By Hayley Wildes
The Pakenham Warriors recorded a pair of dominant wins and a tough loss in Round 8 Big V action.
The Youth League 2 Women continued their impressive season with a clinical 91-55 win over the Sherbrooke Suns on Saturday evening at Cardinia Life.
The Warriors took control of the game from the opening tip and were never troubled. Their defence was at its smothering best, forcing Sherbrooke into a whopping 43 turnovers.
In her best performance of the season, Samantha Neil (23 points, 9 rebounds, 8 steals, 6 assists, 2 blocks) proved that she can take over games at this level.
Ellie Coutts (20 points, 8 steals, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks) meanwhile, was simply sublime and is putting together a stellar season.
Coutts’ all-round domination is something that Warriors fans have become accustomed to. She has posted ridiculous stat lines all season long, including a triple-double in the season-opener against Frankston.
The Warriors now boast a 7-1 record and sit second on the ladder, behind the undefeated Casey Cavaliers.
The Youth League 2 Men took on the Frankston Blues at home on Saturday night and were unable to extend their five-game win streak.
Ned Weideman (21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) did his best to get his team over the line, but Pakenham couldn’t match the team effort from Frankston, falling 69-81.
Gryf Pugh (18 rebounds, 10 points) and Josh Cleary (20 points) led Frankston to the win.
The Warriors didn’t dwell on that disappointment though, rebounding with a massive win over the Wallan Panthers the next day.
They put together a complete performance and with six players scoring in double figures, Pakenham overpowered Wallan to claim a resounding 107-54 win on the road.
Lee Belton (19 points) led the way in the scoring, while Weideman (11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists) backed up from his impressive performance a day earlier to post a double-double.
The Warriors currently sit fourth on the ladder with a 7-3 record.
The Division 2 Men had a bye in round 8 and will return to action on Saturday night at Cardinia Life against Craigieburn. The Youth League 2 Men also play on Saturday night at home, facing the Western Port Steelers from 5pm.
The Youth League 2 Women travel to Blackburn on Sunday afternoon to take on the Vikings.
