Hornets begin finals run
The Wimmera will be well represented in both men’s and women’s Country Basketball League southwest conference knock-out games when finals begin this weekend.
The Hornets men host Portland Coasters on Saturday night at Horsham Basketball Stadium, while the women’s team will travel to Portland for its final, also against the Coasters.
Both Hornets teams enjoyed a week off ahead of the beginning of finals play, which culminates at Horsham Basketball Stadium on February 10 with the men’s and women’s grand finals.
The Hornets men have faced stiff competition from the Coasters in the season to-date, despite finishing one ladder place above them in second.
When the two first met in round seven, the Portland team secured an eight-point win on its home court.
A round 11 rematch saw the Coasters again emerge victorious, courtesy of a last-second Nathan Hardingham three-pointer – which will lend the Hornets some extra motivation for the finals clash.
It is a similar story in the women’s competition, as the Coasters have bested the Hornets in both games.
A dominant 28-point win went the way of the Portland team in round seven, before a closer 13-point margin decided the round 11 replay.
Ararat Redbacks played in both games during a small concluding round of the regular season at the weekend, finishing their season strongly with two wins.
To finish out a season of bringing in youth and developing as a team, the Redbacks started off in fine form to knock off the Hamilton Hurricanes. The 36-point win at Ararat Fitness and Leisure Centre was never in doubt once the Ararat team pulled away in the second term.
During the quarter and throughout the third, the Redbacks mustered 39 points to the Hurricanes’ 16.
The game’s end was highscoring, up-and-down basketball with both teams having their biggest scoring quarter for the game.
Adan Wisby, 14, Blake Thomas, 13, and Jezza Woods, 11, were Ararat’s highest scorers, but the entire roster recorded
at least two points in the game. The Redbacks, encouraged from their win the previous day, played out a closer match against Terang Tornadoes.
The Redbacks won the first quarter with the home court advantage, before the Tornadoes pegged them back in the second to become two-point leaders.
A 40-point second half from the Ararat team saw it overtake the Tornadoes and finish 11 points to the good.
Hugh Toner, 15, joined Wisby, 17, and Thomas, 14, as Ararat’s main offensive outlets.