By Jonty Ralphsmith
Pakenham’s Championship Women’s team has bounced back strongly from a first round loss to McKinnon – clean-sweeping a double-header against Sunbury and Hume on the weekend.
A commanding final quarter ensured the Warriors ran away with the game 69-56 after a strong end to the third quarter for Sunbury saw the teams exchange the lead multiple times going into three-quarter-time.
Pakenham led for the majority of the contest, withholding a Sunbury outfit that came into the game with a win already under its belt.
Haille Nickerson was supreme for the visitors at Boardman Stadium on Saturday night, finishing with 27 points and Tarryn Wilkin’s double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) was crucial in ensuring the Warriors first victory of the season.
The Warriors then fronted up for their first home-court appearance on Sunday, welcoming Hume to Cardinia Life.
The home side began well, taking a 17-12 lead at quarter time, with Wilkin (20 points) once again stuffing the stats sheet.
The fast start proved crucial for the Warriors, with the second and third quarters dead even, with the Broncos outscoring the home side 14-13 in the final stanza.
The Warriors ran out 62-58 winners.
Chelsea presents the next challenge on Saturday 2 April, at 6pm, at Cardinia Life.
The men’s side fell agonisingly short of making it a 2-0 start to the season in division two, going down 81-79 in overtime to Altona on Sunday afternoon.
Pakenham opened the scoring in the extra period, but two executed free throws to Altona’s Diquan Williams with four seconds of the clock sealed victory for the hosts.
After a rapid start for the Warriors that saw them up by 15 at quarter-time, Altona was able to peg the lead back throughout the match, outscoring Pakenham in each of the final three stanzas to send the game to overtime.
Despite not having held the lead since very early in the first quarter, Altona got the better of Pakenham in overtime in a bitter end to a physical game.
The Warriors took a timeout with four seconds to go and had a shot from outside the ring to win in it in the dying seconds but were unable to convert.
Coach Rob Roberts saw clear areas for improvement ahead of their game next weekend, on Saturday 2 April at 8pm against the winless Craigieburn at Cardinia Life.
“It is what it is and we just have to focus on a few things we need to do a little bit better before next time we play them,” Roberts said.
“We need time with the boys on the floor together making sure we get through our stuff and defend the way we want to defend – there were spots through the game we didn’t do that which allowed them some easy buckets to make from the outside.
“As long as we pick up on the defensive end, I think we’ll be okay.”
After fatherhood saw him miss round one, recruit Ned Weideman was instrumental for Pakenham, scoring 26 points to go with 12 rebounds, while Joe Davis – 18 points – was another scoring source.
His return was a welcome addition for Roberts.
“Having him come back and join us at Pakenham was a huge thing – he played his youth career at Pakenham and then went to Frankston NBL one.
“He always said to me he loves the family atmosphere and what we’re doing here so it’s good to have him back and made a pretty big impact on the floor for his first game so hopefully he’ll be able to continue to do that for us.”
In the youth league, the women were grounded after a 73-point win last week, going down by four points to Frankston on Saturday.
Despite double-doubles to Katie Karijic-Powell (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Alahna Arnason (20 points, 10 rebounds), Pakenham were on the back foot from a slow first stanza and never managed to find the lead.
It was better news for the men’s who secured a 14 point victory against Wallan.
Like the women, the men were slow out of the blocks, but were plus-26 after quarter time to ensure it remained undefeated.
There was an even spread of contributors with the following players all scoring between nine and 14 points: Josh Norton, Michael Johns, Jackson Grey, Dylan Jenkinson, Matthew Stevens and Hayden Melson.
The women’s youth team will next week take on Warrandyte on the afternoon of Saturday 2 April at Cardinia life, and then will be off to Craigieburn the following day, while the men’s youth team has a bye.
