Shropshire Warriors in title final

Team Spirit Shropshire Warriors senior women's basketball squad have clinched a first ever West Midlands League Championship.

A memorable win over defending champions Birmingham Force in the final match of their West Midlands Premier season at Sport TCAT did the trick.

Both sides had lost one game each during the season and were fully aware that the title rested on this crucial game.

Warriors coach Terry Sanders' team might have been expected to have a psychological advantage over the Force following their comfortable away win two weeks ago in the two teams first meeting of the season.

And with Hayley Crosbie leading the way, as she has done so much this season, the Warriors built up a 24-13 point lead in the first quarter.

But Force's star guard Gemma Salmon got to work and, with Warriors' offence beginning to falter, the Birmingham side were just five down at the half.

The momentum with them, the visitors took the lead for the first time at the end of the third period and were 63-56 ahead as the game entered its final five minutes.

Cheered on by a large home crowd, the Warriors then showed their true character.

Hayley came back to life with seven points in four minutes, including five from six crucial free-shots, to bring the score back to all-square at 68 as the final nail-biting last minute begun.

Rachel Barrow scored a crucial basket and captain Michelle Bartlett knocked down another free throw to give the Warriors a three-point lead with just seconds on the clock.

And when Hasenar Aktar could only make one of her subsequent three frees after being fouled the final buzzer the players into raptures.

Warriors scorers were Hayley Crosbie (25), Millie Reynolds (18), Sally Harris (12), Rachel Barrow (8), Michelle Bartlett 4, Sarah Collins (2) and Mary Hasenauer (2).

The club is always looking for female players who wish to try out for the senior women, or its under-14 and 16 squads. Contact chairman Tom Sunley on 0771847 2362 or at sunley.tom@btinternet.com for details.