IT could not have been a better return to the court for the Mount Gambier Lakers women on the weekend, when they contested a double-header round of the Country Basketball League competition at home.
Saturday night saw the Lakers up against Geelong United with four players missing due to state commitments.
However, it did not prevent the home team from bringing the heat to the Icehouse.
Melissa Russell and Millicent’s Sarah Faulkner lent their services for the clash, along with Under 18 talents Megan Reid and Tara Bryant.
The result was a massive 62-point thrashing to Geelong, with the Lakers tasting sweet success in only their second game of the season, after a six-week hiatus due to byes.
Sunday’s match was a closer affair against ladder leaders Horsham Lady Hornets.
Scores were close at the end of the first half, but the Lakers hit their straps after the main break to pull away to an eventual 13-point victory.
Coach Scott O’Connor was pleased with the results and was happy to see a team performance on both days.
“The girls played really well and I thought we had a good contribution from all of our players,” he said.
Olivia Wormald was a standout on both occasions, with a game-high 30 points against Geelong, before a quieter return of 13 in Sunday’s even contribution to the scoreboard.
On Saturday Keryl Ousey was also in fine form with 23 points for the match.
Her and Wormald single-handedly accounted for Geelong, but 12 points each from Russell and Nikeisha Facey boosted the total and left no chance of recovery for the visitors.
The Lakers wasted no time setting up their lead and by the first change held an 18-point advantage.
From there it was already over, with Geelong held to a meagre 10 points in the second term, while the Lakers added another 25 to lead 50-17 at the main break.
The second half was more of the same and Geelong welcomed the relief of the final buzzer, which put an end to the onslaught.
The guests had just one player reach double figures, with Vanessa Marsh scoring 10 points.
Contradictory to Saturday’s game, Sunday’s clash with the Hornets was an arm wrestle from the start.
“Horsham were tough,” O’Connor said.
“They got a good win against Millicent on the Saturday and then came to us full of confidence on Sunday.”
However, the Lakers were up to the challenge and O’Connor was pleased with the way the girls took control in the second half.
“I thought we executed our game plan quite well and we had some good performances again to get us across the line,” he said.
“It was a tough game, but for a group that is as young as we are, we showed some really good composure to stick together and stick to our principles throughout the game.
“I thought we controlled the first half well, but we closed the second quarter quite poorly.
“We gave up an 8-0 run to close the second quarter when we really should have kept our foot down.”
O’Connor put that lapse down to giving up rebounds, while the limited court-time of an unwell Ousey had an impact.
“We missed her size and rebounding in that game,” O’Connor said.
Regardless, the Lakers composed themselves at half time and built on the four-point lead to sit 12 points clear at the final change.
They held that margin throughout the fourth quarter to claim a 13-point win.
Wormald scored a team best of 13 points, while Claire Hunter and Emily Dawe both had 10, with Sarah Ritter scoring eight in her first CBL game.
“Sarah Ritter – who is another Under 18 who filled in for us on Sunday – played phenomenally for her first game of CBL,” O’Connor said.
“I thought she was really good, as well as Olivia Wormald again – she was fantastic.
“Tara played on the Sunday as well and I think she will probably work her way to being a regular.”
Looking ahead to the next few weeks the Lakers women face consecutive meetings with reigning premiers Millicent Magic, before a road trip to Horsham for a rematch with the Lady Hornets.
“We have played excellent basketball for our first three games, now we just have to make sure we continue to play good basketball each and every week and build that consistency as a group,” O’Connor said.
