SBC GotW report: St Mirren 57-63 Lady Rocks

Rona Lightbody proved to be the difference between Lady Rocks and St Mirren on Sunday, as her 30 points inspired Rocks to their place in the SBC Scottish Cup Final.

Lady Rocks took a brief lead as captain Nadele Strain (13 points) scored the opening basket, however a 7-0 run from St Mirren, led by five points from Iona Ross (16 points), gave the hosts a five-point cushion early in the game.

An 8-2 run from Lady Rocks, which included back to back baskets from Taylor McKeown (eight points), restored their lead in the latter stages of the first. Both teams traded baskets from there, ending the quarter with Rocks up by two. 16-18.

The lead changed hands four times early in the second as the two teams battled to match each other. Lightbody added three points for the visitors, whilst Rebecca Cleary (nine points) and Nicole Davidson (12 points) combined for St Mirren.

Back-to-back three pointers from St Mirren’s Cleary and Davidson made the difference in the latter stages as the side ended a low-scoring quarter up by one. 30-29.

St Mirren’s Lauren McKinlay started the third with a three-pointer as they looked to open up an advantage. Davidson added four more points for St Mirren and Lightbody replied with a three-pointer for Rocks, however the visitors found themselves down by seven after Fiona Harris (eight points) scored her first basket of the game.

Another three-pointer from Lightbody halted St Mirren’s momentum and sparked a 10-0 scoring run for the visitors. A third three-pointer followed for Lightbody, as the lead changed hands for what was to be the final time. Both teams added late baskets as the visitors entered the fourth up by three. 43-46.

The last quarter was all about Lightbody for the Rocks as she scored almost half of her points in the final ten minutes. A fourth three-pointer started the scoring in the fourth, however St Mirren kept pace with consistent scoring from the free throw line.

It was a two-point game with five minutes to play and it was again a Lightbody three-pointer that gave Rocks a six-point cushion. Strain added a free throw and Hunter, Cleary and Harris all added to St Mirren’s tally, but five late free throws from Lightbody secured Rocks’ place in February’s Final. 57-63.