Lions no challenge for in-form Lakers

ON TARGET: Mount Gambier Laker Sam Stafford was in fine form on Saturday night, scoring a solid 21 points against the Bacchus Marsh Lions to end the minor rounds of the Country Basketball League season on a high. Picture: THOMAS MILES

ON TARGET: Mount Gambier Laker Sam Stafford was in fine form on Saturday night, scoring a solid 21 points against the Bacchus Marsh Lions to end the minor rounds of the Country Basketball League season on a high. Picture: THOMAS MILES

THE Mount Gambier Lakers finished the minor season of the Country Basketball League’s South West men’s division with a solid win over the Bacchus Marsh Lions on Saturday night.

Played on the Lions’ home court, the Lakers made short work of their then third-placed opponent, taking the lead with the first score of the match and holding it throughout for an eventual 36-point victory.

The loss now sees Bacchus Marsh in fourth position, with the Bellarine Storm claiming third on percentage after its big win over the Warrnambool Seahawks on the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Horsham Hornets recorded two easy wins on the road and hold the top spot to take out the minor premiership for 2018-19.

The Lakers have proven they can defeat each of these top four teams throughout the season and will remain a hot favourite when finals kick off this weekend.

On Saturday Lakers coach Kane de Wit again topped the scoresheets with a 26-point game, while Sam Stafford also shot well to finish with 21.

With 16-point totals to both Simon Berkefeld and Braiden Ousey, as well as double figures from Matt Berkefeld (12) and Lachie Hunter (10), the Lakers again demonstrated they possess no shortage of depth.

The Lions also had an even contribution, but despite five players in double figures, the highest score came from Jordan Kirk with just 15 points.

A foul from Kirk saw de Wit opened the ledger for the game, as he converted both free throws to establish a lead the Lakers would not give up.

The Lions managed a free throw of their own before de Wit sunk a three-point bomb, followed by a couple of two-pointers from Hunter to set the ball rolling.

From there Stafford hit the board, with a two-pointer followed by a long bomb from behind the three-point line.

The trend continued when Matt Berkefeld shot another three-pointer, before de Wit scored his second to see the score at 20-12.

The margin remained around that mark for the remainder of the term and at the first change the Lakers were up 32-21.

Stafford opened the second quarter with a two-pointer, followed by a free throw, before Kirk shot a three-pointer to keep the Lions within touch.

However, the visitors continued to apply pressure on the scoreboard and the margin only grew heading into half time.

At the long break the Lakers held the lead by 26 points, 66-40.

The Lions opened the second half with two free throws to Max Beaumont and a two-pointer from Joshua Borninkhof, before the Lakers answered through Stafford.

He scored a two-pointer, backed up by another from Hunter to keep the margin at 26.

From there the Lions levelled the playing field and stuck with the Lakers, but were unable to close the deficit.

Heading into the final stanza the Lakers remained 27 points ahead, with the score at 88-61.

The term opened with both teams trading blows and three minutes into the quarter the margin was still at 27.

But the Lakers broke the deadlock with a three-pointer from Hunter, which was backed up by three consecutive two-point shots from Ousey, followed by a free throw.

At that point the lead had grown to 35 points with three and a half minutes to go, leaving the Lions with damage control as its only option.

Bacchus Marsh managed to hit back with a seven-point run to undo some damage, but a three-pointer from de Wit, followed by a free throw and a two-pointer from Ousey saw the game out.

The final margin of 36 saw the Lakers return home with yet another solid win, in a season which has seen the team go from strength to strength.

Mount Gambier was set to face Geelong Saturday night in the quarter-final, but with Victorian Country Championships on, it appears the Supercats may not have several players tied up with that

and have subsequently forfeited the match.

The result sees the Lakers through to the semi-final, with a possible match up against either Bacchus Marsh or Portland Coasters.