Kylie Duggan and daughter Kaylani Duggan-Cole help Tracy Village Jets to win over Lightning, Michelle Ellis also fires in Round 1
THE script could not have been written any better.Kaylani Duggan-Cole hit a couple of matchwinning three-pointers to help her team to a 60-56 win over Lightning in the grand-final rematch. She is just 14 and the daughter of champion Jets captain Kylie Duggan.
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THE script could not have been written any better.
In the dying minutes, Kaylani Duggan-Cole hit a couple of matchwinning three-pointers to help her team to a 60-56 win over Lightning in the grand-final rematch during Round 1 of Darwin Basketball League action on Friday night.
Duggan-Cole is just 14 and the daughter of champion Jets captain Kylie Duggan.
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Before the game, Duggan told the NT News it was a dream of hers to play in the top grade alongside her star shooting-guard daughter.
And Kaylani finished one of the best players on the court with 15 points, while Duggan herself scored 13.
Tracy Village centre Michelle Ellis came up with a whopping 22 rebounds on her way to 19 points.
“Kaylani had a really good debut. We were down 10 points in the last three minutes but Kaylani hit a couple of three-pointers,” Duggan said.
“Kirra Hill-Carter stepped up for them and she’s a great player.
“It was a tough game
“Jayla Thorne had a great debut for us, too.
“Kaylani did a lot of running after she stepped on to the court and that helped her with her nerves.
“For those two for it to be their first league game at 14 – you wouldn’t have thought so by the way they played.
“(Kaylani’s top-league debut) was a very special moment for me and one I had dreamt of.”
Duggan was also full of praise for Ellis, who had a brilliant season last year.
She finished 2020 with an average of 18.56 points per game – the second best in the competition behind Jo Guthridge (19.45).
“Michelle was a standout. She’s very athletic and agile (when rebounding),” Duggan said.
“Centre isn’t her preferred position, but Tania Dhu is away (coaching the under-18 Northern Territory girls’ team and will be back for Round 3).”
Before this blockbuster clash, Lightning coach Jason Ivinson played down his team’s chances.
That was despite Lightning beating the Jets in the past three consecutive grand finals.
But minus stars Dom Carbone and April Rummery-Lamb for 2021 and – possibly for a fair chunk of this season – Claire Maree O-Bryan, it is now a different-looking Lightning outfit.
“We could’ve been (more ruthless against an understrength opposition),” Duggan said.
“But we’re getting used to a new coach (Belinda Van Der Ploeg) and she’s getting to know how we play.
“We also had Erin Geer (NT under-18 girls’ assistant coach) and Kiarna Collinson (playing for NT under-18 girls) away with Tania.
“And Demi Cubillo is back this year after missing last year due to medical reasons
“I’m very proud of her.
“We’re still gelling as a team and getting it all together.”
Meanwhile, Lachlan Shipway impressed for Ansett against his former club Essington in Round 1 men’s action on Friday night, helping his side to a 78-53 win.
“We lost four of our better junior players of all time, including Freddy Webb and James Toohey,” Ansett coach Steve Toohey said.
“But it’s a tribute to the club that we’ve still got a lot of good local players this year.”
Lightning (Luca Tutty 20 points) beat Eagles 62-53 and Ellas prevailed 98-54 over Uni Rebels.
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