Oaklands Wolves took a giant step towards the WBBL play-offs with an 84-71 home victory against Durham Palatinates.

The result lifts Lee Ryan's side up to eighth in the table, and they will look to follow up the victory with another win when they host winless Cardiff Met Archers on Saturday at 6pm.

Caterrion Thompson was on fire for the hosts as she finished with an impressive 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists as Wolves beat a Durham side who had gone into the game tied in ninth place with them.

Allison Day also had a big game with a 16 points and 10 rebounds while Shaq Wade had 14 point, five boards and as as many steals.

Day opened the scoring with a triple and Claire Abbott capped a great first five minutes for the hosts with a basket from downtown to give them a 17-4 lead.

Any thoughts of a comfortable victory for the hosts were quickly dispelled as Wolves offence dried up and Durham headed into the first break leading 20-19. 

The visitors' run was extended to 22-2 as they started the second period well but a pair of Wade baskets saw Wolves get back into the game.

Three-point shots from Beth Sarson and Abbott kept them in touch before a pair of Julia Kopl free-throws tied the score at 40 going into the locker room at half-time.

Sarson and Day opened the second half scoring, and the third period proved to be key as Wolves outscored the visitors by 13, with Thompson and Wade wrapping up the scoring to send the hosts into the final break leading 84-71.

Thompson opened the fourth period with a triple and a lay-up, and Wolves' lead never dipped below 12 as they wrapped up the win.

Wolves II saw their outside hopes of a place in the Division Two play-offs end as an injury-hit side went down 68-55 against Thames Valley Cavaliers.

With Cleo-Lewis Gayle, Stella Piscitelli-Ekblad and Joanna Akpan already missing through injury, Wolves lost captain Caitlin Ryan late in the first period when she damaged her shoulder after colliding with a team-mate, and although the hosts had a good third period, Cavs held on to seal place in the post-season.

Lily Harkness had her best game of the season, draining 22 points to lead the hosts, while Rosie Porter marked her final game with the academy with 15 points and Sarah Adepoju added nine.

Herts Advertiser: Oaklands Wolves U12 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALLOaklands Wolves U12 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALL (Image: Oaklands Wolves Basketball)

Wolves U12 boys wrapped up a successful season with a 94-51 victory against Kings Lynn.

Michael Ball's side finished second in their section of the Junior National League, with their only two losses coming against champions Milton Keynes Breakers.

Herts Advertiser: Oaklands Wolves U15 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALLOaklands Wolves U15 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALL (Image: Oaklands Wolves Basketball)

The U15s also finished with a bang as they won 62-53 at North Herts Knights U16s.

La'Quarne Sayles' team had to come from behind to record their fourth  league win of the campaign as they trailed 17-14 at the first break and 31-26 at half-time.

But whatever Sayles said at half-time obviously worked as a 23-12 third period gave them the lead and they wrapped things up with a 13-10 final period. 

Jacob Edrupt finished an excellent season with 13 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and six steals while Seth Coetzee added three steals to his 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Nestor Sharma had 11 points while Ollie Thomas had nine, with both players dishing out two assists, and U14 player Eriko Barkolari had a great defensive game to add six steals to his four boards and three points. 

It was a tough week for Wolves' other sides as the regular season came to an end with a series of games that had been previously postponed.

A good second quarter saw the U16 girls only trail 32-30 against Kingston Lions at half-time before the visitors stepped up a gear in the second period to run out 86-50 winners.

The following day saw stand-in coach Claire Abbott have only five players for the first half at London Thunder, with her side trailing 31-17 at the break.

The arrival of two U14 players at half-time took the pressure off, and Wolves outscored the hosts 14-8 in the fourth period but it was too late to prevent a 65-45 defeat.

Herts Advertiser: Oaklands Wolves U14 girls. Picture: OAKLANDS BALLOaklands Wolves U14 girls. Picture: OAKLANDS BALL (Image: Oaklands Wolves Basketball)

The U14 girls also ended with a defeat as they lost 65-47 at home against Reading Rockets.

The visitors took control midway through the opening quarter to lead 16-7 at the first break and extended that advantage to 47-14 at half-time.

A 15-11 third period from the Rockets extended the lead before Wolves stepped up in the final period of their season to outscore Reading 22-13.

Gauri Kohil led Wolves with 15 points with Olivia Akers adding nine and Daisy Golan seven.

Herts Advertiser: Oaklands Wolves U16 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALLOaklands Wolves U16 boys. Picture: OAKLANDS BALL (Image: Oaklands Wolves Basketball)

A poor second quarter cost the U16 boys as they went down against True Vision Gold, but the team's younger players put on a good display before the visitors wrapped up the victory.

Otis Lau-Johnston again led Wolves with 23 points, nine rebounds, six steals and three assists while Max Plagemann had 19 points and eight boards.

Jayen Pishardy added eight boards to his seven points, while Lucas Nuckey chipped in with eight points.

Finally, Wolves U13 boys had an afternoon to forget as they ended a relatively successful season in the U14 Conference with a 124-17 loss at unbeaten champions MK Breakers.