By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Pakenham Warriors Big V basketball side is always willing to fight and scrap for every possession.
The players are never outworked, despite often being severely outsized.
Never has that been more obvious than Saturday night at the Cardinia Life ‘Coliseum’, with the Keilor Thunder monstering the Warriors in the first of their three first round playoff games to take a convincing 81-64 win.
Despite the best efforts of inspirational Pakenham skipper James Topp (9 points, 9 rebounds) and plucky young guard James Magrath (15 points), the Thunder were just too big and too strong in what was, ultimately, a dominant win.
Even Keilor’s big-bodied post men showed impressive outside shooting touch, with Brad Courts (9 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists) and Matthew Jukes (17 points) leading the way.
Keilor packed the defensive post with those big bodies in the first quarter, but Topp used his drive-and-kick to great effect – spotting up Bill Winder for a pair of mid-range jumpers.
Sean Armstrong (12 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists) was an active presence on the offensive glass for the Warriors, diving for loose possessions at will, but the Thunder just kept scoring with brutal efficiency throughout the game.
Keilor had doubled Pakenham’s score in the first quarter – 26-13 – and refused to loosen its grip for the rest of the contest.
The Warriors saw some promising offensive production from Savin Lopez and Jake Heyen, which should give each of them confidence for game two of the playoff series but Jukes, in particular, was in ominous touch for the Thunder.
He constantly found his way around screens to be open from beyond the arc – shooting an impressive 5-11 from downtown.
With Keilor holding a 21-point lead – 67-46 – at the start of the fourth, the result was already beyond doubt.
But, true to form, the Warriors refused to fold in the closing minutes with Tom Eakins facing up to Keilor’s Scott Drysdale in a sign that Pakenham wouldn’t be pushed around.
Armstrong and Topp constantly linked up on the offensive end, showing a great team chemistry that their team will need to rely on if it’s to advance this weekend.
Game two of the Warriors-Thunder semi-final playoff series tips off at 6.30 this Saturday night at the Keilor Basketball Stadium.
Game three, if needed, will be held the following afternoon at the same venue from 3.30pm.
Keilor Thunder 81 d Pakenham Warriors 64
Pakenham:
– James Magrath – 15 points, 4 rebounds.
– Sean Armstrong – 12 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists.
– James Topp – 9 points, 9 rebounds.
Keilor:
– Matthew Jukes – 17 points, 4 rebounds.
– Brad Courts – 9 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists.
– Brent Radoslovic – 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals.
