THE Panthers-Wizards basketballers worked their magicto record a resounding win and secure the 2017 Winter South East Coast Basketball League premiership.
Basketballers shine in premiership finals
After a somewhat interrupted season, Wizards have been in scintillating form over the finals series.
They defeated an under-manned Bulldogs Blue 74-70, but with the return of on-court leader Chris Mason, the Wizards transformed into a team focused on getting the job done in the preliminary final and continued in the same vein in the title game.
The grand final opened with a three-point basket from Kurt Rodis, but then Bulldogs found space to make multiple baskets.
Consecutive threes by Wizards’ Brad Close gave his side the lead 20-17 at quarter time.
Brad Rathjen went to work in the second quarter to extend Wizards’ lead to 11 at half-time, but then Bulldogs matched Wizards’ scoring up until the five-minute mark of the third quarter, when a
Mason basket sparked Wizards into action for an unanswered 24-point run and a three quarter time score-line of 71-47.
The final quarter was a more even, free-scoring affair, featuring consistent baskets from Ben Brumby and Close, even though Wizards had the game in safe keeping.
The scoreboard read 102 to 70 on the final siren, which marked an appropriate end for the Wizards team after 23 seasons of A Grade basketball competition.
Rathjen scored a game-high 32 points and was awarded the most valuable player for the final.
He was well supported by Close and Rodis, each with 18 points and Brumby with 14.
Women’s minor premiers Cougars and second-placed Saints went into the grand final with two wins and two losses against each other.
The first quarter opened as a dour, defensive struggle, with baskets difficult to come by and finished with the scoreboard reading 13 apiece.
Saints managed to compile 18 points for the quarter and set up a six-point buffer at half time.
The third quarter continued as a low scoring affair as players searched for consistency in offence, but Emily Winter and Keah Lynch found range from outside.
Cougars on the other hand managed only two field goals.
The margin of 10 points presented a challenge for Cougars in the final quarter.
The momentum of the game lifted as Molly Watson, after a quiet game for Cougars, scored eight points, while Winter made nine for Saints to lead her side to an 11-point win, 66-55.
Winter scored a game-high 18 points, earning MVP for the final, while Fuller had 17 and Lynch 14.
Tenille Gray on 14, Watson on 11 and Morgan Amy and Russell each with 10, led the scoring for Cougars.
This title makes four consecutive SECBL premierships for Saints, an outstanding achievement considering the majority of the team has been part of all four flags.
Cougars playing coach Kane deWit and Panthers talented junior Emily Close were last week named as the 2017 SECBL winter season most valuable players.
Receiving 16 votes, deWit has been the standout player for Cougars men this season, while Close – who had 18 votes – has revelled in her step up to the senior stage.
Dellon Brown, deWit’s team-mate, scored 15 votes for the runner-up title, while Cougars’ Tenille Gray was runner-up in the women’s voting with 15.
Close scooped the pool in the season individual awards by winning the Sally-Jane Allen/Trisha Flett Perpetual Trophy for the junior player scoring most MVP votes.
Roos athletic Under 18 player Malok Makuer did like-wise in being awarded the Bill Cook Perpetual Trophy.
