BASKETBALL: For those who had not considered them premiership contenders before the Yowies three-win weekend in Minto have made the league stop and take notice of this powerful and skillful cohort.
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Queanbeyan's weekend began with a 10-point win over dominant Coffs Harbour, a grudge match for Yowies import Annie La Fleur.
Both teams were evenly matched, the Suns lead by five points at both quarter and halftime, and scores were tied at three-quarter time.
But the Yowies ran out eventual winners 74 to 64 and the confidence was flowing.
"It really could have gone either way," Yowies coach Higgisson said.
The Yowies cruised to expected and convincing 34-point win against Tamworth on Saturday, but the girls could not rest on their laurels.
Hayley Douglas was out of the Yowies lineup all weekend and they lost La Fleur and Catherine Grawich for Sunday's game against Newcastle.
Queanbeyan trailed the Hunters for all of the first half, down by 15 at quarter time and 16 at the main break.
But the Yowies, sparked by top scorer Kristen Langhorn (28 points), held on and brought the deficit back to just three points at three-quarter time.
Higgisson's Yowies managed the unthinkable, a two point win over Newcastle.
"It was very unexpected, because we only had seven against Newcastle," Higgisson said.
"We shot really poorly in the first quarter, but Kristen Langhorn got us out of a lot of tough situations and did a brilliant job on their talls.
"Emma Anderson did a great job in the guard spot and 16-year-old Mae Grant stepped up and had a lot of poise and patience, which made me confident to play her."
Higgisson said she is proud of her team's efforts over the weekend and will look to replicate that determination when they take on the Blaze in Wagga on Saturday.
They will be looking to repeat their recent victory at the Queanbeyan Basketball Stadium, but Higgisson said it may be a different result away from home.
"We focused all weekend on closing space rather than reaching- working harder on defence," she said.
"It wasn't pretty, it was survival of the fittest in the end, after three games.
"But the girls have a lot of patience and respect for each other, when they get a couple of turnovers they don't hang their heads or point the finger.
"It definitely won't be as easy (against Wagga) as it was in Queanbeyan."
