By RUSSELL BENNETT
THERE’S an old adage that height is the key ingredient to any good basketballer.
But it can’t be the only ingredient.
Australia’s tallest man Kewal Shiels stands at 223.5 centimetres tall – or 7’4″ in the old scale – and is the Craigieburn Eagles’ newest weapon in their tilt at the Big V basketball Division 1 title. But he posed little threat to the Pakenham Warriors on Saturday, as the home side stormed to an 85-64 victory at the Colosseum.
Swingman Jim Viray starred for the Warriors with his outside jumper proving far too much for the Eagles to handle in a modified six-term pre-season matchup. He was the game’s leading scorer with 25 points, while Jamie Stow also showed plenty with 14.
Stow, the younger brother of Warriors stalwart Daniel, also displayed impressive range on his jumper and his athleticism provided a huge energy boost for the side.
And it was a matter of defence by committee when it came to guarding Shiels, who clearly towered over the Warriors’ whole front line.
He struggled all game to establish himself on the low block and had his own layup attempts rejected a number of times.
Spacing was also an issue for the Eagles’ offence when Shiels was on the floor, though he could ultimately prove to be a real plus for the team as his minutes increase during the season.
Meanwhile, the positives just continue to pile up for the Warriors as they inch towards their season opener. New point guard Cam Luke already has a clear understanding with star forward James Topp and their chemistry continues to improve with each game.
“Cam is still getting into the flow of things, but he says he’s pulling up better after each training session, so it’s just a gradual progression for him,” Warriors coach Ryan Rogers said.
Pakenham’s guard depth, overall, is proving to be a real strength, too. The likes of Savin Lopez, James Magrath, Lee Belton, Matt Darcy and Craig Drew proved far too much for the Eagles to handle on Saturday, particularly out in transition.
Youngsters Belton and Darcy impressed with their intensity on both sides of the ball, which Rogers said was just a continuation of their effort at training.
“They’ve moved from junior to senior basketball quite well,” he said.
“They’re not getting carried away with things – they’re just staying calm.”
The Warriors capped off a great all-around weekend with a 68-61 away win over Oakleigh on Sunday. Rogers praised his young side’s ability to pull through with good decisions down the stretch, despite missing a number of key players in the second of two back-to-back games.
