Just a week after Ipswich’s Senior Women achieved cup glory, the club’s Under-16 girls are heading to another National Cup final after two wins this weekend over Surrey Goldhawks, writes Rob Schatten.

Ipswich Star: The Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKAThe Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKA (Image: Pavel.Kricka@btinternet.com)

Coach Hayley Rigby’s team kicked off with a 79-59 league victory on Saturday in a close and fast-past game. The hosts held an eight-point lead at half time, and although Surrey came out fighting in the 3rd quarter, Ipswich were able to pull out a 12-point lead heading into the final quarter.

A clinical fourth-quarter performance allowed Ipswich to finish the game with a 20-point lead ready to match up again with Surrey on Sunday in the Cup semi-final. Scoring was led by Esther Little (23), Ella Pearson (17) and Cameron Taylor-Willis (15).

Saturday’s game set the tone for Sunday’s encounter, Surrey fighting back hard after the previous day’s defeat. The end of the first quarter saw the visitors lead by five.

Ipswich were unable to find their defensive intensity until late in the second quarter which changed the tone of the game and saw Ipswich ahead by seven at half time.

Ipswich Star: The Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKAThe Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKA (Image: Pavel.Kricka@btinternet.com)

In the second half, Ipswich settled into the game and found their rhythm to run out to a 10-point lead which was enough to fire them into the cup final on 24th February. Little top-scored again with 21, while Pearson added 20 and Taylor-Willis 11.

In the weekend’s other games, the Under-18s pulled off an important victory over visitors Bucks Hornets to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Ipswich blew the game open with a 29-point first quarter and didn’t let up from there on with a strong defensive performance.

Coach Kevin Manning and the Under-14 Girls came away from powerhouse programme Haringey Angels with a six-point loss despite a dogged performance from the Suffolk girls.

Ipswich Star: The Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKAThe Ipswich team thank the crowd after their win the National Cup semi-final. Picture: PAVEL KRICKA (Image: Pavel.Kricka@btinternet.com)

The Angels build a ten-point lead by the end of the third quarter and although Ipswich chipped away by winning the final frame, they couldn’t get close enough to extend the game. Annika Brown had 11 points, followed by Alicia Boddy and Millie Pearson on ten apiece.

The Under-14 Boys suffered from a torrid first quarter in Milton Keynes and were unable to recover from going down by 19 early on. Harrison Gregg scored 18 points, and Idriss Lebbie contributed 13.