WALLAN Panthers had a weekend to remember, with their Youth League men bringing home silverware, while the senior women kept alive the dream of adding to the trophy cabinet for 2025.
The Panthers’ Youth League men secured promotion to Youth League One for 2026 with a clinical performance where they never trailed against Altona.
The starting five got off to a hotter than hot start, starting the game on a 7-2 run to make a statement early, and while Altona closed the gap to just one point later on in the quarter, it was as close as the Gators would get.
Wallan closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 25-15 at the first change.
In a tricky second quarter, scoring was hard to come by, and for much of the term, it appeared the gap would stay the same as it was at the first change.
However, a late run from the Gators meant the lead was closed to six points at the main break, 34-28.
While there might have been a touch of nerves for the Panthers in the second term, the premiership quarter was no such problem as they answered every Altona challenge, scoring 14 points to 12 to keep the Gators at bay, leading 48-40 at the final change.
A 15-3 run the Panthers way meant the trophy was heading back to RB Robson Stadium, with Wallan delivering joy to its supporters with a 67-50 triumph.
Captain Damon Anderson and Kaleb Graham played every second, with Anderson scoring 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Graham secured a double-double with 10 points and 15 boards.
Luke Cairns top scored with 18 points, while Brody Thrum added 14 more.
Wallan’s women will look to inflict a reversal of the qualifying final result against Gippsland United in the preliminary final after a final quarter run saw the Panthers outlast Blackburn at RB Robson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers, with dominant big Emmie Gardiner back into the lineup, took control early on, with Ranika Guyton and Ruby Pantisano busy around the paint, taking an 18-12 lead going into the first change.
With the first eight points of the second quarter, it looked as though the Panthers were going to cruise through as they held a 14-point lead.
But Blackburn, to its credit, held firm and went on a run of their own, closing the gap to seven points by the main break, 37-30.
The Vikings then had their way throughout the third quarter as they looked to keep their season alive, scoring 17 points for the term and holding Wallan to just nine as Blackburn stole the lead going into the final change, 47-46.
Staring down the barrel of a straight sets exit, the Panthers responded through Guyton and Pantisano, who delivered big buckets when it mattered most, scoring 17 points to 10 in the final term to eventually take a 63-57 win.
Guyton was key for the Panthers, scoring 24 points, while Pantisano added 15. Gardiner returned with typically big numbers, with 10 points and 20 rebounds.
The Panthers will travel to Gippsland on Saturday night, with the winner to take on Keysborough in the grand final.
