Pumas blitz ends Trades’ season in Geraldton Amateur Basketball Association elimination final

A stunning final quarter fightback has seen Pumas live to fight another day as Trades’ basketball season came to an end on Monday night. Having gone into the final quarter leading by seven points, Trades saw their hopes dashed in a horror final quarter to lose 55-47. It was a steamy night at Activewest Stadium with the humidity more than 80 per cent as Pumas and Trades met in the winner takes all eliminator. Pumas had finished the regular season with a 6-6 record while Trades were the only team to make the finals with a losing record at 5-7. Head-to-head Pumas won two of their three encounters but Trades won their most recent clash thanks to a shooting masterclass from Kayley King. But there was no King playing on Monday and Pumas jumped to an early lead as Trades struggled in defence sending Pumas to the stripe in each of the first five minutes. Mikenna Schultz helped herself to six first quarter points to help Pumas to a seven-point lead by the first break. But the break came at a good time for Trades who came out firing to take the lead halfway through the second as they cleaned up their foul trouble. A three-pointer from Daisey Whitehurst would have had them in the lead at the main break but back-to-back buckets for Pumas’ Caitlin Wilson gave her side a slim two point advantage. Millie Gerreyn had the hot hand for Pumas to start the third quarter by hitting back-to-back threes to break the game open. But Georgia Farley went on a five point run to close the gap and finished with eight points for the quarter. Trades scored the final five points of the quarter and were up by seven when Farley drained another bucket to start the fourth. Pumas went on a mini run to close the gap before the teams traded baskets with Farley draining her 19th point to have Trades leading by one with less than four minutes to go. But it would be the final point that she and her team would score for the night as the Trades lost control of the match. Schultz put Pumas up by four before fouls handed them victory as they were sent to the line six times in the last two minutes to win by eight points. Farley’s 19 points were the best for the night but couldn’t find enough support outside of Jessica Giudice-Nairn’s 10 points with Tara Rangi crucially fouling out. Pumas spread the load with Caitlin Wilson, Gerreyn and Schultz all finishing in double digits. They will now await the loser of Tuesday night’s Stateside and Olympians clash for a chance at a grand final berth.