Commonwealth Games: Australia women unbeaten in 3x3 triumph but history repeats for Jesse Wagstaff
The Australian women's Gangurrus completed a dominant Commonwealth Games with a rout of Uganda in the gold medal match, but there was an all-too-familiar heartbreak for the men.
The Australian women’s Gangurrus completed a dominant Commonwealth Games with a rout of Uganda in the gold medal match, but there was an all-too-familiar heartbreak for the men as they had to settle silver.
The women had a perfect record heading into the final ahead of surprise packets Uganda despite the loss of Emma Clarke due to injury that had left them without any rotations for the medal matches.
But it didn’t seem to faze them as WA’s Amy Atwell produced 13 points, helping defeat Jamaica 21-8 before downing Uganda in the final 21-11.
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Atwell has been the tournament’s leading scorer but played second fiddle in the final as Marena Whittle took over with 15 points as they defended their title won in Birmingham.
History would also repeat for the men’s team, but it was not welcome as they were once again left to rue what might have been as they fell to England once again as they did in Birmingham.
Having breezed past Scotland in the semifinal, Australia had a chance at redemption and were up early but found themselves on the back foot after foul trouble.
Still, they held the advantage entering the final minute before a huge two-pointer put England in command.
In the dying moments, Perth Wildcats great Jesse Wagstaff looked to outbound a pass to try and force overtime, but the team had transitioned to the other side of the court as he watched it fly out of bounds.
He admitted it was a tough pill to swallow.
“You lose a silver medal, and kind of win a bronze. It is a privilege to represent this country and obviously a proud moment winning a silver but it doesn’t exactly feel like that right now,” Wagstaff said.
“It probably could’ve gone either way, but some calls either way and some buckets that don’t drop and all of a sudden you’re on the losing end. That’s how 3x3 works.
“It’s been a phenomenal experience.”
There was joy for the men’s wheelchair basketball team who beat England 19-13 thanks to a strong performance from Eithen Leard. England could not find a basket down the stretch as The Wombats made it back-to-back golds.
There was high drama in the women’s wheelchair bronze medal clash as Australia triumphed in a tense 19-17 win over defending champions Canada.
Canadian veteran Kady Dandeneau scored 16 of her team’s 17 points and found the defeat tough to take, brushing off a consoling pat on the back from Hannah Dodd as she stormed off the court.
“It’s unacceptable. I cannot be OK with that [performance],” she said.
Georgia Munro-Cook, who is the daughter of original red Wiggle Murray Cook, scored 12 points for a well-deserved win.
