Mystics Reports
Mystics News for 2009-10
16 November 2009
Young Mystics North West of England Representation
This weekend 21st/22nd November sees a number of Mystics girls representing the North West of England at the Inter Regional Tournament at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire.
Leah McDerment (making her fourth and final appearance at this competition) will Captain the North West team, along with Anna and Lucy Williams, Aleiah Johnson, Kelly Humphreys and Gina Brierley. All the girls are part of the current Under 14s team.
The girls have been training hard under the guidance of North West coach, Jim Carnegie, and are looking forward to an exciting weekend of top level basketball.
Congratulations to all the girls on your selection and good luck in the tournament.
15 November 2009
Under 16 Mystics 91 - 36 Under 16 Sefton Stars
Sefton Stars were our latest opponents but, sadly for them, they failed to twinkle and it was Mystics under 16s who were on a different planet. I opted for a big line-up at the beginning, with the extremely tall Katie Rowlands, the very tall Molly Campbell, the tall Leah McDerment, the quite tall Holly (gold) Rush plus the diminutive Lucy Rogan (Josh). Katie and Molly wasted no time in causing mayhem inside while Leah and Holly provided the outside threat, as Lucy just watched and clapped.(Not really.She was all over her 'man' like a rash.) 13-4 then became 26-11( but not due to a scoreboard malfunction) as we went small and quick by way of Ashley Tensel, Danny Griffiths, Cath Meakin, Natalie Feurtado and Melissa ('I'll try not to fall on the floor so much') Golaub. These 5 pressed the opposition so relentlessly for the next 5 minutes that it made me out of breath just watching!
Thanks to the hard work of coach, Abe Mattar, Sefton have scored a lot of points so far this season. Today, however, they found the Mystics' hard-working defense somewhat daunting and even their talented captain, Vicky wasn't Makin any real impression. Because I love playing cards, I continued to shuffle the pack and the appearance of Danielle Johnson and Kat Benson meant that all 12 girls had made it on court in the first quarter. Danielle signalled her arrival by swishing a shot from the short corner; Kat signalled hers by smiling at her dad.
If our defense had been effective in the first stanza, it was to be as tight as Mr. Blobby in a pair of size 6 jeans in the second. Sefton only managed 2 baskets. By contrast, we poured in 22 points via 8 different players, as all 12 girls were again given court time.
48-15 soon became 56-15, as Katie and Leah combined for 4 very quick baskets. Although there were still 17 minutes remaining, I decided to use those team members due to play for the under 18s the next day in the same way that Ryan Giggs uses his right foot.... sparingly. Danny and Nat, in particular, made full use of this opportunity. Danny tried hard to rip off a few arms on any held balls and Nat did her best to break the world land speed record on the fast break!
It was that kind of day. Leah definitely set a new British record for the long jump when scoring a lay up from the half-way line and Ashley did likewise for the high jump by almost hitting her head on the ring taking a rebound.
Even with most of our more experienced players largely confined to the bench, we still contrived to score 43 second half points to win the game 91-36. Yet again, the team showed that it would share its last Rolo with one another as Katie, Nat, Leah, Ash and Cath all finished in double figures, with Lucy, Holly and Danny not far off.
For information, Lily (Crompton) has uprooted! she has moved clubs to Sefton, where she has a greater chance of playing more often. We wish her well. This means, with Rose and Fern now too old, and Lily leaving, it's now left to Holly (without Ivy) and Ash to ensure that everything in the garden remains rosey.
Thanks for your support, match fees and food bags everybody.
Jim 15/1109
12 November 2009
Mystics Under 16s 90 - 30 Stockport Under 16 Girls
Tuesday was Cup night. We had a bye in the first round, which was good.(Good bye?) Stockport were our opponents in the second round. We had not found it easy in the away game on 17 October (all that travelling!) and were expecting a tough encounter. In the event, all that was tough about Tuesday was the lamb chop I had for lunch!
For the first 5 or 6 minutes, I resembled 1 of the 7 dwarves ... Grumpy, partly because it had taken me 80 minutes to travel across Manchester and partly because we started with as much life as a pack of zombies. We stuttered into a 9-5 lead, mainly thanks to Molly Campbell who did, at least, appear awake! Once I chilled, we improved and settled into our rhythm towards the end of the 1st quarter which we won 15-7. Some might consider this a diminutive lead but it would soon turn into an 'undiminutive' one.
We picked up our defense considerably during the second stanza and its intensity - exemplified, as ever by Lucy Rogan, Mel Golaub, Natalie Feurtado, Cath Meakin and Holly Rush - sucked the life out of Stockport. (Rather than being zombies, we were now more like vampires!) Our policy of using Molly and Katie Rowlands in, as opposed to on a, tandem caused endless problems for our neighbours, with Katie leading the way (mainly because she was the only one with a map!). We amassed a staggering 31 points during a 10 minute blitz whilst our disheartened opponents could only muster 6 in reply.
With a sizeable lead of 33 (46-13), the girls deserve praise for remaining focused after the break. Their all-round display must have scared the living daylights out of the watching Cheshire Jets coach who was slowly turning the colour of a pint of milk. Leah McDerment and Molly were in complete control offensively and our passing was crisp and incisive. Nevertheless, the highlight of the 3rd period was inadvertently provided by Nat. Her no-look-pass-cum-shot from 15 feet with her eyes closed and her mouth open which slipped effortlessly out of her hand and into the net topped everything. As the ball swished, she looked as surprised as if she'd just won a free climbing holiday in Holland!
The 4th quarter again saw a steady flow of baskets, with Ashley Tensel catching the eye at both ends of the court. Kayleigh Johnson weighed in with some good defensive work and we shot well from the free-throw line. Everyone continued to get good court time (no-one was found guilty!) and Holly shot the lights out from the short corner. To their credit, Stockport did pull themselves together and scored 13 of their 30 in this period. It was, however, like a dwarf who missed the train because he couldn't see over the barrier (too little ,too late) and our huge margin of victory at 90-30 was fully deserved.
Pleasingly, once again the points were shared, with Katie, Leah, Molly, Holly and Ashley all in double figures. All that remains is to see if Nat can teach the others her trick shot in time for the Sefton game on Saturday and for today's thought for the day: Did Beethoven write loud music because he was deaf?
Thanks for your great support and sandwiches.
Jim 12/11/09
10 November 2009
Mystics Under 16s 62 - 22 Barrow Under 16 Girls
The major pre-match concern on game day 3, apart from whether or not the previously spotted, but yet to arrive, Barrow minibus, had disappeared in the south Manchester equivalent of the Bermuda triangle, was how our catering auxiliaries, Jill Ramsey and Jane Oliver would arrange the food bags to the satisfaction of head chef Delia McDerment. Delia was also worried that 1 of the referees was like her television - unlicensed.
Once the ladies had decided not to cut the crusts off the sandwiches. we were able to focus on the game. Our opponents looked big and athletic during the warm up and so it proved to be. Their speed, rebounding strength and tight zone made a third successive points tally of 116 for Mystics as likely as Wayne Rooney being voted the world's most handsome man. We fed the ball inside to Katie Rowlands early on and drew some fouls as a result but failed to repeat the process often enough for it to cause problems for Barrow. It was left to Cath Meakin - transformed from being versatile last week to acting as a laxative this time round- to get us going with the first 4 points of the game. Leah McDerment then hit the first of her 3 three pointers while Holly Rush and Kayleigh Johnson also registered from outside to give us a 15-6 lead after the first quarter.
Selective use of the press disrupted Barrow's rhythm and enabled us to establish a comfortable cushion by way of a 10-2 spurt. Lucy Rogan excelled at the head of the press, during which a totally innocent body slam on Barrow's Paige Carr left their captain taking an early bath and to Lucy being crowned light weight wrestling champion of England. In the same vein, the introduction of Danny Griffiths livened proceedings further as she tried to steal Lucy's crown by systematically seeking to take out the opposition one by one as she dived on the floor more often than Christine Ronaldo!
With our fast break being stifled by our opponents' speed, we had to find other ways to score against their zone. We shared the ball intelligently and showed admirable patience which led to good shot selection. By half-time we were up 33-11, with Katie Rowlands totally dominant on the defensive boards and everyone playing sound 'd.'
Despite the absence of Molly Campbell, who had been tortured into having to play the only sport where players fall asleep on court, we were further hampered by Leah being troubled by a sore leg. She still managed to control the game but played fewer minutes than usual. This gave the diminutive Danny Johnson a chance to be like the sun. Danny was like a musical score on the ball - composed - and rarely turned it over. However, in the spell when Leah, Holly, Lucy and Cath were sitting down together, we were a bit like a damp firework in that we lacked spark and only managed 1 basket in the opening 5 minutes of the third stanza. That said, during this time Danny J, Kayleigh, Kat Benson, Katie and Hannah Alty, who can be very pleased with her debut at this level, all played excellent defense to restrict Barrow to a mere 3 points themselves. A late surge off the bench ended the period on a high and increased our lead to 31, going in to the final 10 minutes.
Our slick passing and thoughtful movement eventually told on our gallant opponents. We notched 14 points in just 5 minutes to make it 59-18. With our leading lights again benched, we did switch off (pun!) and concede the last 5 minutes 3-4 to run out 62-22 winners. Leah led all scorers with 17 which is not bad on 1 leg! Cath and Holly both impressed once more and did the bulk of the rest of the scoring in what was a clinical, rather than stunning performance. Although we dominated throughout, proceedings appeared rather low key, mainly due to a lack of atmosphere. There were no other games going in in the centre and I've heard more noise in a library! Nevertheless, there were plenty of positives from a team containing more Under 14s and Under 15s than Under 16s. All of the girls remained entirely focused and team spirit was high. The same will be required if we are to overcome Stockport in the Cup on Tuesday.
Thought for the day: If a man says something and there isn't a woman around to hear what he said, is he still wrong?
Jim 10/11/09
4 November 2009
A Successful Double Header sees the Mystics rise to the top!
Sefton Stars 46 – 58 Manchester Mystics
After two wins in the league this weekend, the Mystics have moved to the top of EBL Women’s Division 2 North.
On Saturday, the Mystics played Ilkeston, and the younger Mystics shone through, playing tough in all 4 quarters. They were able to mix defences and never looked liked losing the game, with the final score 109 – 44. Mystics once again had new names on the top scorers list - this time Ashley Woodacre top scored with 20 points, another great sign for the future with the young girls having an impact.
The next day, the trip to Sefton proved to be somewhat tougher. Again, the Mystics had one or two key injuries, and one or two coming back from injury, but all credit goes to Sefton and their coach who came out fighting, and made the game very difficult for the Mystics. Sefton played aggressive man-to-man defense, and did a good job attacking the offensive boards, their player, Cass, especially grabbing rebounds and scoring, in and around the basket.
After a slow start, the Mystics had to lift their intensity and do a better job of being more aggressive on offense, and getting higher percentage shots. Improved defense slowed down Sefton’s scoring, and got the Mystics going, and scores were close all the way in to the 4th quarter. The pressure defense of the Mystics told in the final stanza, sparking the offense, and saw the Mystics score 20 points, to make the final score Sefton Stars 46 – 58 Manchester Mystics.
The Mystics now look ahead to an action-packed weekend - playing Preston on Saturday at 7:30pm, followed by a big game on Sunday in the National Cup against local rivals, Stockport, for a place in the last 8! Tip-off on Sunday is 7pm at the Amaechi Basketball Centre, and it’s sure to be a great game!
3 November 2009
Under 16 Manchester Mystics 116 - 29 Newcastle
Despite taking a very young team up to the wild north-east (only 3 of the side are ineligible next season), courtesy of 'All scousers know a man with a van,' our day out proved to be both profitable and enjoyable. Travelling together undoubtedly has a positive effect on team bonding and this was very evident on and off court today. Newcastle started the day above us in the Northern Conference league table by virtue of having played 1 game more. This is no longer the case!
With the versatile Cath Meakin deservedly finding her way into the starting 5, we, literally, sprinted into a 16-0 lead after only 5 minutes. Apart from the speed, accuracy and range of passing, what was most gratifying about such an electrifying opening was that Lucy Rogan, Leah McDerment, Molly Campbell and Holly Rush had already all helped themselves to 4 points apiece. When a team spreads the scoring, it makes it difficult for the opposition and enhances team spirit.
The introduction of the vastly improving Katie Rowlands and the fearless Danny Griffiths brought more of the same, as they, too, popped in 2 baskets each within 3 minutes of coming on. I had asked the girls to try to beat their man up and down court on every possession. Being an extremely obedient group, they did so admirably and this led to a succession of fast break opportunities for everyone. This was due, in part to their willingness to run hard and to the defensive rebounding of Molly, Holly, Polly and Dolly. (For the last 2 read Katie and Kat Benson.) Only Lolly didn't pull her weight. Even so, this tactic would not have been anything like as productive as it was were we not blessed with having a truly outstanding long-range passer in our midst. Some of Leah's passes left even the 3 Nolan Sisters -Jill, Jane and Angie- speechless! (Not an easy task!)
The 1st quarter ended with the Mystics up 32-8, in spite of some strange interpretations of the rules from a not-so-diminutive referee and his grandad. We then ran in a further unanswered 30 points without the hint of a press. This included scores from Kayleigh Johnson and Cath Meakin. Newcastle, to their credit, did cash in on several defensive lapses we had in the closing moments of the second stanza, brought about by either paralysis or ball watching, to bring it to 66-16 at half-time.
As we had emphatically demonstrated our ability to run a devastating fast break, I was keen for the girls to get something else out of the 2nd half. I suggested slowing it down and capitalising on our size advantage by running some high-low post moves. Leah did her best to orchestrate this but open players under opponents' baskets aren't easy to ignore.
The fact that everybody again saw plenty of the ball after the interval meant that the points were shared so that no less than 6 of our 9 team members hit double figures. From a final score of 116-29, Molly led the way with 22, closely followed by Katie's 20, Leah's 19, Lucy's 17, with Holly, who looked really sharp today on 16 and Kat on 10. Danny, Cath and Kayleigh left the bulk of the scoring to those 6 on this occasion but all contributed positively in other ways, particularly to the singing on the way home!
The only downers on an otherwise delightful trip were that Angie's chicken dinner ended up as charcoal due to the A1 having a 10mph speed limit (or was that just the minibus?) and me having to snuggle up to a bloke on the front seat for 3 hours!
Jim 2/11/09
26 October 2009
Manchester Mystics 99 – 26 Preston Pride
The Mystics continued their good start to the season with a convincing victory over newcomers Preston Pride. Once again facing a team that played Zone all game, the Mystics were aggressive from the outset, moved the ball well and attacked the basket. The tight defence that has been a hallmark of the Mystics was evident, holding the visitors to just 4 points in the first quarter.
Rotating the bench and getting everyone involved, the Mystics continued to play up-tempo team basketball. The quality of the home team remained, even with different line-ups and a variety of defences, the halftime score being 55-14.
In the 2nd half, the Manchester team took the opportunity to give their younger players some experience. The Preston team kept battling throughout the game with jump shots from Whitehead and Whitrylak and an increased defensive effort.
The Mystics pushed on, looking for 100 points but in the final seconds, Blakeway missed a well-worked 3-point attempt in the corner, but the rebound was scored, making the final score 99-26. Blakeway led all scorers with 20 points, Thivillier scored 14 for the 3rd game running, and youngsters Amy Bowen and Charlotte Hughes each had 11 points.
Coach Chris Straker said “I am very happy with the way the girls are developing at the moment, and our scores are a credit to the hard work that the girls have put in training through pre-season. It speaks highly of the girls that we had 4 girls missing through injury, but are still maintaining our quality, so that girls returning from injury will have to fight for their places in the team”.
25 October 2009
Manchester Mystics U16 110 - 20 Gateshead Storm U16
The Mystics U16s continued their impressive start to the season with a clinical display at home to Gateshead. Despite being over-run from the first minute to the last, the visitors deserve credit for their exemplary attitude and endeavour. Their heads never dropped and they showed some nice touches but were unable to match Mystics physically or technically.
It did not matter which 5 of the 12 players on show today were on court, the scenario was very similar- excellent team defense, up-tempo offense and great passing. Passing is very much a neglected art but these girls can zip the ball about almost telepathically. The point-guard spot was shared between Leah McDerment, Ashley Tensel and Danielle Johnson. Each one stamped their mark on the game in their own way.
Leah is a nightmare for any defense. She is so versatile. She again showed that she can go left or right, hit the 3, see the early pass, post up or penetrate and dish. Ashley poses different problems with her pace and tremendous strength. Like Leah, her passing today was of the highest order. I lost count of the number of assists these two made in the game.(I'm easily confused!) Danielle is unable to intimidate opponents physically and so her contribution tends to be more understated. She distributed the ball well and rarely turned it over. She should be pleased with her performance.
Having such talented, unselfish guards meant that the ball, and the points, were shared. This is great for team spirit and not so great for the opposition, especially when the ball goes inside to the ever-improving twin towers, Molly Campbell and Katie Rowlands.This formidable duo totally dominated the boards and give us a presence in the paint which could prove crucial as the season progresses.
A mammoth 31 points were registered in the opening 10 minutes and the next 10 saw little change. Mystics continued to move the ball quickly and accurately. The combination of ball and player movement proved too much for a young- looking, diminuative Gateshead side. The endless flow of pin-point passes from Leah and Ashley led to a plethora of fast break opportunities from the highly impressive quartet of willing runners in Lucy Rogan, Holly Rush, Melissa Golaub and Natalie Feurtado. At times, I thought the land speed record was in danger of being broken as they flashed up court! Herein, Lucy and Holly also showed their versatility because, with the game being played at such a fast pace, their outside shooting prowess was not called upon.
Turning round at 59-14 prompted even more frequent changes of personnel in the third quarter. This inevitably interupted our rhythm somewhat but we still managed to add 20 points to our tally with Cath Meakin, Danny Griffiths and Kat Benson showing everyone just how much they have improved since last season. Cath is now more confident and is developing a reliable medium-range jump shot as well as an explosive drive with either hand. Danny is a coach's dream. She makes little of her lack of size to be a genuine inside threat due to her tenacity and fearlessness. She passes the ball early and with power and has a nose for the rebound. Kat impessed me today. She was prominent both inside and out, hitting well from the short corner and getting several put-backs due to some smart mirror-image rebounding. These are both principles we work on in training which shows she listens and learns.
The fourth quarter was nothing short of an exhibition. The girls shared the basketball with great maturity, remained focused and did not let up defensively. For me, the two most pleasing aspects of the 116-20 victory were, firstly, that everyone played with smiles on their faces throughout. The team spirit was first-class. Secondly, no less than 6 of the team-Leah, Ashley, Cath, Molly,Kat and Lucy managed double figures, with a seventh,Natalie just 1short.
I now am convinced that we have at least 14 players of quality in our squad. Regretfully, I can't play everyone in every game but please remain patient and grab the opportunity when your chance comes. If our team work and team spirit remain as they are (and we train hard!), the sky is the limit.
Thanks again to parents for your invaluable support and assistance.
JIm.25/10/09
21 October 2009
Manchester Mystics 80 - 61 Sheffield Hallam Hatters
The Manchester Mystics kicked off their league season with a tough away victory at All Saints Sports Centre in Sheffield.
Uncharacteristically, the Sheffield team played zone defence all game which slowed down the Mystics early in the game, and made life difficult for the Manchester team, making the score 18-14 at the end of the 1st quarter. Slowly but surely the visitors found their way in to the game, gradually becoming more aggressive against the zone. However, missed shots meant that Manchester still trailed by 4 at half time.
First time starter, Tracey Caton, grew in confidence with every second on the court, using a variety of moves to attack the basket and create jump shots, and the Mystics took the lead in the 3rd quarter, leading by 6 going in to the final stanza. The Mystics’ defensive pressure and variety of defences was beginning to show on the home team, and more turnovers by Sheffield led to easy baskets for Manchester, who now began to build on their lead. Showing their strength and fitness, the Mystics pulled away as the 4th quarter drew on, the final score being Sheffield Hallam Hatters 61 – 80 Manchester Mystics.
Top Scorers
Sheffield: Campbell 15, Gangstad 15, Kirk 11
Manchester: Caton 22, Blakeway 17, Thivillier 11
18 October 2009
Under 16 Mystics first League Game of the Season
Stockport 45 - 80 Manchester Mystics
After a thoroughly successful pre-season comprising of 7 wins in 7 games against the likes of Sheffield, Killester, St.Mirren and Southend, the season proper began with a tricky away fixture at Stockport. With the majority of the home side being made up of girls from the talented Priestnall school team, Stockport were expected to be well organised, used to playing with each other and a tough nut to crack. Fortunately, we had plenty of nut crackers on hand.
The opposition opted to come out in a 212 zone and possess sufficient size, strength and pace to make things awkward for any team at this level. They scored the first 4 points as our girls took their time to get accustomed to the challenge. A few misplaced passes, hurried shots from too far out and an inability to prevent the Stockport guards leaking out on the break prompted an alteration to a full-court press. This immediately served its purpose by scattering the zone and upping our defensive intensity, leading to numerous turn overs by our flustered opponents.
We were now well in control with our quickest unit on the floor but then an injury to Ashley Tensel, one of our main scorers and leading stealers, forced us into a change. We went big with Molly Campbell and Katie Rowlands in tandem. This saw us call off the press but we could now be much more of an inside threat which would be no bad thing as only the hugely influential Leah McDerment was able to hit consistently from outside so far. The move worked well and we bagged 24 points in the opening 10 minutes despite not being at our fluent best.
A12 point swing had established an 8 point lead and with Ashley still troubled by her swollen finger, I decided to stay with the policy of trying to go inside and also to give everyone some court time. Without having to deal with the press, Stockport took the opportunity of slowing the game down and the 2nd quarter was a low scoring affair. We shaded the period 10-6, with Leah notching 6 of our 10.
Turning round at 34-22, I set the girls a target of trying to win the game by 30. This would not be easy against determined opponents who matched us physically in every way. Regular switches from pressing to going big caused continued problems for Stockport. We were now creating numerous scoring opportunities in the key. Not enough of them were converted but this can be put right at training. Even so, with Lucy Rogan, Cath Meakin, Holly Rush and Danny Griffiths (inspite of her long journey!) working tirelessly, we again managed a most creditable 24 points in the quarter to extend our lead at 58-34.
We were now far less tense and were passing the ball quickly and accurately. The fourth period proved to be very one-sided in terms of possession and chances created. Plenty were again missed, due mainly to poor use of the backboard, but we still ran in another 22 points with Katie, Lucy, Ashley, Leah, Molly, Holly and Kat Benson all contributing baskets in the quarter to finish at 80-45.
Top teams need players who are adaptable and smart. Prevented from playing our normal free-flowing up-tempo basketball by a good Stockport side, the girls found other ways of being effective. Leah led from the front. She decided to out-shoot the zone. By swishing 4 three pointers and collecting 29 points, her decision proved to be a sound one, in keeping with most things she does.
Ashley overcame the inconvenience of her injury to wade in with 12 points and she and Lucy made countless steals and deflections which led to easy scores for team-mates.
Molly and Katie pulled endless rebounds and hit 25 points between them. This pair will reek havoc once they learn to sight the target and bank the ball more consistently.
Holly and Kayleigh Johnson did not get as many open looks as they are used to but they contributed positively in other ways, with Holly being perfect from the free-throw line. Both worked very hard defensively and moved their feet well.
Cath's defensive display was as full of endeavour as it always is and she looked lively on offense. As did Danny. She put herself about in her usual fearless manner and fitted in well.
Kat did not see much of the ball but looked a threat from the short corner and showed that she is an ever-improving defender. As a consequence, it would be true to say that all 10 players were instrumental in our winning start. With a number of talented players unable to get a game this time, we have genuine strength in depth and competition for places should help to maintain a high standard of performance throughout the season.
Thanks to all parents present for their support and taxi sevice.
Jim. 18/10/09
14 October 2009
Mystics Shock Division 1 Northumbria in the 1st Round!
Team Northumbria 59 - 84 Manchester Mystics
Saturday saw the Manchester Mystics cause the biggest shock of the weekend, beating Division 1 Northumbria by 25pts at the Coach Lane Sports Centre in Newcastle.
The Mystics came out with tough defense and good offensive play from the break, rotating players in and out of the game early, and leading by as much as 9 in the 2nd quarter. Good shooting from Northumbria’s guards meant that the away team’s lead was just 3 at half-time.
The early stages of the 3rd were closely contested, but the Mystics never gave up their lead, and as the quarter drew on, the Mystics began to increase their lead again with good scoring inside, eventually leading by 9 at the end of the quarter.
In the final quarter, full-court intensity from the Mystics piled the pressure on the tiring Northumbria team, and the outside shots rained in from the Mystics who scored 30 points and finished the game with a 25 point lead.
This is a great start to the season for the young Mystics, who will now go on to face Stockport Lapwings at the Amaechi Basketball Centre in the next round.
8 July 2009
North West Winners
Our Mystics girls had a great weekend at Jesse Boot in the Inter-Regional Under 17 Competition. The North West were worthy winners with a win over Yorkshire in the Final by 71 - 59. The Mystics who took part were:
| Maeve Higham (Captain) |
| Nicolette Fonglyewquee |
| Tracey Caton |
| Holly Rush |
| Mollie Campbell |
| Charlotte Hughes |
| Ashley Woodacre |
Ably coached by Chris Straker (Manchester) and Nick Ibberson (Bury), the team represented the North West area extremely well, both on and off the floor.
2 July 2009
Inter-Regional Girls
The Inter-Regional Competition involves 10 areas, covering the whole of the country and for the Girls, it is to be held on 4/5 July at Jesse Boot Arena in Nottingham. The age-group for the competition is Under 17 and our Club will be well represented for the North West Region.
Congratulations to the following girls on their selection:
| Maeve Higham |
| Nicolette Fonglyewquee |
| Tracey Caton |
| Holly Rush |
| Mollie Campbell |
| Charlotte Hughes |
| Ashley Woodacre |
22 June 2009
The Mystics will play in Division 2 next season, due to many of the Senior girls moving on to other situations. Kelsey Bardsley and Charlotte Stoddart move to the States on scholarships and Kristie Sheils moves to Leeds CArnegie to continue her education and join the Basketball Academy in Leeds. We wish her well.
Emma Macready and Nicky Blakeway return next year and will be the mainstays of a very young team which will gain great experience at Division 2 level.
Reports of Season 2008/09 games will appear here
4 May 2009
This brief report of the Under 18 Girls Final at Cosford is from Peter Jacques website - Pawprint. See link on links page.
U-18 Women Final
Haringey Angels (20, 37, 48) 60
Manchester Mystics (15, 23, 34) 49
A gritty performance by Haringey saw them overcome a determined Manchester side, to regain the Under-18 Women's title which they had won for three years in a row from 2005 to 2007.
Haringey : Josephine Salmon 13; Ella Clarke 11 [+14 reb.; + 6 blocks]; Krystal Charles 9; Chanel Lassman 9; Miriam Seale 9; Jamilia Thompson 6; Chantel Charles 3; Shea Simpson; Charlene St. Marthe; Stephanie Duru dnp]; Niquelle LaTouche [dnp]; Teresa Jackson [dnp].
Manchester : Charlotte Stoddart 17 [+7 reb.; +6 steals]; Kirstie Shiels 15; Kelsey Bardsley 7; Lauren Quigley 5; Maeve Higham 2; Nicolette Fonglyewquee 2; Kerri-Leanne Taylor 1; Chelsea Tensel; Rosie Hynes [dnp]; Holly Rush [dnp].
20 March 2009
Young Mystics Shine in Schools Tournament
Four of the current Under 14s Mystics squad were in action last weekend at the England Schools National Finals at Nottingham Wildcats arena.
Kelly Humphreys, Anna and Lucy Williams and Leah McDerment were representing Priestnall School Stockport.
They finished as runners-up, losing only to Great Baddow who, unbeaten in the round-robin competition, went on to claim the title.
The weekend ended on a high with Leah being awarded tournament MVP as voted by opposition coaches.
The girls all had good court time, and coped admirably against some very strong teams and will find the experience invaluable leading up to the play-offs.
Well done girls.
20 January 2009
Mystics Under 18s win a thriller at the Amaechi BC to reach National Final!!
Sunday 18th January saw the Manchester Mystics face the Haringey Angels in the Under 18 Women’s National Cup Semi-final. The game proved to be a thriller as well as a great game of basketball!
A nervous start to the game saw Manchester playing good defence, but failing to convert their interceptions at the offensive end. Despite the missed lay-up opportunities, the game was close, with baskets from Maeve Higham keeping the home teams scoring ticking over. With both teams fighting hard to establish an early lead in the game, good outside shooting saw the visitors stretch out a 7-point gap seven minutes into the game.
Going in to the 2nd quarter, the Mystics lifted their intensity on defence and limited the turnovers that had cost them earlier in the game. Quality basketball on the part of both teams saw 3 lead changes in this quarter alone. Baskets from Charlotte Stoddart and a couple of 3’s from Kristy Shiels helped to bring the home team back level as the 1st half came to an end.
At half-time, the Manchester players spoke of execution and composure - two things they showed plenty of throughout the 2nd half.
In the 3rd quarter, excellent half-court offence, and contributions from all, meant the home team edged in fron, opening a small lead getting ahead by as many as 9 points towards the end of the quarter.
The team from Haringey came out fighting in the 4th, and scores from Renee Johnson-Allen, Krystal Charles and Thompson saw the Angels claw their way back into the lead with 3 minutes left to play in the game.
It was a nail-biting finish, with a basket from Kelsey Bardsley, followed by a 3-point play, a lay-up and 1 from Sheils. In the final minutes, 6 from 6 free throws by Stoddart and Nicolette Fonglyequee took the Manchester Mystics over the winning line and booked them a place in the National Cup Final!
This was a great game, well-fought by both teams. Chris Straker was very proud of the team’s performance and said “It was a great team effort with contributions from everybody; I was delighted with the focus and discipline of the players under pressure. Now we are looking forward to preparing well for the Final”.
The Mystics will take on Southend Swifts in the Final on Sunday February 8th at the Nottingham Wildcats Arena on the Women’s Day of Basketball 2009.
Chris Straker
25 November 2008
A tough loss for the Mystics!
Nottingham 75 - 62 Manchester Mystics
On Saturday 22 November, the Mystics returned to the land of Robin Hood, to face the Wildcats of Nottingham - the team which Mystics beat by 12 points in the Play-offs, to secure a place in the Final Fours in April. With an early lead, it looked like this game might turn out the same way. However, a closely fought game saw the home team pull away as the game went on, eventually winning the game by 13.
The first quarter started well for the visiting Mystics, good ball movement and attacking the basket saw Glessner pick up two early fouls and have to come out from the game. This was a big loss for the home side. Before the end of the half, both of Nottingham’s Centres had picked up 3 fouls, struggling to keep up with the Mystics’ dribble penetration.
Going in to the second quarter, both teams were making adjustments, as the game went back and forth, and every possession was toughly contested. Turnovers from Mystics helped the Wildcats put on a run, seeing them build a double digit lead. To their credit the young Mystics held there nerve, and found ways to break down the zone defence Nottingham had adopted, and found their way back in to the game. The lead for the home side at half time was 7 points down from 15 earlier in the quarter.
In the third quarter, the Manchester team did well scoring 21 points, with contributions from Flood, Sheils and Blakeway to try and get themselves into a position to win the game. Unfortunately, they gave away too many easy baskets, and the Wildcats extended their lead to 11.
In the fourth quarter, there was drama with a questionable non-restart of the shot clock during a Manchester offense which had the Mystics puzzled, but ultimately had no bearing on the outcome of the game. The contest was fought to the end, with the eventual outcome Nottingham Wildcats 75 - Manchester Mystics 62.
The Mystics are learning and growing with each game, and with continued progress, the squad and coaching staff are surethat the results will begin to go their way soon.
Top Scorers:
Mystics: Caitlin Flood 28, Kristie Sheils 10, Nicky Blakeway 8
Wildcats: Jill Glessner 27, Kate Butters 26, Hannah Shaw 13
12 November 2008
Manchester Mystics 48 - 78 London Acers
Saturday November 8th 2008
After two thrilling games at Cardiff and Leeds the previous weekend, the Mystics now faced London Acers in their first league home game of the year. With Caitlin Flood out injured and Emma Macready returning from an ankle injury, this was always going to be a challenging game for the young Mystics.
Missed lay-ups and a slow start on defence saw the Mystics go down 16-0 early in the game. Going in to the second quarter, the home team stepped up the defence and forced the team from the capital to turn the ball over. The pressure defence slowly helped the Mystics to reduce the deficit. As the score difference was reduced the crowd gave more vocal support to the home team, and it looked as if the game would become a close contest. Acers then managed to end the fight back with a couple of fast break points as the second quarter came to a close, with the half time score Manchester 28, London 40.
Manchester then only managed 20 points in the whole of the second half. While Acers continued to be able to score, with two of the London players reaching 20 points in the game. A high point for the Mystics was 14 points from Charlotte Stoddart, but the home team clearly missed the scoring presence of Caitlin Flood, eventually losing the game by 30 points, 48-78.
With no league game next weekend the team has time to recover and recuperate in time for the away fixture against Nottingham on November 22nd.
Top Scorers:
Mystics: Charlotte Stoddart 14, Kristie Sheils 8, Jess Tensel 7
Acers: Katarzyna Bruzcko 25, Floreana Piano 20, Lucimara Da Silva 14
29 October 2008
Weekend Preview for Manchester Mystics
After a free week in the schedule, the Manchester Mystics return to business with a difficult double header this weekend, which sees them go away to UWIC Archers and then again away to Leeds on Sunday.
The Mystics are expecting a difficult game on Saturday where they face UWIC. Last season the Manchester team was able to fight out two narrow victories in tough games in the league against the welsh side, and Sergio Lara-Bercial is sure that Coach Jennings will be preparing his team for revenge in this one.
The following day, Lara-Bercial’s side travels over the Pennines to face Leeds in Round 2 of the Women’s National Cup. Although Leeds are yet to pick up a win in the league, Manchester has great respect for the Leeds set up, and will not be taking them lightly. This Lancashire vs. Yorkshire battle promises to be a fantastic game, and, with the added spice of the Cup, it is one which the Mystics are looking forward to.
After no game last week, Coach Lara-Bercial is sure the Mystics girls are hungry for their next game, and hopes the hard work and technical development in practice will pay off over the two games. Two weeks of practice has given time for new players to settle in and gel, and to learn team systems. The weekend will be a challenge, and it is a great opportunity for the squad to grow and move forward.
16 September 2008
Mystics Tournament
Last weekend, the Mystics hosted a tournament at ABC with visitors from Sheffield, Solent and Porto (Portugal). There were some very close games, with the Mystics beating Porto and Solent, and being beaten by Sheffield in the Final.
The Portuguese appreciated the hospitality from the Club and have invited our girls to Portugal.
11 August 2008
Georgia Jones
Georgia has left for Oral Roberts to take up her scholarship offer. This means that she will miss the GB Women's qualification game against the Ukraine on 13 August. However, she is being allowed to return to England shortly afterwards so that she can be available for all the remaining qualification games. She is expected to make a major contribution to GB from the point guard spot.
Joanna Clayden is also in the GB squad and we wish both girls all the best for the campaign.
7 August 2008
Mystics Players Move On
We are currently looking at foreign players to add to our young squad for this coming season. Our youngsters are quality talents with great attitudes, but will need some experienced players around them.
From last season's squad, we lose our top-quality GB point-guard, Georgia Jones, who takes up a 4-year scholarship at Oral Roberts; our best shooting guard and best defensive player, Rehana Khalil, who goes to Tenerife and our high scoring GB player, Joanna Clayden, who goes to Spain. Megan Osmer does not return after being with us for 2 years.
We wish all these girls all the best in their endeavours and will follow their progress closely as the season progresses.
