The WBBL Championship returned with a bang at the start of January as ten teams took to the court over three days of captivating action.
And Sevenoaks Suns continued where they left off from 2017 as they kept their unbeaten start to the season to move to 10-0 in the Championship.
Len Busch’s side produced a clinical display in front of the BBC Sport cameras as they eased past Cardiff Met Archers at the Surrey Sports Park.
The Suns came out on fire, making their first nine shots from inside the arc and racked up 52 points in a dominant first half. There was no let up in the second half as Sevenoaks put up the highest points total this season, finally beating their opponents 99 points to 57.
The Suns dominated the boards and shot above 60% from 2-point range in a clinical offensive display. Ta’Yani Clark made a strong start to the match and finished with a game-high 21 points with Judit Fritz adding 17 against her former side, while captain Cat Carr also had 17 points to go with another eight assists.
You have to go way back to last April to find the last time the Suns lost a league match. The unbeaten run they have managed to acheive is testament to the work Head Coach Busch is putting in at the club.
Prior to the match, Busch said on the BBC: “2017 was good, we had one little slip up against Nottingham [Wildcats] in the cup. We fully respect Cardiff, they have a couple of players who can cause a lot of damage. We are taking it very seriously and we know we have to play well to get the win. We need to stay focussed and put four quarters together”.
Cardiff had said the contest provided a welcome return to the court having enjoyed a prolonged festive break, saying: “We are all extremely eager to get back and start playing games again. We believe we can really make a run in the second half of the season and break into the top five. That was our goal at the start of the season and I think we still have a great chance of making this happen.”
Suns finish 2017 with precision
The week before Christmas the Sevenoaks Suns quite literally waltzed their way around the BA London Lions demolishing them 88 points to 45.
The match, held at the impressive Sennocke Centre at Sevenoaks School, exploded from the tip as Sevenoaks went looking for their ninth league win of the season.
The Suns were far too strong all over the court for the Lions and were able to impose themselves from the outset, getting stronger as the game unfolded.
Forward, Chantelle Pressley, dazzled as the pivotal figure for the leaders with a classy 20 points and eight rebounds. Likewise, Ta’Yani Clark had an amazing day on the court with a staggering 20 rebounds adding to her eight points and Cat Carr added nine assists to her 16 points.
Coach Len Busch said of their opponents after the match: “They are a young side who haven’t won a league game yet, but it’s dangerous as we can’t get complacent and play down to their level”.
Talking about his own side he continued: “We were intense from the beginning and played like we have all season. I’m very happy with how the girls played”.
The Suns sit atop the WBBL Championship table with a 10-0 record. They are next in action on Sunday 14th January when they face the Nottingham Wildcats at the Sennocke Centre in Sevenoaks. The game tips off at 3:30.
