MOUNT Gambier Lakers men kicked off their 2017-18 Country Basketball League season with a dominant victory over Terang Tornadoes Sunday at the Icehouse.
Apart from a relatively even first half, the result was never in doubt, with the new-look Lakers running away in the third term, then driving their authority home in the final stanza.
Kane deWit took on the coaching duties for the day and led by example, finding a game-high 23 points, which included four three-point bombs.
The first five minutes of the contest went basket for basket, with Terang finding the first score of the game, with a two pointer to open proceedings, but Matt Berkefeld soon responded with a three to put the home side up.
The Tornadoes added a field goal and a foul shot to reclaim the lead, but deWit added his first basket of the game to level the scores.
The game see-sawed for the first six minutes, with the scores tied up at 11-all, before the Lakers began to break away.
A 6-0 run through Berkefeld, deWit and Sam Stafford saw the lead out to six, before the Tornadoes added another three to stem the tide.
However, a pair of free throws late in the term to deWit saw the Lakers head to the first break with a seven-point advantage.
The visitors continued to keep pace with the hosts, with a three-point deficit after three minutes of play in the second term.
Zac deWit joined Kane deWit with two-point baskets, before a time out saw Terang regroup and push back.
A Dellon Brown two had stretched the margin to nine points after the break, but the Tornadoes them began to find their range, hitting back-to-back threes to be right in the contest.
However, despite a late two by the Tornadoes, as the term wound down the Lakers remained on top, leading at the long break by six points.
Kane deWit hit a big three early in the third term, followed by a two to Stafford at the lead was out to double figures.
But the visitors were not about to lie down, with back-to-back threes from Jake O’Flynn and Scott Judd closing the margin to just two points.
The Lakers then responded, with a crushing 10-0 run to again claim the ascendancy.
Luke Black chipped in for Mount Gambier with a field goal and a pair of free throws, with the margin at the final break a comfortable 15 points.
From there it was one-way traffic, with the Lakers skipping out to a 25-point advantage after five minutes of play.
In the end it was too much for the visitors to overcome, with the home side holding sway to run out convincing victors.
Kane deWit’s game-high total was joined by Stafford, who contributed 16 points, while Berkefeld and Brown added 12 each.
The Lakers will now have a week off before the much-anticipated clash against Limestone Coast rival Millicent Magic at the Icehouse on October 28.
