BASKETBALL: Ipswich Bobcats Cadettes 79 Hastings Arrows 66. The Ipswich Bobcats Cadette finished their regular National League season with a comfortable 79-66 win over the visiting Hastings Arrows at Maidenhall Sports Centre.

Ipswich Bobcats Cadettes 79 Hastings Arrows 66

THE Ipswich Bobcats Cadette finished their regular National League season with a comfortable 79-66 win over the visiting Hastings Arrows at Maidenhall Sports Centre.

The Bobcats were able to field their strongest team and this proved too much for the Arrows.

The starting five of Charlotte Dunne, Natalie Field, Kayleigh Read, Kayleigh Button and Lauren Lindsay showed what a powerful unit they can be as they raced into a 14-0 lead after five minutes. This prompted a time-out by Hastings coach Radmilla Turner in an attempt to halt the fast-breaking Bobcats.

Further points from Button, Read and Field saw the Bobcats in total command, but a late flurry of baskets from the impressive Kate Butters meant that the Ipswich youngsters led at the end of the quarter 23-11.

Hastings began to find their feet as the second quarter progressed, but they could not convert this into points and the Bobcats through Read (nine points) were almost out of sight, holding a 35-13 lead. Possession and baskets were traded and at half-time as Ipswich held a very healthy 52-34 lead.

Coaches Pete Somers and Karen Read rang the changes in the third-quarter, with Lois Nunn, Vicky Smith, Kerry Moore and Rachel Brockman all getting a chance to show their skills.

The momentum was lost slightly with the changes, but Ipswich managed to take the quarter 17-12, after further points from Button, Nunn, Lindsay and Read.

The score at the end of the quarter was 69-46 and the final quarter gave both teams a chance to run their respective benches giving the younger players a chance to gain valuable experience for the future.

There was certainly no lack of effort or commitment from all the players with Hastings having their best part of the match, taking the quarter 20-10. However this was not enough and the Bobcats ended comfortable 79-66 winners.

Ipswich Bobcats players and scorers: C Dunne 18, A Dunne, K Button 9, V Smith 5, L Lindsay 13, K Read 18, N Field 12, L Nunn 4, R Brockman and K Moore.

Hastings Arrows players and scorers: A Bromhead 4, R Marden 3, T Algar 18, B Hart 6, V Javal 5, A Corrigan 6, K Butters 22 and C Turner 2.

IF there are any young females (under 15) in the Ipswich area or indeed Suffolk/North Essex who would be interested in trying out then they are more than welcome to come to Holywells Dome on a Friday evening between 6pm and 7.30pm. There is a lot more information about the club on its website www.ipswichbobcats.net