JETS, ANSETT HAVE DEPTH TO KEEP FLYING AFTER WINNING FINALS
Ansett soars to first Darwin Basketball title since 2016
“YOU’VE just got to let it fly” was Blues captain Matty Hunt’s motto going into the 2021 Darwin Basketball League Final on Friday night.
And with the veteran team leader bringing his game face, he lifted all his Ansett teammates to dizzy heights, Hunt a worthy MVP in his side’s victory over Palmerston in the title decider.
At long last, Ansett can now celebrate its first top-league men’s title since 2016, after beating the Power 71-67 in a thriller. Some will argue five years without a title is not a long time.
But Ansett went into this season still smarting after bowing out in the semi-final stage last year with a team many thought was good enough to win the 2020 championship.
Hunt’s teammates were not going to slip up again, even when Friday night’s game got tight in the fourth quarter.
“That was when Anthony Rowse (11 points with two three-pointers) hit a big three and iced the game for us,” Hunt said. In the lead-up to Friday night’s final, Hunt said he thrived off the energy of his young teammates, playing in a largely under-23 outfit.
But the 33-year-old stepped up and proved once again that he is one of the best guards in Darwin.
He finished with an impressive 26 points, hitting three of five from beyond the three-point arc.
“I have a pretty unconventional shot, but everyone’s different and we can’t all shoot like Steph Curry or Klay Thompson,” Hunt said.
“I don’t practise my shooting a lot, but I did this week. You’ve got to do the best with what you’ve got and let it fly on game night.”
Hunt said the positive energy of his young teammates would help prolong his brilliant career.
“I didn’t know if I was going to keep playing a couple of years ago as I was getting older, but it’ll be hard to go out after something like this,” he said. “I’m playing my basketball for the past few years. We’ve got such a great young group here and I want to still be involved, even if it’s coaching them in a few years.”
Nothing came easy for the minor premiers in the competition decider.
“We put in a big effort to win this one,” Hunt said. “We looked to have it at one stage, then they came back, then we got over the line late.
“You’ve got to give credit to all the imports who have done so much for this competition, but this game was a great display of local talent.
“Hayden and Mitch Brauer, Kane Toohey and Lucas Duncan are all so young, but all made great contributions this season.
“Lachlan Shipway got in foul trouble early (before finishing with 12 points on Friday night) but he’s a bull down low. He’s always aggressive no matter what the game situation is.”
Shaq Hohipa-Wilson (26 points) and Tom Godwin (18) impressed for Palmerston.