Tracy Village Jets secure second place and double chance with tight win over Ansett

CRUCIAL final quarter three-pointers from Will Burton saw Tracy Village to a tight 98-94 win over Ansett, securing second place for the side heading into the Darwin Basketball Championship finals

William Burton is fouled heavily by Henry Bui on a drive to the basket. Picture: Che Chorley

CRUCIAL final quarter three-pointers from Will Burton saw Tracy Village to a tight 98-94 win over Ansett, securing second place for the side heading into the Darwin Basketball Championship finals.

Both sides gave it their all from the outset with second place and the all-important double chance on the line, setting the scene for a tight game between two of the league’s heavyweights in front of a packed house celebrating Indigenous Round.

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A Fred Williams (22 points) slam dunk for Ansett was cancelled out by Jerron Jamerson (31 points) dunking himself on the opposite end from an Alex Weetra pass.

Jets young gun Thomas Malseed put in a big defensive shift late in the first quarter when he fronted up defensively to experienced Ansett captain Matty Hunt and forced a crucial turnover.

Ned Stevens (12 points) and Joel Stevens (seven points) kept the ball moving through the court to feed their shooters.

However, they didn’t have it all their own way with Freddy Webb, Joel De Barros and James Toohey (all 17 points) in the scoring, and though Ansett was down for much of the game the three kept fighting for the lead.

But it was the work of Burton (25 points) that ultimately proved the difference with the shooter nailing five three-pointers pumping up the side in a trying final quarter.

“We’re really happy to have got that win after such a tight game. All the boys played really well and did what they needed to,” Burton told the NT News.

“We did what our coach (Tania Dhu) asked of us pushing the ball up the court and getting all our shooters into open space when we could.

“Those three-pointers in the final quarter helped us drive the lead up and really helped pump up the whole side in that last quarter and that just helped us see the game through.

“That win was really important as it now gives us that second chance in finals which is what we were after.

“Our focus now is to just keep doing what we managed against Ansett. We played really well, all us boys stick together and we go really well when we’re on the offensive.”

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Meanwhile, Palmerston Power finished their season on a positive note celebrating a 104-78 win over Lightning.

On the women’s side of the draw Tracy Village completed an unbeaten regular season with a massive 96-18 win over Razzle.