConney were very effective in double teaming Bishop to keep her off the ball. Rudder had to pick up a lot of the slack, but she took too many long-range shots when Bishop was shut down under the pole.
Bishop’s frustration grew as passes meant for her were picked off and she couldn’t get around Bruce who was all over the defensive circle. Bruce had four deflections alone in the first quarter, numerous interceptions and at least two blocks, reminiscent of when June Boyce played defence in the 1990s. She limited Bishop to only 32 attempts of which she scored 28.
Browne was solid at goal shooter with 38 goals from 43 attempts, unafraid to take a few blows – plenty were shared – from keeper Kathleen Brathwaite who gave up too many penalties on contact and obstruction calls.
