The Wallan Panthers Men faced a doubleheader in round four of the Country Basketball League (CBL), while the Seymour Blasters Men missed the victory mark.
Wallan made their return to the season in the last round with a doubleheader, and although the side did not defeat the Blasters in their season opener, the side bounced back impressively in the second match, triumphing over the Shepparton Gators with a dominant 90-56.
In round four, the Panthers welcomed the Albury Cougars to ‘The Jungle’ on Saturday.
Right from jump ball, it was clear that Wallan was on their way to a successful match.
The Panthers made an early start on the scoreboard, with Wallan’s Ryan Philippe already contributing three points, soon adding another two to the team’s tally.
The Cougars began to show progress shortly after and wrapped up the first quarter with three points on the scoreboard, while Wallan held a 10-point lead.
Maintaining the pressure, Wallan added 16 points onto the scoreboard in a low-scoring second quarter for the Cougars, who only put seven points.
But the Cougars rallied in the third quarter, demonstrating their score ability with 21 points, while Wallan contributed 23 points.
Wallan kept its ongoing defeat till the end of the fourth quarter with a 78-65 win.
In their second match on Sunday, the Panthers delivered an impressive performance, taking home a 111-67 win against the Mansfield Eagles at the Alex Pullin Stadium.
Unfortunately, the Seymour Blasters Men didn’t share the same success as Wallan in round four.
After defeating Wallan and Echuca in round three, Seymour travelled to Wodonga to take on the Wodonga Wolves.
Seymour excelled in the first quarter, making progress with a nine-point lead.
However, Wodonga surged ahead, sneaking two points in the remaining 14 seconds of the second quarter.
The two-point contribution had a significant impact for Wodonga, but Seymour kept challenging the side with their impressive basketball.
Both teams fought fiercely for every point in the fourth quarter, but the better team was Wodonga with a 63-57 win.
In round five, Seymour will play at home against Mansfield Eagles, while Wallan will take a break and return in round six at home against the Shepparton Gators.
Women
It turned out to be a low-scoring game for the Wallan Panthers at the weekend.
The Panthers made their season comeback in round three, starting the CBL season with renewed energy and determination after claiming a 17-point win against the Shepparton Gators.
Facing the Albury Cougars in round four at ‘The Jungle’, both teams found it difficult to establish their flow, resulting in missed baskets in the first quarter.
The Cougars shifted their performance at the start of the second quarter, scoring back-to-back baskets to finish the quarter with a commanding 33-10 lead.
The Panthers began scoring more in the third quarter, with Wallan’s Maddison Delbridge consistently giving two points onto the scoreboard.
But the match ultimately remained in the Cougars’ control, with the final score at 70-41.
Wallan will have a bye in round five but will return the weekend after with a home game against the Shepparton Gators.
