AUS - 'Big shot Allen' delivers crucial victory for Australia

PUERTO MONTT (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women) - The night didn't start well for Australian small forward Rebecca Allen.

Her team, the Gems, were facing Spain in a crucial Eight Final clash to decide rankings for the Quarter Finals. She picked up two fouls in the first 92 seconds, and was forced to sit and watch as Spain jumped out to a 17-10 lead.

Allen would return in the second quarter as Australia piled on 22 points to 12 for the period. But the second half would start as the first did, Allen missing her first two shots and being yanked to the bench as the Europeans chased down the Oceania champions in a hurry.
 
Come three quarter time, Allen was scoreless and her team now trailed by two points. Worse was to come as Spain opened the final period on an 8-2 run and Allen missed another easy shot. They weren't 34 minutes of basketball that the Australian WNBL youngster would want to remember.

"It wasn't ideal," she laughed. "I am happy I stuck it out. I had a pretty edgy start, I put my hands in and got cheap fouls when I probably shouldn't have - which the coach wasn't very happy about - but I am happy I got myself back into the game."

With just under six minutes remaining in the game and Spain leading by eight - and looking set for victory - Allen pulled in a big offensive rebound, and then nailed an enormous triple from the top of the key to bring the Australian contingent in the crowd to life.

Next, she made a steal that led straight to a Rebecca Cole lay-up and the margin was down to three points. Less than two minutes later with the difference at six points she found herself open in the same spot and calmly buried another long range bomb.

Amazingly, on the very next possession there she was again, wide open in the same spot, and she produced the same result. Scores tied at 61!

From there, Gretel Tippett and Cole would ice the game, 65-61 and first place in Group F was within Australia's reach. Only a large loss to Brazil tomorrow night will see them finish second or third. 

Allen was modest about her courageous shooting. "I like it there, I like the three point line," she said.

"We really needed those shots, we were eight points down. I was lucky enough to get them in, but it was everyone getting the ball around the perimeter, getting it inside (first) and then I finished the shots that they created."

Australia missed numerous lay-ups and free throws in the second half, and Allen believed this is what gave Spain hope, adding that her team executed quite well in the half court game the Europeans created with their zone defence.

"We like a running game, because we are athletic, but I think we are comfortable in the half court," she said. "We are showing we can do both. Even against their zone, which we aren't used to playing in Australia, we are proving we can do pretty well against that."

As for whether she has a regular habit of making big, game winning shots, Allen is once again modest. "It was pretty intense those last few minutes," she said. "I've had moments (in the past), but I guess I take what I can get."
 
 

FIBA