By Hayley Wildes
The Pakenham Warriors picked up some close wins in Big V action over the weekend, highlighted by Division 2 men’s three-point win over the Eagles in Craigieburn on Sunday.
The Warriors were led by Ben Gaze (23 points and 5 rebounds) and Josh Dow (22 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals) who were the lone Pakenham players to score over six points. The pair led the Warriors home in a thriller, 74-71.
The Warriors remain undefeated this season with a 2-0 record.
Meanwhile, the Division 2 women suffered their first loss of the season, falling to the Mornington Breakers on Saturday night at Cardinia Life.
The Warriors struggled mightily from behind the arc, connecting on just 4/25 shots from deep. In a game that saw both teams unable to get going on offence, it was Mornington’s defence that stood the tallest to lead them to a 58-50 win.
Pakenham was led by Jacinta Maxwell (10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists) and Ellie Coutts (7 rebounds, 6 points and 5 assists) in a tough night at the office. The team now owns a 1-1 record.
Prior to the Division 2 men scoring a rousing win over Craigieburn on the road, the Youth League 2 men also completed a tight win over the Eagles in the first game of the double-header.
Despite not hitting their triples (5/33), turning the ball over 21 times compared to 13 for Craigieburn and only dishing out 8 assists compared to 13 from their opponents, the Warriors stayed in the game with a determined effort in the paint and on the boards.
Ned Weideman (14 points and 10 rebounds), Tom Greer (12 points and 7 rebounds) and Nathan Dodgson (10 points and 7 rebounds) ultimately led the team home to a five-point win, 75-70.
The Warriors boast a 2-0 record.
The Youth League 2 women also grabbed a close win, taking care of the Mornington Breakers at home on Saturday night.
The Warriors simply owned the rebound battle as Alahna Arnason (21 rebounds and 16 points) dominated on both ends of the court. The Breakers simply had no answers for Arnason as she battled all night long under the basket, helping the Warriors to a 71-43 rebounding advantage.
With Arnason leading the way, Pakenham came away with a 61-56 win to see them even the ledger at 1-1 on the season.
Round 3 will see the Division 2 women and men feature in a Saturday night double-header at Cardinia Life. The women take on Melbourne Uni and the men face the North East Bushrangers, with action tipping off from 6pm.
Meanwhile, the Youth League 2 women and men hit the road to take on the Collingwood All Stars on Saturday night.
