Trevor Jackson
While the Millicent Magic women have left no doubt about their strength in this season’s Country Basketball League, Saturday night they took it to a whole new level.
The Magic simply smashed the Surfcoast Chargers, with a huge 118-47 result.
The onslaught began early in the game, with a 23-12 opening term favouring the home side.
A similar second term saw a 22-12 return, but from there the magic began to hit their straps and open the margin.
A 39-8 third term put the result beyond doubt, with a final-quarter 34-15 blast to round it out.
With just seven players on the roster, the Magic could have been excused for relying on the experience of Jasmin Howe (8) and Alana Berkefeld (7).
However, it was the younger members of the roster who stood up and banged on the points.
Georgia Winter finished with a huge 36 points, followed by Poppy Venn with 29 and Edie Easterby 22, while Tayla Rowe added 14.
For coach Damien Venn it was a good result with the limited roster.
“It was pretty good with a couple of players missing,” he said.
“The first quarter we had to battle away a bit.
“They started off alright and had a couple of big girls who were causing us some issues.
“We made some adjustments there and in the second half, we shot 39 points in the third quarter.”
Much of that effort came off the hand of Winter, who Venn said was in impressive form.
“Georgia Winter shot the lights out, Poppy shot the lights out and Edie had a pretty good game too,” he said.
Apart from the younger members of the team, Venn said he was also impressed with the leadership of Howe.
“She wasn’t shooting the ball that well and other people were, so she took a step back,” he said.
“She is great for us, she just guides, is a wiser, older head on the court trying to teach these kids how to do it properly.
“She could have kept jacking them up but she stepped back and that is a good sign for us.
“If they all get going in the same game, look out.”
Venn said Howe was an important part of the roster this season, with her ability to bring the younger players into the game in a pressure situation.
For now the Magic shifts its focus to the Icehouse where they will face a tough Mount gambier roster on Friday night.
Venn said it was an important game in the scheme of the season and should be an entertaining clash.
“”We are looking forward to play the Mount but we will have a couple of players out,” he said.
“But we can’t make excuses … we have to play with what we have.”
The top-of-the-table clash will take place at the Icehouse on Friday night at 6pm.
