Alethea Patterson powers Bethel Breakers to victory against fellow newcomers Barking Owls in opening round

A 22-point haul from Alethea Patterson helped Bethel Breakers coast to a 15-point win on debut in the Albany Basketball Association women’s A-grade competition on Tuesday night. The Breakers are one of six new teams in the top-tier competition and took on fellow newcomers Barking Owls in round one. Patterson was a major force in the first half to help her side take a nine-point lead into half-time before the Breakers sealed the 44-29 victory in the final 25 minutes. The Breakers settled first and opened up a double figure margin midway through the first period. Patterson scored eight straight points to help Breakers lead by 12 points but Owls scored four of the last six points to reduce the half-time deficit. The Owls opened the scoring in the second half but Patterson responded with back-to-back three-pointers and the Breakers quickly pushed the margin out to 13 points. The margin got beyond 20 points at one stage but the Owls kept fighting and scored nine consecutive points to regain some control. The Owls finished strongly with 11 points in the final 10 minutes of the game, but the Breakers held firm to record the win. Patterson was highly influential with 22 points, including four from long-range, while Brodie Dixon knocked down two triples on her way to nine points and Phoenix Woods chipped in with eight. Abbi Gibson did her best to get the Owls back into the game in the second half and finished with 14 points, and youngster Tatum Whalley notched seven points. Sonics Blue produced a strong all-round game to record an 18-point win over new side Railways. Up by 13 at the main break, Sonics Blue had plenty of answers in offence as they won 40-22 with Casey Griffiths (11 points) and Shianne Arthur (10) both instrumental. Maddie Dallimore led the way with seven points in a tough initiation to the top division for Railways. Danielle Carne (11) and Rhiannon Williams-Jolley (10) both finished in double figures as Griffins started the new season with a 12-point victory over Sonics. Griffins outscored their opponents by seven in the last half and despite the best efforts of Aleesha Narkle, who hit 13 points, Sonics went down 28-40. In the other A-grade fixture Infernos finished 38-30 winners over Raiders, with Isabella De Giambattista dropping 11 points and Indi Weeden scoring 10.