USC Ripcity star trio shoot down Toowoomba Mountaineers in stunning QSL performance

A star USC Ripcity trio spoiled the chance for the Toowoomba Mountaineers to book their spot in finals in the penultimate round of the QSL campaign. Check out the biggest talking points from the clash as they now prepare for a nail-biting final round of the season.

Toowoomba Mountaineers player Laura Conway. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The Toowoomba Mountaineers’ hopes of locking in a finals spot ahead of the final round were shattered on Sunday as USC Ripcity – sparked by a stunning performance by their star trio – produced a sensational 87-54 win.

The Mountaineers would have confirmed their spot in this year’s finals series with a win but will now have to wait until next week to try and book their spot in the post-season.

Check out the biggest talking points from the clash here.

Mountaineers have no answer for star trio

If two players score 20 or more points for your side, you are not going to lose too many games.

On the rare occasion that three players score upwards of 20 points each, then you are almost certain to claim victory.

Ripcity had three players reach that mark as Camryn Hughes (28), Madeline Campbell (20) and Jazmin Blundell (20) single-handedly outscored the Mountaineers.

Hughes was at her best with a scintillating 28-point, 16-rebound double-double – shooting 13-27 from the field.

Amazingly, despite her devastating display, not a single bucket came from beyond the arc, as she made 13 twos and two free throws.

The star trio made a statement early in the contest as they scored 23 of USC’s 25 first-quarter points to help the hosts take a 12-point lead at the opening break.

From there, there was no stopping Ripcity as they led for more than 38 minutes of the game.

Shock defensive lapse

Strong defence has been at the heart of the Mountaineers’ upward trajectory over the last three seasons and has been a staple of Matt Cox’s side this year in their quest for back-to-back finals berths.

Heading into this game, Toowoomba conceded on average just 67 points per game and have been elite in shutting down their opponents’ offence.

It has been a common occurrence for the Mountaineers to hold their rivals to a team field goal percentage of well under 30 per cent, but Sunday’s game did not follow that trend.

Ripcity scored more than 20 points in three of the four quarters and shot the ball at an impressive 39.76 per cent from the field, while also earning several trips to the line.

While Toowoomba has generally been one of the elite sides at defending in the paint, the hosts were a class above close to the rim as they scored 48 points in the paint and 17 points on the fast break.

Mia Stower for the Toowoomba Mountaineers. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mountaineers duo impress despite the result

With the Mountaineers suffering a heavy 33-point defeat, there would not have been too many positives that coach Cox could take from the game, but the efforts of Laura Conway and Mia Stower would not have gone unnoticed.

Captain Stower had a 15-point, 16-rebound double-double and shot 60 per cent from the field, while Conway chipped in with eight points from the bench at a solid 44.44 per cent.

However, what was most interesting about the performances of these two players was their plus/minus.

Both players were on the court for more than half the game but Stower had a plus/minus of just -3 from her 24 minutes, while Conway was -6 from her 21 minutes.

While both players would have liked to have been in the positive, the fact they were both almost even despite the blowout result speaks depths about how important they are to Toowoomba’s system.

Thrilling final round awaits

Unlike the men’s QSL competition, where the four teams in finals have already been decided, there is still plenty of twists and turns ahead in the women’s competition.

There are just two wins separating the seventh-placed Southern Districts Spartans and the third-placed Northside Wizards but with the Spartans and Mountaineers both playing double-headers, anything can happen in the final round.

Toowoomba remains in fourth-place and can book a spot in finals with a win over the Spartans on Saturday.

However, if they suffer a defeat in that clash, then their hopes of making finals will rest on their performance against the unbeaten Brisbane Capitals on Sunday.

The Capitals are 13 from 13 this season and have scored a stunning 1021 points, while conceding just 761.