Double agony as Mountaineers succumb to post-season jitters
The Toowoomba Mountaineers put together their most successful season as a club in 32 years. However, not all stories have fairytale endings. Read what happened in the men’s and women’s QSL1 semi-finals here.
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Riding into the play-offs on a wave of momentum after their best seasons in more than 30 years, the Mountaineers had their sights set QSL 1 gold.
The basketball gods however had a different plan for the side’s.
Up against reigning premiers the Gold Coast Rollers, the Mountaineers women fell agonisingly short in a tight contest.
At home, on the same court as last year the Mountaineers men fell to a familiar foe – USC Rip City.
Gold Coast rolls into final
For the first time in decade the Mountaineers women had their sights set on championship gold.
Reigning premiers Gold Coast Rollers however had other ideas in a physical and at times intense clash.
Facing a determined Mountaineers side backed by a vocal home crowd, the Rollers prevailed 60-55.
“I think for us we actually played really good defence in patches throughout the game,” Mountaineers point guard Tracey Twidale said.
“Our shooting through the game was quite low, and we just couldn’t score.
“We struggled to get any momentum and get in sync with each other on the offensive end.
“We weren’t able to get ourselves open in good shooting positions and when we did we just couldn’t convert.
“We also really were poor on our free throws, which is not helpful when you’re struggling to score.”
Twidale also lamented her side’s inability to stem the flow points.
“They were on a roll and two of their key shooters got hot, both of which we struggled to shut down,” Twidale said.
“They (Rollers) also had an answer for everything that we did.”
Playing in her first post-season game for the Mountaineers was pleased with her side’s efforts.
The Mountaineers hall of fame inductee said the squad stuck to the plan set out for them by coach Matt Cox.
“We stuck to our plans and I’m very proud of how all the girls performed,” she said.
“I don’t think there is a single one of us that didn’t give it their all and we all genuinely tried our best.
“We didn’t come away with the result we wanted but that’s sport, and sometimes things just don’t go your way.
“For a lot of us in the team, this was our first finals experience.
“So to come within five points of the reigning champions, I think we can hold our heads high and learn from this experience in the upcoming season.”
Rip City sink Mountaineers
The post-season has proved once more that regular season success isn’t always transferable in the anarchy of playoffs.
Bowing out in the semi-final for the second year in a row, the Mountaineers men were unable to clinch a potential fairytale ending for their captain Cameron Weber.
USC Rip City once again broke the Mountaineers hearts backing up their 2022 win with a 73-62 victory on Saturday.
Playing his last game for the club, the team were tasked with defeating their achilles heel, USC Rip City.
“That one hurts a lot,” Mountaineers forward Seth Ham said.
“Honestly I think that the pressure of the occasion might have just gotten the better of us.
“They hit their shots at the end of the day and I think they were just more prepared.
“Having a big home crowd, the big build up, the fact it was Webbie’s (Cameron Weber) last game and that they beat us last year in the same game last year all had an effect on the mental preparation for us.
“We all especially wanted to win for Weber and as a group we’re all gutted.”
Just like Twidale and the women, Ham also thought his team had a fantastic season.
“I think the season as a whole was great,” he said.
“The way we all worked at training and our ability to grind out games was what contributed to a good season.
“I think on a personal level it was the best season I’ve had too.
“But, in the end, I wish we didn’t finish it (the season) like this, but it’s not a season I’m going to complain about.
“The development we’ve had as a team, from top to bottom, players and staff, we had the best team I’ve been apart of.”
ROUND 12
ROUND 11
Inspired by veteran star Cameron Weber, the Toowoomba Mountaineers men secured a home playoff spot at the weekend.
In a stirring second half performance Weber lead his side to their 10th win of the season.
However it wasn’t all smooth-sailing and the skipper knows their performance wasn’t up to standard.
“Our first half was tough,” Weber said.
“We weren’t doing what we were supposed to be doing.
“I think we had a look over at their bench and saw they only had six guys, and we came out a bit too relaxed.
“At the halftime break, we had a hard look at ourselves and we knew that what we dished up in the first half wasn’t good enough.”
Weber said that the team put the onus on themselves to prove that they are truly title contenders.
“I know it’s a cliche, but we weren’t doing the little things and that let them (Wizards) get a lead on us, so obviously we had to stop them scoring,” he said.
“Our goal for each game is to restrict the opposition to 60 points or less, and they ended up putting basically 80 on us.
“So our defence wasn’t up to par.
“We knew that scoring points wasn’t and isn’t an issue as we’ve been able to score all season, we just had to lock up on defence.
“In the third we scored points quickly and that probably sealed the game for us really.”
The 35-year-old explained that despite the win, the side know that performance will not be enough in the playoffs.
“It’s been a weird season, we’ve been on a roll at the present but I also feel like we haven’t played anywhere near our best game,” Weber said.
“So in a way, it’s good to know that despite us not putting together a complete performance, we are finding ways to come away with a win.
“Heading into the playoffs we need to make sure that we don’t start as slow and we get on the scoreboard as quick as possible, amounting pressure from the start.”
The women also secured another victory, their 11th of the season and their sixth in a row.
Putting together a very dominant performance, with the entire roster contributing, they routed premiership rivals Wizards in an 18 point affair.
The win means the women are now top of the ladder, and have secured a home semi-final.
PHOTOS FROM ROUND 11
ROUND 10
ROUND 9
Alexis Beasley almost broke the Toowoomba Mountaineers hearts at the weekend.
With 10 seconds left on the clock and the ball in her hands the South West Metro Pirates star missed what would’ve been a game winning lay-up.
After narrowly avoiding an embarrassing loss the Mountaineers women instead celebrated a 57-56 win.
“We have a lot of reflecting to do as a group after that performance,” coach Matt Cox said.
“The synergy and cohesion among the girls has not quite been there the past few games and we need to get back on track to how we were playing earlier in the year.
“It just felt like nothing really clicked for the entire game.”
Cox said the entire playing group need to reflect on their individual performances and their team work.
“Even though we had an off game, we still came away with the victory,” he said.
“However, we need to stop playing to the opposition’s level and elevate our game, which I believe is a mental hurdle we need to address, then overcome as a collective.
“We have been struggling to start games and we actually got out to a brilliant start but then complacency came into play.
“It’s frustrating because I know that the girls are capable of putting together a much better performance, and I believe they can if they stay focused.
“Mountaineers teams of the past always found a way to lose the unlosable games, so I’m proud that they grinded out the win, but, we need to continue to improve if we want that home semi (final).”
On the other side of the court and following the women’s winning ways, the men secured their seventh win of the season in a game fuelled by retribution.
Playing SW Metro following their five point loss last round, the men knew that they weren’t going to let another win slip away.
“Last week we really let ourselves down in those effort areas,” coach Sean Connelly said.
“And again, I was definitely disappointed with the amount of turnovers we gave up and the complacency we showed in the final five minutes of the last quarter.
“But, as a team, we all hold each other accountable for every performance and focus our attention on constantly improving.”
The coach was happy to come away with a win, and was pleased with the gutsy nature of the win, but he is not getting ahead of himself.
“Winning can mask problems,” he said.
“For us it’s personal; your job is to stop your player and do what’s required of you to the best of your ability.
“In saying that, I was impressed by their ability to fight and show resilience despite missing key players.
“Seth (Ham), Sam (Geu) and Cooper (Sparksman) all lifted and stood up when we needed them, each playing big minutes, and also proving handy with 43 points between them.”
Currently in a good place towards the top of the ladder and starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, Connelly is not going to let the side rest on their laurels, maintaining they must stay focused on their overarching goal.
“The minimum expectation of this group is to make finals,” Connelly said.
“But our main goal is to win that championship.
“If we don’t it’ll certainly be a missed opportunity.”
Both the men and women will play a double header next round, first at home against North Gold Coast, June 17, then away at the Sunshine Coast against the Phoenix. June 18.
ROUND 8
A depleted Toowoomba Mountaineers issued an urgent plea and a familiar face answered the call at the weekend.
Back home while on a break from college ball in Canada, Jordan Biggar dropped 23 points for the QSL men’s team.
“With Jacob Davis and Cameron Weber out, it was always going to be a tough weekend for us,” Mountaineers men’s coach Sean Connelly said.
“We were able to bring in Jordan who has just come back from college in Canada for a couple of weeks.
“He added depth to our wing spot over both games.”
Despite only attending a few training sessions, Biggar was able to slot into the side with relative ease, scoring 10 and 13 points and playing 25 minutes against USC Rip City and the SC Phoenix.
“He was here for only a few sessions, but he was able to give us some great minutes off the bench,” Connelly said.
Mountaineers veteran Adam Gehrig also stood tall across both games.
“Adam led from the front in both games and lead by example at both ends of the floor,” Connelly said.
“He had 30 points in our loss against South West, and had another great game against the Phoenix with 14 (points).
“Unfortunately he (Gehrig) fouled out late in the game against Phoenix and couldn’t play in OT (over-time).
“However; Mitch Davis, Patrick Roche, Sam Geu and Jordan Biggar were instrumental in closing out the game for a hard fought win.”
It was not just the men who had an impressive weekend, but the women also impressed. Putting together a winning double, they are now embedded in the top four, sitting second with seven wins and two losses.
TOP PERFORMERS vs. SOUTH WEST
Kirstyn Lunniss: Was a fantastic post presence on the attacking side of the court, that saw the players really emphasised getting her the ball.
Kim Wilson: Had a great impact in her first minutes of the season. She was really active in her 12 minute stint, scoring five points, and recording six rebounds. She also adds some more height to the roster.
Francis Donders: Putting together another dominant display, coach Matt Cox said she ‘rebounded ferociously’ and ‘drove to the basket with purpose’.
TOP PERFORMERS vs. SC Phoenix
Tracey Twidale – Displaying unbelievable control of the game, Twidale penetrated really well through Phoenix’s defensive lines, making some strong drives to the net.
Ashleigh Lynch: Going 7/15 from the three-point line (6/10 in the 4th quarter), her teammates have started to call her ‘Splashleigh’ as she is starting to sink threes with ease. Coach Cox said the stadium was ‘rocking’ as she hit shot after shot.
Francis Donders – Again, Donders was really impressive, inspirational through her ability to move the ball with purpose, that opened up the court for her teammates, making the offence hum.
PHOTOS FROM THE WOMEN vs. SC PHOENIX
ROUND 7
ROUND 6
Cementing themselves as true contenders, the Mountaineers women’s team have handed competition heavyweights Northern Wizards their first loss of the year.
The Neers were put to the test from the first jump-ball, grinding out a gutsy three-point victory in a 56-53 scoreline.
“The fourth period effort from the girls was immense,” coach Matt Cox said on the win.
“We (Neers) were a bit stand-offish in our defence in the first two periods, and we let their (Wizards) best player get on a bit of a roll, and she (Saskia Gunness) was already at 19 points, so we knew that we had to shut her down.”
The coach was full of praise for the core five of Brittany Hayes, Tracey Twidale, Francisca Donders, Charlotte Melksham and Gabrielle Seaby who played out the entire fourth period.
In particular, Cox said he was very impressed with rookie Seaby’s performance.
“She was amazing in the fourth (period),” he said.
“She was tasked with stopping their best player and she did it very well.
“She restricted her (Gunness) to only eight points and was a huge reason why we only allowed five points in the fourth.”
Veteran captain Hayes was another standout with Cox applauding her defensive prowess, religiously getting tip-offs on opposition passes, and Donders, who had nine steals in the game.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Cox was wary that there was still a long road ahead and is adamant that the side have the troops and the ability to secure a home-final.
“We’ve had a very tough stretch of games so far and the next few are really crucial for our season, as they will either make or break our final hopes,” Cox said.
The men’s side continued their brilliant start to the 2023 season also recording a win over the Wizards.
They balled-out in the first period, piling on 33 points, and came out nine point victors in a 85-76 scoreline.
ROUND 5
One week ago the Brisbane Capitals thumped the Toowoomba Mountaineers 91-71.
On Saturday the Mountaineers, despite missing a number of key stars, almost produced a stunning turnaround.
At home the Mountaineers men lost 73-71 to the Capitals.
“We deserved to win that game,” coach Sean Connelly said.
Connelly said that despite the loss, he was very impressed with how his side performed, even though it seemed as if nothing was going their way.
“After playing them (Brisbane) the first time, we were all disappointed with our performance, losing by the margin (20 points) we did.
“For the team to come out and lose by three is showing us that we have the ability to compete with the top contender in the competition.
“And considering we lost (Cameron) Weber early to a groin injury and Jacob (Davis) is still out, that’s another 20 plus points we would’ve had.
“They played some of the best basketball I’ve seen this season, even though it wasn’t the best game they’ve played.”
With his side missing a number of key players Connelly was buoyed by the side’s ‘next man up’ mentality against the Capitals.
Adam Gehrig and Sam Wall stepped up at the weekend – determined to lift their team.
“Adam (Gehrig) was awesome and put the team on his back,” he said.
“He was the focal point of our offence and he was making good shot selections in open space, that he had created.
“And Sam Wall really stood out in his performance.
“I put him in the starting line-up for the first time and it was the best I’ve seen him play.
“He helped control the team and put on good points, in addition to fascinating the play.
The women went down to Brisbane earlier on in the day, 78-71, putting their record for the season at 4 wins and 1 loss, sitting second on the ladder.
ROUND 4
After recording their best start to a season in more than a decade, the Toowoomba Mountaineers have gone from the hunters to the hunted.
Undefeated in their first four games of the 2023 QSL1 season, the women’s team have set the benchmark for themselves, for the remainder of the season.
“I don’t think any of us expected to be where we are now,” coach Matt Cox said.
“We had aspirations of making the playoffs and having a competitive season but winning our first four games is a welcome surprise.
“Honestly, it has been a massive turnaround.”
After claiming a huge 71-66 win over title favourites Brisbane Capitals on Saturday, the side played secured a win over Gold Coast Rollers less than 24 hours later.
The lead changed 30 times throughout the game before the Mountaineers secured a 58-53 win.
“The game was very frantic, and chaotic for the most part,” Cox said.
“We couldn’t make our shots and nothing was working, and I actually told them at halftime to ‘chill out’, we have an offensive plan and that they needed to just trust themselves and stick to it.”
Cox put the win down to the team sticking together in the tough moments and thriving as a collective.
“The shift in the culture and the positivity the girls have is drastically different to yesteryear, and they all have the belief and trust in each other,” he said.
“They all want each other to succeed, which means there aren’t any passengers and each player has a role.”
TOP PERFORMERS
Francis Donders: Putting together two stellar performances and leading from the front, Donders has put up big minutes and numbers consistently, competing on every play and teaching the juniors along the way.
Ashleigh Lynch: Missing out in their clash with Brisbane, Lynch didn’t let this knock her back, putting together a clutch fourth quarter performance against the Rollers scoring 10 of the team’s 12 points, leading her side to victory.
Brittany Hayes: The captain and ever reliable put together two solid performances in both games, providing a calm head and direction for her teammates in tough situations.
ROUND 3
A combined 71-point differential gave the men’s and women’s Mountaineers plenty to celebrate after they thrashed their Round 2 QSL opponents at the weekend.
Travelling down the range and facing off against the North Gold Coast Seahawks, the Mountaineers secured another double, extending their fantastic starts to the season.
WOMEN’S
FT: 72-51
Establishing an early lead and having better defensive efficiency set the women up for a comfortable 21-point victory at the weekend.
With his side improving in some areas but still lacking finesse in others, coach Matt Cox was pleased to come away with the win.
“I’m very pleased with the win and the girls put in a solid performance but there are still many areas we need to tighten up,” Cox said.
“The girls showed good intent especially in defence though their ball pressure, and shutting down passing lanes, which enabled them to get an early lead.
“But they did become a bit complacent in the fourth (quarter) and we allowed them to score a lot more points than I would have liked.
“Our rebounding both offensively and defensively is still not where I would like us to be, we need to show more intent and be more aggressive in wanting to win the ball as opposed to letting it bounce in front of us.”
Unfortunately for the Mountaineers star centre Kirstyn Lunniss succumbed to an injury in the first quarter that ruled her out for the remainder of the contest.
The team are still waiting on results of scans however the loss of Lunniss means their rebounding struggles may be exacerbated in their Round 4 and 5 clashes with the Brisbane Capitals and Gold Coast Rollers this Saturday (away) and Sunday (home at UniSQ Sport and Recreation Centre) 7 May.
TOP PERFORMERS
Laura Conway: The young guard was outstanding for the Neers with her strong back-court pressure and ability to shut down passing lanes in defence. Conway was one of the best on court and a menace for the Sharks offensive players.
Francis Donders: The veteran guard once again stood up in the pressure moments, most notably in defence. She is currently leading the league for steals with an average of 6.5 per game despite having played two less matches.
Charlotte Melksham: The rookie had yet another standout performance with her ability to create her own space at the offensive end, she is playing well above her age and is showing a lot of promise.
MEN’S
FT: 95-45
Demolishing the Sharks by a 50-point margin, the men’s team put up an all-round team performance with five of their players scoring in the double digits.
Cooper Sparksman (10), Cameron Weber (11), Adam Gehrig (17), Sam Wall (13) and Seth Ham (14) combined for 65 of their side’s 95 point total.
The side are unbeaten in their first two games and are looking to continue this streak during their double-header this weekend against the Capitals and the Rollers.
ROUND 2 – BYE
ROUND 1
The Toowoomba Mountaineers celebrated a rare Queensland State League basketball double at the weekend.
Opening their 2023 season at home, both Mountaineers side were too good for the visiting USC Rip City.
With Kirstyn Lunniss dominating the key, the Mountaineers led at every quarter to secure a 66-52 win.
The men however were made to work a lot harder for their win.
Looking to exact a small amount of revenge on the team that beat them in last season’s semi-final the Mountaineers turned a halftime deficit into a seven point win.
Trailing 42-26 at the main break they fought back to secure a 77-70 win.
MEN’S
FT: 77-70
Trailing by 16 points and struggling to the hit their shots, the Mountaineers were staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat on Saturday.
The home side however blew away the visiting Rip City in the third quarter.
Off the back of some intense lock down defence the Mountaineers outscored their rivals 26-11 in the quarter before going on to record a quality win.
“Basically in the first two quarters we were not being aggressive enough offensively and because of that we were taking poor shots, leading to Rip getting possession and quickly piling on points,” coach Sean Connelly said.
“In the second half we changed that.
“We had better shot selection and we crowded them in defence.
“It took us a half to get there but once we did, we restricted them to 11 points in the third, allowing our offence to go to work.”
After a first half punctuated by poor selection and unforced errors Connelly praised his team’s grit and ability to establish patterns of play that resulted in their win.
“We want to be a team that prides ourselves as being proactive on the defensive end and in doing that, we want our opponents to play re-actively, meaning we can take control and dictate the game,” he said.
“All in all, it was a very solid gritty win that will be a good learning tool for the season ahead.”
WOMEN’S
FT: 66-52
Winning all four quarters, the Mountaineers women produced one of their best performances in recent memory.
After a scrappy opening period, the home side controlled large portions with a mix of free-flowing and gritty play.
The home were especially effective at forcing errors out of the visiting Rip City with solid defensive pressure across the court.
“That’s a really good start for us and a great confidence booster,” coach Matt Cox said.
“A lot of the core (playing roster) has returned from last year and we’ve got some unfinished business after that ending to last season, so it was a really strong and solid platform to start our season.
“All of the team played their roles well and had their own individual contributions for the night, in particular Charlotte (Melksham) and Gabrielle (Seaby), both new signings for us, really stepped up to this level and played very well.”
While very impressed with his side’s performance Cox stressed there is still work to be done.
“One of the things that we need to work on is that defensive pressure,” Cox said.
“When they get in the free-throw area, they could kick it out to the edges and shoot longer range shots in open space; otherwise our defensive work was pretty solid.
New signing Charlotte Melksham echoed her coach’s thoughts.
“I think it was pretty good for a first hitout, definitely a positive result and a good platform for us to build our season off of,” Melksham said.
“I think we can play even better if we push the pace and control the flow of the game a bit more than we did tonight, and we need to be more assertive on our defensive rebounds, but other than that I though the girls all put in a good game.”
Young gun Kianah Lynch attributed the team’s early success to their off-season work.
“I think playing GBL pre-season games helped us a lot with our cohesion and communication, but there is still room for us to improve with our rebounds, we need to fix that otherwise we’ll make it tough for ourselves,” Lynch said.
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