University of Western Australia
This week, the Maali were eastbound for a Sydney double header against The University of Sydney and UTS, coming away with both wins and losses.
The trend of the men taking it down to the wire to seal a win continued on Tuesday against The University of Sydney, with a 3-pointer from Rhys Hohenstein scraping the Maali through to a 3 point win in the dying seconds. The Maali had a slow start to the game, with USYD taking an early 20-point lead. However, the Maali came back in the third quarter with an almost 30-point turn around to win 98-101.
Tuesday's game against USYD was a tough one for the Maali women, who showed great fight during the first half of the match. Although the Maali lost 75-49, the inclusion of some fresh faces in the squad gave the players valuable game time and exposure to the game day environment that the team can draw on in future matches.
The men's game against UTS on Wednesday was a physical one, with the opposition challenging the Maali's offence and defence throughout the game. Finishing the game with an 82-73 loss, this was a disappointing one for the team. However, as with every loss, the team now have the opportunity to reflect and improve before heading into their final matches of the season.
Finally, the women's match against UTS saw sensational teamwork, with multiple players taking shots when the opportunity presented itself. A highlight of the game was Jaide Britton, who was able to steal the ball and make fast breaks throughout the game. The Maali finished the game on top, with a final score of 54-86 to the Maali.
Following these results, the Maali men are sitting at 3rd on the ladder, and the women are sitting at 6th having played the least amount of games in the league.
Next week will see the the Maali close out the season at home with two epic games against La Trobe University on Tuesday 25 May and the University of Melbourne on Wednesday 26 May. These games will determine who makes it to the finals, and the Maali need the suport of a strong home crowd to get there.
Claim your free tickets to both games via the links below.