She Cranes tame Calypso Girls, eye netball WC last four

                           Pld Won Pts
England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿          3   3   6
South Africa 🇿🇦    2   2   4
Uganda 🇺🇬          3   2   4
Jamaica  🇯🇲         3   1   2
Scotland  🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿        2   0   0
Tri&Tobago🇹🇹    3    0   0

Liverpool, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | In the first ever meeting between Trinidad and Tobago and Uganda, the shooting firepower of both teams was evident throughout.

From the very start of the first quarter it was clear that very little separated the two sides; much of the action throughout the fifteen minutes was goal-for-goal.

The lowest shooting statistic in the quarter was 90% from Peace Proscovia, whilst the goal attacks on both sides, Kalifa McCollin and Stella Oyella, fired at 100%.

It was the Calypso Girls that eventually edged in front before things returned back to type, with the first quarter ending 17-15 to Trinidad and Tobago.

Quarter two saw Uganda seize early momentum, and with a turnover they were able to draw things level.

With Mary Nuba Cholock joining McCollin and Oyella at 100%, the goals continued to pour in one after the other.

Uganda finally found and converted their second turnover of the quarter as the fifth minute began to tick away but an errant pass into Cholock undid their hard work and Trinidad and Tobago were able to capitalize on the error.

Inspired by the opportunity gifted to them to draw things level, Trinidad and Tobago took the initiative again to break the goal-for-goal rhythm, reversing the early lead had Uganda established. As the whistle blew for half time the score was 31-30 to the Calypso Girls.

As things continued to tick over goal-for-goal once more in the third quarter, a footwork foul from Cholock threatened to allow Trinidad and Tobago to extend their lead, however a three-second infringement triggered by a strong all-court defense from the She Cranes meant they re-gathered possession.

This to-and-fro nature of proceedings stirred the She Cranes into a turnover and a steady stream of three goals in a row, with both Uganda shooters still at 100% as they took the lead once more from the Calypso Girls.

But this run of goals was immediately matched and then beaten by Trinidad and Tobago, who added one extra to take the lead back.

Responding to the momentum swing, Proscovia was brought back on for Cholock, which proved a savvy decision from coach Vincent Kiwanuka as Proscovia’s presence shifted things back in the She Cranes’ favour.

As the quarter ticked down, Uganda were able to push their lead to five goals, and went into the final quarter 46-41 up.

Strong zonal defence kicked the fourth quarter into action, with the She Cranes each manning their players to force a turnover on the Calypso Girls’ centre.

But the favour was soon returned and Trinidad and Tobago began to slowly eat into the Ugandan lead after a string of three goals were scored.

An ill-timed miss from Samantha Wallace, however, stopped the Calypso Girls from being able to draw things back level and they were held at three goals adrift for the most part of the final quarter, eventually falling to a 57-54 defeat.

Uganda captain Peace Proscovia said: “I feel overwhelmed with joy to win that game. Most importantly the confidence that the players had to go out there – especially playing a team like Trinidad and Tobago – with very limited error rate was a hard one, we just needed to be very clinical and innovative but that’s what the team did, and I’m so proud of that.”

Samantha Wallace, Trinidad and Tobago’s goal shooter, said: “It was a good contest. We knew they were going to come out and give their best. Everybody wants to improve their rankings so we knew what we were in for.

“I think we did really well I’m really impressed with the girls; compared to other games, I’m really impressed with them.”

*****

SOURCE: nwc2019.co.uk