By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Pakenham Warriors are well and truly within reach of a top two spot on the ladder after Jeff Reid’s Big V Basketball Division 2 men’s side headed to Altona on Sunday and knocked off the home side 80-71.
Though Altona has struggled through its first 13 games of the season – winning just four of those – travelling to a new arena and getting the job done away from home is never an easy task in Big V.
The Warriors opened up on Sunday with a 23-13 first quarter to set the tone.
Despite being unable to dial in their three-pointers (ultimately finishing the clash 2-14 from beyond the arc) they shot nearly 50 per cent from the field overall.
Still, there is work to be done from the free-throw line. They made just 10 of their 18 attempts and only shot three in the first half.
Hayden Davey, struggling with his shot in recent weeks, found other ways to contribute to his side’s cause with 10 points and 6 rebounds but it was Kenneth Hall and Ben Gaze who particularly impressed against the Gators.
American import Hall continues to find his feet more and more with every game and on Sunday finished with 21 points and 9 boards while shooting 60 per cent from the field.
Gaze, meanwhile, finished with 18 points and a whopping seven steals while also nailing more than half his shot attempts.
The Warriors still have plenty to work on coming out of the game – such as their sluggish third quarter – but good sides find ways to win when not everything is going their way and that’s exactly what Reid’s men need to continue doing.
On Saturday night, well into the second quarter it seemed like the Warriors’ Division 2 women’s side would record its first ever win as it led Melbourne University 21-10.
But an unanswered 10-point run by the visitors at Cardinia Life brought them right back into the contest and ultimately powered them to a 20-point victory, 70-50.
As the Warriors fatigued throughout the game, their shot selection suffered and they finished shooting 29 per cent from the field. Hayley Leknius finished with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double for the home side while Jill Appleton scored 14 points.
In the pre-cursor to the women’s game, Simo Pajdic’s Youth League 2 men’s side stormed to a commanding 23-point win over Maccabi, 64-41.
The result has the Warriors tied for second on the ladder behind the powerhouse, undefeated Mornington.
The Warriors dominated the first half on Saturday, leading 27-15, and continued where they left off in the third – icing the game with a 27-point third quarter. It was another particularly even team performance by Pakenham but Tom Greer shone with an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double.
