Team South won the first Women’s Basketball League All-Star game at the London Copper Box on Sunday (17), beating Team North 99-81.
The finely balanced game between the best of players from the North and South, was effectively won by the London Lions players: the South captain Temi Fagbenle had a game-high of 20 points from 9-of-11 while Savannah Wilkinson and Kat Tudor put up 19 and 17 points respectively.
Fagbenle started the game well, firing the first five points. Laken James of the Caledonia Gladiators responded quickly however to close the gap to 29-25 after ten minutes.
The two sides traded blows in the second and third quarters: the North grabbed their first lead with a whopping 9-0 run from Janika Griffith-Wallace before the end of the half. The South regained control in the third, before losing it again in the third at 67-65. Threes from Caterrion Thompson and Megan Gustafson put an end to the contest in the fourth.
After the game, Fagbenle said: “I had much more fun than I anticipated and to be honest it was more competitive than I anticipated.”
Fagbenle will compete at Paris for Team GB this year in the Paris Olympics.
Southern men also victorious
Meanwhile, the Men’s All-Star South triumphed over their Northern counterpart, winning 149-116 in another thrilling contest.
The North got off to a flying start before seeing their lead cut back by Jalon Pipkins, reverse slamming the North into 32 points to the South’s 30.
The South consolidated its early lead however in the second half with some impressive shooting. TJ Atwood, with a bucket inside, pushed the South over the 100-mark, giving them a 104-87 lead in the final ten. Long-range sniping and a turnaround triple from Morgan effectively ended the game.
Leicester Riders Teddy Allen was especially impressive for the South, scoring a terrific 31 points, including five triples. For the North, LeQuincy Rideau from the Cheshire Phoenix had 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Allen, the South captain on the day and a self-described “scoring playmaker” said:
“It was a good time, everybody out there was having fun.
“Everybody has their own personality, and it was cool getting to know everyone and figure out the guys who you compete against all the time.”
In an interview with the Mirror before the game, Allen said he wished to compete long-term in the National Basketball Association.
“I feel like I have the talent to do so, it’s just about having the right steps and plays to make that journey and to make that leap,” he said.
Based on Sunday’s performance, that transfer looks like it could happen sooner rather than later.
