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It was a mixed weekend for Wolves U-16 girls as they remained top of the league with an 87-72 victory against Sussex Storm but exited the National Cup with a 57-51 loss at Richmond Knights.
Lily Harkness was on fire against Storm, finishing with a 27 point, rebound double-double, sinking two triples on the way to a career high scoring performance. She was given great support by Amye Swinney who chalked up a 19 point, 14 rebound double-double, adding three steals, and Caitlin Ryan also finished with a double-double, adding six assists and five steals to her 11 points and 13 rebounds. Stella Ekblad-Piscetelli - 11 points and eight rebounds - Dalma Sziecti - 8 points and 9 rebounds - and Darcy Mcrae - nine points and eight boards - also went close to double-doubles as Wolves made it three wins from as many league games.
The visitors scored the first two baskets of the game before Wolves rattled off ten straight points to take a lead they would never lose. But despite staying ahead four more than 36 minutes, Wolves took until the final stages to wrap up the win against a side containing several South Super-Region players.
In a game that saw 49 fouls called, the hosts led 19-14 at the first break but were pegged back to 41-37 going into the locker room at half-time. They stretched the lead to 63-56 at the final break but with six minutes remaining, back-to-back triples from the visitors saw Wolves' lead trimmed to a single point.
Ryan broke the run before Harness and Swinney took over down the stretch to spark a game-clinching 11-0 tear.
With a depleted eight-player squad for each game, the following day's National Cup trip to a Richmond team who had Saturday off proved a game too far for Tor Freeman's side as their Cup dreams ended.
Ryan had four triples in her 25 point, 14 rebound double-double, adding six assists, with Swinney adding 11 points and four boards while Ekblad-Piscetelli had 11 rebounds to go with her six points.
Wolves led 12-11 at the first break and went into the locker room 22-19 ahead, but as tiredness set in they were outscored 21-17 in the third period before a 17-12 final stanza sealed Knights' win.