Redbacks rocked
Country Basketball League south-west men conference minor premier Ararat Redbacks has fallen short of a premiership victory.
After not fielding a side for the 2021-22 season, the Redbacks returned with a powerful side and had a solid season performance.
After an almost flawless season, the Redbacks finished the home-and-away season in good stead and comfortably won their semi-final against Millicent Magic.
Coming up against Mt Gambier Lakers, who had been the Redbacks’ biggest challenge all year, the Ararat side had a tough final quarter in the grand final at Warrnambool on Saturday and lost 77 to 91. Scores at half-time were 40 points apiece. Ararat captain Zac Dunmore was the game’s high scorer with 23 points. Joshua Fiegert, with 13 points, and Ethan Fiegert, 14, were also strong for the Redbacks.
Kyle Tipene, 22, was a standout for Mt Gambier, while Shaun Lock, 17, Kane de Wit, 18, and Simon Berkefeld, 15, combined well on the court.
Another even third quarter meant it was anyone’s game going into the fourth term.
Lakers found a renewed energy and their twopoint margin at the beginning of the quarter jumped to a 14-point margin by the final whistle.
A close game was a fitting end to the season for the two teams, who both won 13 games each during the season and had strong semi-final wins.
Earlier in the season, the Redbacks lost to the Lakers, 91 to 87, in round seven and defeated them, 110 to 84, in round 10.
Horsham Hornets men’s season came to an end the week prior when they lost a semi-final to the Lakers.
The Horsham Hornets women’s team finished fifth and did not progress to finals. The women’s competition premiers were Millicent Magic, who defeated the Lakers, 64 to 45, at the weekend.