The St Patrick’s College Sutherland senior girls’ basketball team took out the Sydney championship 54-34 against Mount St Joseph Catholic College Milperra at Billbergia Indoor Sports Stadium.
Despite a closely contested start to the game, which saw St Patrick’s trailing at half-time, a change in their game-plan brought about a shift in momentum, allowing them to pull away with a convincing win.
“We were behind in the first half, and it was pretty tight at half time, and then we changed our defense when we went on and we just steamed ahead. We didn’t stop,” said St Patrick’s coach Rebecca Hines.
With impressive back-to-back performances each week, the team remained undefeated throughout the entire conference, an achievement that Ms Hines put down to her players’ attitude and determination.
“The girls worked so well together, it was really good,” she said.
“I think it was their attitude and they were really focused as well. They actually won the Sydney conference last year in the Intermediate girls and I think knowing that this could be the last time, especially for those year 12 girls, they were really motivated to win. There wasn’t really another option for them.”
Ellysa Feliciano, St Patrick’s captain and point guard, was recognised as a star of the match with her exceptional skills and leadership proving instrumental in her team’s victory.
“Throughout the whole competition, I think she played pretty much every game, all game, because she was just so essential in bringing the ball up the court, and leading the team on the court as well,” Ms Hines said.
With basketball being a significant part of her life for as long as she can remember, Ms Feliciano is excited that there is now the opportunity to play competitively in a school competition.
“I love it. It’s so exciting because basketball is such a big part of my life and so having a school tournament that is so competitive is so exciting,” she said. “Versing players that that I play with outside of school and seeing what they’re like with their school is so fun.”
The team will now compete at the NSWCCC opens basketball championships which will be held on the 29th and 30th of May in Port Macquarie.
