52 — Centralian Advocate, Friday, June 1, 2012 PUB: CADV DATE: 1-JUN-2012 PAGE: 52 COLOR: C M Y K SPORT Four sure NETBALL Steve Menzies ALICE Springs will be well represented in Terr- itory sides at national netball championships next month. There are four players in the 21-and-under team — Caitlyn Andresen, Jordann Hickey, Jess Johannsen and Joy Woods — with Deb Gray coaching the side and Angel Akarana the man- ager. Woods has been selected as one of four over-age players or im- ports allowed in the Terr- itory team. There are also five Centralians in the NT team for the under-12 titles — Abbey Brown, Sophie Gaynor, Anastasia Pannell, Courtney Summers and Lidiya Tangey. Andresen, 19, said the prospect of playing against the best young players in the country, some who play in the ANZ Championships and could be in the world- champion Australian team, was ‘‘a little scary’’. She said: ‘‘While it sounds scary, it should be a good experience and a chance to repre- sent Alice Springs and the Territory. ‘‘I saw it as an oppor- tunity and thought I would give it a go — the worst thing that can hap- pen is that we lose. ‘‘This is my first repre- sentative selection for the NT although I played with the Alice Springs under-17s in the NT Link titles in 2010 and repre- sented Alice Springs and the NT in the Australian volleyball titles. ‘‘I am really excited to be going, although I am nervous now that I think about the players we will be up against.’’ The four players will train together for the first time on Sunday and all the team will be in Alice Springs for a training camp next weekend. With the titles being held in Perth (under-21) and Adelaide (under-12) all the players are facing considerable costs to be able to go where their talent leads them. Apart from the cost of travel, accommodation and food, the players have to pay for their uniform if they do not have one. The 12-and-under players also have a train- ing weekend in Darwin to attend. Gaynor said: ‘‘We love our netball, we love play- ing for the Territory and we really love represent- ing Alice. ‘‘But all of this comes at a big cost to each of our families. ‘‘The training camp trip to Darwin and then our trip to Adelaide will cost each player $2000. ‘‘We are all busy trying to raise money to reduce the costs that our famil- ies have to pay.’’ The six Alice Springs representatives in the 21-and-under team will discuss their fundraising at training on Sunday. Memo, Wests to hit back NETBALL Steve Menzies Rovers’ Kelsey Rodda battles Federal’s Billie Newton for the ball Picture: MICHAEL POTTS TWO sides will be looking for redemption they don’t need in the McDonald’s Alice Springs Netball Association A-grade games at the Pat Gallagher Netball Centre to- morrow. Memo Rovers Scope and Wests’ Gillen Club, sitting second and third on the premiership ladder, clash in the match of the round at 3pm. Both are coming off losses, due in part to a poor quarter when they both scored only four goals in the 15-minute period. But they have to forget about that aberration and concentrate on what they do well — that is play netball. Wests, looking to play in their first grand final since 2006, need to win this game to have a realistic chance for a top-two finish to the minor round. A win for Rovers, who have played in the past six grand finals for three premierships, would have them three wins and percentage ahead with eight games to play. Wests’ coach Naomi Preece said: ‘‘I am getting over the disappointment of the third quarter disaster from last week. ‘‘I have to readjust and have to make the right decis- ions on when and what changes to make. ‘‘This will be a test to make sure we can play four strong quarters and not just three. ‘‘We are improving but we have to be consistent and solid. ‘‘Rovers are a quality side and to match them will be a good performance — but we want to win after that loss to Seasons.’’ There will be engaging clashes all over the court but none more so than the one between Alice Springs NT Link title-winning team- mates Carlie Martin and Jess Johannsen. Both are top quality players and if either gets the upper hand it will be a mam- moth step towards their team’s success. Johannsen will be looking for a Wests teammates to feed her quality ball so she can be in position to shoot a winning score while Rovers’ goalkeeper Martin stands be- hind the hardest defensive side in the competition. There will be other key clashes around the court but a pivotal area is likely to be between unsung centres Shannan Rosier (Rovers) and Lauren Wapling (Wests). They are the players who will drive the ball forward — and provide the court cover- age to block the smooth ball movement into their op- ponent’s attack. Rovers coach Leanne Southam will have worked on the errors that led to the side’s four-goal final term last week because she always works to eliminate these er- rors. She will have the players focussed on this week and the job at hand. While it is a different side that played in all those grand finals, winning four, the character of the side has remained the same and this should get the team over the line in a great game. The other two games will be testing times for the four sides involved. No one expects anything other than for Lasseters Seasons to defeat Sun- downers Gapview from 1.30pm and Federal Trusty Glass to overcome Neata Glass Giants from 4.30pm. The question will be how the sides perform. Federal and Seasons will not want to let their efforts of last week slip, while Sun- downers and Giants will want to show hope for the future. The answer for all four sides will rely on the players available, with Seasons hav- ing the chance to give Mai Segi a couple of weeks’ rest, with no games next week due to the Finke Desert Race, after the key defender in- jured her ankle last week. Finals day BASKETBALL Warren Thomson Desert Storm Jets’ Fabian Johnson tries to break through City Green defence Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY WINNERS of the School Sport NT Under-13 cham- pionships will be decided this morning when the unde- feated teams of both boys’ and girls’ competitions lock horns. Desert Storm Opals had won all four games before their clash against fellow lo- cal side Desert Storm Scor- pions, who played in the final round of yesterday’s games, and take on the undefeated Northern Suburbs Red at 9.10am. Northern Suburbs Red has been in great form, winning all five their games so far. But a win won’t guarantee a championship win, with Northern Suburbs Red fin- ishing the round-robin tour- nament against Desert Storm Scorpions, while Des- ert Storm Opals play North- ern Suburbs Yellow in one of the final games of the cham- pionships. Desert Storm Scorpions have played well and won one out of their first four games. In the boys competition, City Green and City Red went in to their last games yesterday undefeated, and their game against each other at 8.15am this morning is set to decide the boys championships. Desert Storm Boomers have won one of their four games and although Desert Storm Jets haven’t won a game, they are still trying their best. Games resume today at 8.15am and the final three games of the championships start at 12.50pm. At the end of today’s cham- pionships a squad will be finalised and will be training tonight and tomorrow morn- ing.