Wallan and Seymour are still in the running for the finals, but must succeed in this week’s semi-finals to secure a place in the Country Basketball League (CBL) finale.
Round nine was promising for the North East Men category at the weekend, with Seymour taking on a doubleheader just before entering the semi-finals.
Wodonga Wolves, who are now under Seymour on the ladder, paid a visit to the team’s town, where both sides played a strong game.
However, Seymour’s ball pressure proved decisive, allowing the side to come out on top at the final buzzer.
While the first two quarters saw 19-point and 18-point margins from Seymour, the third quarter was where the real turning point occurred, with the side making 24 points on the scoreboard, extending their lead to 61–49.
Seymour’s Jesse Brock, who carried the scoring line with 28 points to his name, capped off the fourth quarter with a key opening shot and two decisive closing baskets, helping secure another victory for the side, 83–65, and further boosting their campaign.
A second loss to the season, Seymour’s campaign was not reflective in their next game against the Shepparton Gators on Sunday.
For two quarters, Seymour was only a few less points behind the Gators, staying close throughout the entire game, but the remaining minutes of the match was the true test for both sides, with every shot becoming vital.
With less than 50 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Seymour’s Harry Stones made his mark, hitting a key three-pointer that positioned the side only a few points away from victory.
But the match ended with a foul, giving the Gators one more shot to seal the win, 78–74.
Seymour’s strong campaign has propelled them to second place on the ladder, putting them in prime position for a shot at the finals in this weekend’s semi-final clash against the Wodonga Wolves.
Elsewhere, Wallan put up triple digits on the scoreboard against the Mansfield Eagles, who are now out of the season after not being able to secure any wins.
The Panthers delivered a dominant first quarter, coming close to the 50-point mark by the end of the opening period.
The Jungle roared to life as Wallan continued their strong performance, with Wallan’s Jamal Abbas sealing the second quarter with a two-pointer, pushing the score to 75–26.
Wallan was more at ease with the ball in the last two quarters, converting their dominant performance into a commanding 124–64 victory, with one more game against the Albury Cougars standing between them and a spot in the grand final.
Wallan coach Scott Baillie praised the team’s efforts over the past few weeks, highlighting the impressive synergy between the younger and older players.
“Knowing that [Albury], they’re a little bit taller, means that some of our guys will have to play a little bit harder,” he said.
“Wallan’s always been a shorter side when it comes to height, but that doesn’t take away from their fighting ability and the willingness to work twice as hard to be able to get that win.
“If all goes well, hopefully [we will] walk away with that banner that we can put up on the wall for all the young ones to look at and aim to step up into the CBL program and try to achieve the same thing.”
Women
Round nine posed a tough challenge for the Wallan Women, as Myrtleford’s relentless basketball pressure was in force the entire game on Sunday.
The Panthers travelled to the Myrtleford Indoor Sports Stadium, where the side were experiencing a few hiccups, including fouls from both sides in the first and second quarters.
Myrtleford capitalised on Wallan’s struggles, steadily extending their lead at the end of each quarter, ultimately securing a commanding 77–40 win.
Wallan still has a good chance to bring a grand final home, with the side taking on Myrtleford again in the semifinals this weekend.
Coach Mick Schultz acknowledged the setbacks during the weekend’s game but emphasised that the team was improving with each passing week.
“I think we’ve still got a good opportunity to win and make a grand final. We just have to make sure we play together as a team and try to follow the things that we’ve been practicing,” he said.
“The growth of the group has been really good, and I’ve been really impressed with the effort that everyone’s put in … overall the season’s been pretty successful from our point of view, I’ve been able to bring my assistant coach Jess into the fold as well.
“For a short season, it’s only an eight-game season, I think we’ve made big strides for the club and our women’s program going forward.”
