Youth League Rush Enter Finals with High Hopes

The Youth League Ballarat Rush are looking to make a run in finals as they travel to East Doncaster Secondary College  to take on the Bulleen Boomers in the first round of the Victorian Youth Championship finals, this Sunday from 1pm.

It will be the Rush’s second meeting against the Boomers, as they narrowly lost in the first matchup by six points. While the Rush were seemingly in control for the majority of the game – maintaining  a lead for the first three quarters – it was a 30-point fourth quarter by the Boomers that saw them pull ahead and barely escape defeat, 49-55. Foul trouble seemed to plague the Rush; Ryleigh Haire left the game early with five fouls, while Molly Mathews and captain Claire Constable had to play cautiously towards the end with four fouls apiece.

Solid contribution for the Boomers came from throughout the roster, but Bridget Smith led the way with 13 points, four steals and four rebounds. Courtney Collins was able to make the most of her minutes in the contest, playing slightly over 20 minutes to pick up 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. Leading scorer for the Boomers, Amelia Smith, was relatively quiet, with nine points, but crashed the boards hard to get a team-high of eight rebounds.

Haire, despite fouling out, led the Rush in scoring with 14 points, and Kasey Burton was not far behind her, with 12 points and eight rebounds. Mathews and Lydia Brooks were strong on the boards for the Rush, Mathews with 11, Brooks with nine. A concentrated effort to stay out of foul trouble, as well as a repeat performance from across the team will be beneficial to the Rush coming away with a victory. The Rush could also benefit from the recently-injured Brooks returning to play this weekend. Brooks, who has been sidelined due to an ankle injury, will be worked into the playing roster depending on her performance in the team’s Thursday night training.

A big game for the Ballarat Rush as a loss would mean the end of their season and a win takes them to the quarter finals. Get behind your Youth League Ballarat Rush in their biggest game of the season and follow the action live a bigv.com.au.