By Mark Paxton
Pakenham Warriors Division 2 men fell short in overtime by one point to Altona Gators. The boys were simply out-played by a good Altona team. A strong Warrior crowd did all they could to get the men over the line, but lacklustre shooting and missed putbacks were the Warriors un-doing.
Head coach Brent Russell had this to say after the game.
“We were simply out-played in the game,” he said.
“Lack of execution and discipline to execute offensively and defensively in patches is where Altona took the advantage. When we did execute, we looked great and played as a team.
“Although numbers won’t show it, Jake Spruhan was the standout on defence and doing the little things offensively.”
The Youth League 2 men went on the road against a Coburg side wanting to put their stamp on the competition. Going in with an undermanned team, this was not going to be an easy feat for the Warriors, but strong defence and an emphasis on winning the rebound count and running the lanes saw the boys come away with a 31-point victory, 101-70.
Matthew Berkec had a day out scoring 30 points and grabbing 21 rebounds, while shooting 87 per cent, in a great performance.
Head coach Braden Venning was pleased.
“We’ve had some injuries of late and went in with an undermanned team and missing several key players,” he said.
“After last weekend we put a massive emphasis on winning the rebound count and stopping them in transition.
“Ned Weideman with 16 points and Aaron Davidson with 14 points off the bench were key contributors that helped spark the win.”
A shootout in Coburg for the Division 2 women saw the lady warriors win 101-90.
The Patterson sisters went off combining for 41 points (nine threes), 11 rebounds and 7 assists in a dominant performance by the ladies. Stephanie Pal had 24 points to go along with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
The Youth League 2 women had another disappointing performance against a struggling 2-5 Blackburn side that out-ran the Warriors 72-56.
Once again, Alahna Arnason had a fantastic game scoring 10 points on 100% shooting, while also pulling down 4 rebounds and 2 steals in only 20 minutes of court time.
Shooting just 24/80, the Warriors couldn’t find any momentum and fell to 3-6 and ninth on the ladder. Their season will be on the line this week against a Werribee side looking for finals.
Head Coach Matthew Innes talked after the loss.
“Blackburn wanted the ball more than the Warriors.” He said.
