It was a tentative start from Dynamos as the girls struggled to play with their usual confidence due to the difficult court conditions. The dynamic movement they typically execute so well simply wasn’t achievable, and this noticeably unsettled the team. In the first quarter, we managed to convert only one centre pass as the girls worked to adjust both to the court and to the intensity of Futures. Losing a key centre-court player to injury added to the challenge. We finished the first quarter trailing 4–13.

After regrouping, the girls came back with renewed focus. The instruction was to simplify the game: be mindful of positioning, time movements carefully, and keep footwork controlled to avoid slipping. The team also recognised the need to force turnovers, so we reinforced the message to push the opposition “high and wide” on their centre pass. The response was excellent, and we went on to win the next three quarters marginally. Unfortunately, the damage done in the first quarter proved too much to overturn, and the final score was 28–34 to Futures.
On the day—and on that court—Futures were the stronger team. Their shooters were exceptionally accurate and rarely missed. However, there were plenty of positives. The girls adapted, fought hard, and showed great strength to bring the score-line back into contention. There are clear learning points, particularly around capitalising on turnover ball—especially from the backline—and maintaining shooting accuracy towards the end of the match. These are straightforward fixes, and we’re confident they’ll be addressed.

A huge well done to Amaya and Hannah for OPOM, and to Susannah for CPOM—all thoroughly deserved.

Plenty learned, lots to be proud of, and great determination shown by the Dynamos, well done all!