By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Pakenham Warriors took a big step forward in their ongoing battle for consistency on the weekend, with Jeff Reid’s Big V basketball Division 2 men’s side trouncing Craigieburn at Cardinia Life on Saturday night 85-60.
The result came after the disappointment the week before of a 14-point loss to Collingwood, with Reid suggesting his side’s lift in intensity was the biggest key.
“We came out with great intensity right from the start of the game,” he said.
“The boys were really focussed and switched on.”
Pakenham kept Craigieburn to just eight points in the first quarter on just 13 per cent shooting – setting the defensive mindset for the remainder of the clash.
Hayden Davey finished with another big double-double for Pakenham with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while import Kenneth Hall (13 points and 13 rebounds) had his biggest game for the Warriors so far.
Davey and guard Josh Smith both passed fitness tests in the lead-in to the Craigieburn clash and made it through the contest, but Reid was particularly encouraged by the form of big man Hall.
“He really got after it on the boards,” Reid said, adding Hall’s physical conditioning had also steadily improved.
“He’s really starting to get up and down to more contests and lift his professionalism.
“We can see what he’s capable of, and he’s getting better for us every week.”
As for the Warriors’ play as a whole, Reid said they needed to string 40 minutes of consistent basketball together.
“Even though the game was basically over at half-time we still didn’t do that for the third quarter on the weekend,” he said.
The Warriors next face the North East Bushrangers from 2pm this Sunday at Cardinia Life and Reid is adamant they won’t take the visitors lightly.
On the other side of the spectrum, Darren Thomas’ Warriors Division 2 women’s side is still searching for its first ever win.
But on Saturday night at Melbourne University, they led the home side by a point with just eight minutes remaining before ultimately falling short 71-55.
Thomas admitted his group needed to learn how to win, but said there were plenty of encouraging signs – such as a phenomenal 52 per cent field goal percentage.
“In our last game Blackburn killed us with their pressure the whole time, but in this one the girls worked harder to get open looks and better shots for their team mates.”
Thomas made special mention of Tess Young, who played 37 minutes.
“I couldn’t take her off the court,” he said.
“Her defense and rebounding was fantastic.”
Thomas also praised captain Kylie Thomson’s leadership, which will need to continue this week as the Warriors face Coburg Giants, who put 121 points on the board in just 40 minutes against Sherbrooke in their last game. Coburg hosts the Warriors from 6.30pm this Saturday.
In other Warriors news, the Youth League 2 men’s side narrowly went down at home to Craigieburn in the curtain-raiser to the men’s clash on Saturday, 83-81.
This Sunday they’ll head to Bialik Stadium in Hawthorn East to face Maccabi from 2pm.
