The Wallan Panthers Men’s team travelled to the Victorian border over the weekend for a doubleheader against the Albury Cougars and the Wodonga Wolves.
In round seven of the Country Basketball League (CBL), Wallan was prepared to face the Cougars, especially after coming off a dominant 22-point victory over the Shepparton Gators in round six.
The first quarter was a better game for the Cougars, starting the match with a seven-point lead.
But the Panthers made sure the Cougars were met with the same level of competition, delivering a hard-fought game in the second quarter.
Wallan’s Rhylee Leighton was a key contributor in changing the score in the second quarter, scoring a two-pointer that briefly put the Panthers in the lead.
Both teams committed several fouls towards the end of the second quarter, but it was the Panthers who held the advantage at the buzzer, leading 32–34.
The third quarter saw fouls from both teams, adding to the intensity of the game. Despite the back-and-forth play, Wallan managed to build a nine-point lead by the end of the third quarter.
The Cougars were in a stronger position heading into the final period. However, the Panther’s determined efforts paid off, culminating in a 64–69 victory.
The following day, the Panthers performed another strong performance against Wodonga, securing a convincing 61–82 victory.
The Seymour Blasters also had an away game at the weekend, ramping their game into another triple-digit result against the Mansfield Eagles.
The Blasters took each quarter with high-scoring efforts, producing 20 or more points each play.
The Eagles were not able to keep up, especially when the Blasters made 50-points at the end of the second quarter.
Seymour was on track to hit triple digits, maintaining a strong offensive flow throughout the game and closing in on a commanding victory.
The Eagles made a strong push in the final quarter, adding 21 points to their tally, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap, with the game ending 65–102 in favour of Seymour.
In round eight of the CBL, Seymour will host Echuca at home, while Wallan faces another doubleheader—first taking on Wodonga at home, before travelling to Echuca for the second match.
Women
Along with the men’s team, the Wallan Panthers Women also made the trip to Albury-Wodonga, where they faced Albury at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Saturday.
Each quarter was a back-to-back game, with plenty of fouls and contributors from each side.
Wallan held the lead at the end of each quarter, but it was a tight contest, with their advantage remaining narrow throughout.
By the final buzzer, Wallan emerged as the victors, securing a thrilling one-point win.
Wallan’s second game of the round, however, was a different story, as they fell short with a heavy loss, finishing 95–25 against the Wodonga Wolves.
Wallan will head into round eight with another doubleheader, both at home against the Wodonga Wolves and the Myrtleford Saints.
