MIA League basketball
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IT MAY have been the same results for the Eagles against Griffith at Leeton Indoor Stadium last Saturday, but they were vastly different games than the previous meeting.
For the women, it was their greatest losing margin this year, going down 62-47, while the men just failed at the last hurdle to hold out the Demons, losing 57-53.
The women had a couple of late withdrawals, but senior player Clare Vant said not having much to play for in the final game probably affected her side's performance more.
"They got away from us in the last quarter," Vant said.
"We wanted to end with a win. We were really positive at the start.
"We did pretty well with for a team put together with not much training. It has been fun to play and the girls have been great."
Maddy Clyne was again a standout, shooting 20 points, while her sister Katelyn, and Libby and Tiah Gillespie were late call-ups.
In the men's game, coach Brendan Sims said the platform was laid by the older players, allowing the young guns to gain confidence and step up.
"It was really nice to see some shots go in," Sims said.
"It was about a 50-point turnaround from the first game. I was really happy with the energy and the effort.
"We fought really hard on the rebounding and defence side of the game.
"We made Griffith change their game."
Leeton led all night and it wasn't until the last quarter that the Demons took control and a "lucky"" shot from a Griffith guard sealed the game.
"That pretty much iced it," Sims said. "I saw it go up, I turned around, I couldn't look."
Sims said Ryan Young, Todd McLean and Bryce Butler were standouts, while Ty Fletcher (14) top-scored and Kyle McVittie was productive off.
"It really was a view of the future of basketball in Leeton," he said.
"'Vanty' fouled out early, I was fouled out ... so it was the young blokes for the last six or seven minutes of the game. It shows the guys have developed over the six-week period.
"That's the performance I've been coaching for. The boys were disappointed at the loss, as well as proud of the turnaround."
Sims hoped it would set up the young players for the Western Junior League season, which starts early next year.
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Results
Women: Griffith 62 d Leeton 47 (Maddy Clyne 20, Clare Vant 7)
Men: Griffith 57 d Leeton 53 (Ty Fletcher 14, Brendan Sims 13, Bryce Butler 10)
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MIA League final
Narrandera v Griffith
Tips
Brendan Sims: Griffith. "Narrandera, with their height, it might not be as big a gap."
Clare Vant: Griffith. "They've got a bit more height than Narrandera. Narrandera is quite quick and young, but the extra height will get them across the line."