Hatters beat Wolves in Women's Super League play-off final
Sheffield Hatters held off a late fightback by Oaklands Wolves to win the Women's Super League play-off final 83-73 in London.The Hatters had led by 14 with less than a minute remaining but seven points in 24 seconds, including five in nine seconds from Oaklands' Sam Ashby, set up a tense finale at the O2 Arena.Ashby then missed two out of three free throws and the opportunity to reduce the deficit from nine to six points with 11 seconds left on the clock.At the other end, Tyia Singleton held her nerve to sink two from the free-throw line and wrap up the victory for Sheffield with a 10-point margin, and seal the club's first league play-off win in 10 years.
Sheffield recover from slow start to claim trophy
Oaklands Wolves came into the game having finished top of the league and having beaten the Hatters, who ended the season in second, home and away during the regular season.It was the table toppers who made the stronger start and looked like they might end their wait for their first league play-off win. The Hertfordshire side raced into an eight-point lead before the Hatters were able to get on the board and took a 10-point advantage into the break after the opening quarter.That lead stretched to 12 midway through the second period but 12 unanswered points from the Hatters put the sides level 32-32 at half-time.Sheffield took the lead for the first time in the match through Singleton's lay-up early in the third quarter, before both sides scored a flurry of points as the game opened up.Destinee Walker netted four free throws in the final minute of the quarter to turn the match in Sheffield's favour with an eight-point advantage going into the final 10 minutes.A long-range jump shot from Georgia Gayle, named the final's Most Valuable Player, gave the Hatters a 12-point cushion with eight minutes of the tie remaining, before the game's 23-point top scorer Ashby inspired Wolves' late fightback at the end of a thrilling game.
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