WHITTLESEA had a mixed weekend in Division One Big V action.
The women were up first on Sunday afternoon as they hosted a short-handed Mildura.
A spirited start to the game saw both teams go bucket-for-bucket in the first term, with the Pacers holding a three-point lead at the end of the quarter, 19-16.
A thrilling second quarter saw both teams go on runs, with Whittlesea threatening to run away with the game and extending their lead to seven points, while the Heat battled their way back into the game despite having just six players to choose from.
The game was still on a knife’s edge as the half came to a close, with the Pacers leading 36-35.
A hot start to the second half saw the Pacers score 10 of the first 12 points of the quarter to extend their lead to nine points, but as was the case in the second quarter, the Heat continued to fight hard and reduced the margin to three points with a minute to go.
But the Pacers scored crucial buckets to hold a six-point lead as the final term approached, 56-50.
The final term was all Whittlesea as the Heat’s resistance finally wore off with their limited numbers.
The Pacers went on a 19-3 run to cement victory, blowing out the game and ensuring they would take a 77-58 victory.
Indiana Bodley scored 23 points off the bench, while Olivia Dalmau (13 points) and Isabella Ryan (12 points) also contributed heavily.
Whittlesea’s men followed up against Coburg.
A slow first quarter meant that the Pacers had to play catch-up from the outset, trailing 8-19 at the end of the first term.
The Pacers got their shooting act together in the second term as they finally managed to get some points on the board, but for every bucket they would score to close the gap, the Giants seemed to have an answer.
In the end, the margin would stay the same as it was at quarter time, with Coburg leading 42-31.
Whittlesea had a terrific third term, and with their starters all contributing across the board, reduced the margin to just one point with just over a minute to go.
However, the Giants steadied and held a three-point lead at the final change, 62-59.
The Giants were the ones that bolted out of the gate in the final term with the game on the line, scoring the first six points to resume their control of the game, and they would hold on to their lead throughout the entirety of the quarter, eventually taking a 94-86 win.
Angus Fischer led all scorers for the Pacers with 19 points, while Jason Dirkx and Raheem Anthony scored 15 points each.
Whittlesea’s youth league men had a better result, taking a victory with an 86-77 result over Albury Wodonga.
It was an even team effort which allowed the Pacers to take a great win away from home, with Jamie Blanchard leading the way with 15 points, while Timothy Halden scored 13 points and Kuir Dhieu 12.
Whittlesea’s youth women also took a terrific win, scoring a 65-48 victory over Albury Wodonga.
Ella Sutherland’s 20 points and Amy Temos’ 18 points were the key for the Pacers, who essentially led from start to finish to take a key win.
