Seymour Blasters men’s team was successful in back-to-back home court matches at the weekend, defeating Shepparton Gators on Saturday and Mansfield Eagles on Sunday.
It seemed to be a close contest against Shepparton with the Blasters leading by only six at the end of the first quarter before blowing its lead out to 22 points by halftime.
The second half saw the Blasters continue to dominate the court with incredible intensity at both ends contributing to their win, 100 to 41.
Seymour’s Keenan Gorski was leading scorer for the game with 23 points, while Eden Hobbs scored 22.
Captain Jack Murphy said the team headed into the game knowing what it needed to do.
“We entered the clash knowing it was a must-win game for us to keep our season alive. We made it a big focus to apply pressure from the outset and run the lanes in transition,” he said.
“Our great defence then allowed our offence to flow. Keenan was hot and we really kept going back to the well as he made five three-pointers on the night.
“Keenan really opens us up offensively. He’s a threat and can score the ball from inside and out – he gives us great flexibility.
“We were rapt to hold such a good side to only 41 points. It shows we have the ability to grind games out if need be.”
The momentum from Saturday’s game carried through to Sunday’s 34-point win over Mansfield.
Much like Saturday, the Blasters controlled the game from the start leading 20 points to 11 at the first break before having a huge second quarter that saw them add 40 points to go into halftime with a 60-38 lead.
The Blasters showed their consistency, maintained the pressure and intensity in the second half to win 102 to 68.
The game showed the depth of the Seymour side with Cooper York, Jake Sapiano and William Stewart bringing intensity to the game.
It was another huge scoring game for Hobbs who had 30 points while York shot 20.
“Back-to-back clashes are always tough, particularly when we have two or three out with injuries. Cooper York, Jake Sapiano and Wally Stewart all rose to the occasion and took the workload while a few of our senior guys played reduced minutes,” Murphy said.
“Eden was fantastic again, while Cooper York really showed a break out performance.
“Coop is making his way through the state program and isn’t available every week. We are very happy to help facilitate his development and have him a part of our side whenever he is allowed to play.”
In the final round of the Country Basketball League’s regular season, Seymour will play Albury Cougars at home on Saturday.
Women
Seymour Blasters women defeated Shepparton on Saturday night 73 to 51, and Albury on Sunday 69 to 56.
Nicola Stewart was a key player in Saturday’s win scoring 18 points while Carley Cranston shot 19 points on Sunday.
In the final round of the Country Basketball League’s women’s season, Seymour play Wodonga on Saturday and Albury Cougars on Sunday.
