IT was a night out for the Bulldogs Basketball Club, with the men’s team, plus players in the composite women’s team featuring in both SECBL grand finals last week.
It was also a special night for long-term basketball supporters, Krystie and Steve Reid whose sons Todd and Duncan, along with daughter Megan, all played in the grand finals.
Bulldogs SECBL men maintained an unbeaten record for the 2021 winter season in fine style with a comprehensive win over Saints.
Led by Simon Berkefeld, Bulldogs gave a clinical display of relentless attacking basketball to outclass Saints.
The final opened with Matt Black scoring the first three baskets for Bulldogs and immediately had the opposing Saints players under pressure.
Berkefeld quickly used his silky-smooth skills to score 11 points, nine from beyond the arc to set up a 10-point break at the end of the first quarter.
Bulldogs players worked as a strong unit in defence to hold Saints to just 17 points for the second quarter and at the same time add 28 points to their score.
Saints tried desperately to regain their scoring momentum of the preliminary final when they compiled 93 points, but without reward.
Bulldogs tightened their grip on the premiership in the third period, holding Saints to11 points, the scoreboard reading 70-44 at the final break.
Features of the final 10 minutes were tough defensive work off the boards headed by Todd Reid and followed up by a scoring surge from Sam and Shaun Lock.
Todd Reid had his solid performance at both ends of the court rewarded with the MG Plasterers most valuable player in the final.
Berkefeld praised his players on their efforts over the season, while on accepting his award, Reid paid tribute to the performance of Berkefeld and his leading-by-example style.
The final score of 96-59 reflected the depth of talent of the Bulldogs unit, which proved to be a class above opposition sides in the winter season.
Top scorers were Berkefeld with 32 points, Shaun Lock with 17 and Sam Lock with 13 points for Bulldogs.
State junior Jack Haggett led the scoring for Saints with 13 points, followed by Ben Wilson on 10 and Connell Schultz 9.
In contrast to the men’s final, Cats women kept their unbeaten record in tact, but only after a tough defensive contest against Bulldogs/Roos.
The margin did not extend beyond single figures over the 40-plus minutes of play.
Cats were forced to line up with just five players due to injuries to Heidi Clark and Abby Denton, while coach Sharon Adams had her full complement of talented juniors at tip off, but lost Siobhan Adams to injury during the game.
A confident and aggressive start by Bulldogs/Roos appeared to unsettle Cats, allowing the home side to put seven points on the board before Alana Winter and Lucy Denton found the hoop.
Cats’ Paula McCrea, made consecutive baskets and levelled the scores at the first break.
Mini surges in the second quarter saw leads of two or three points see-saw between the two sides.
Bulldogs/Roos led 24-21 at half time.
In the third quarter teams continued to struggle to score until Sarah Nulty broke the dead-lock with key mid-range baskets to give Bulldogs/Roos a five-point lead at the last break.
Strong work in the keyway by Maddi Haggett early in the final quarter had Cats in front for the first time in the game.
Lucy Denton made one from the foul line only to see Macey Griffith level the scores again.
Teams traded baskets for the next several minutes and around the three-minute mark a cameo seven-point match-winning effort by Georgia Winter in 90 seconds sealed a 50-43 lead for Cats.
A last-ditch three by Nulty closed the margin to four, but at the final siren Cats claimed a 50-46 victory.
Alana Winter was named the MG Plasterers most valuable player,while winning coach Peter Seebohm commended Bulldogs/Roos players and Adams on their performance on the night.
Top scorers for Cats were Denton with a game-high 17 points, Georgia Winter finished with 13 and Alana Winter on 12.
Nulty led the scoring for Bulldogs/Roos with 14, while Ellie Bouchier had 13 and Griffith 11.
