James Murphy
IT was not to be for the Millicent Magic men on Saturday, who took a heavily depleted roster to Horsham for Round 12 of CBL basketball.
They took to the court with Kade Bradley the only starting player in the roster, while Clint Gallio was also a pillar of experience for the young team.
The end result was a 35-point loss, but Millicent fought hard until the final buzzer.
“We were a bit light on, but we went over and competed, which was all we really wanted to achieve out of it,” coach Darren Dean said.
Despite the staffing issues, the Magic started strongly.
“We were up in the first quarter to about the halfway mark, but then they took control through the second half of the first quarter, right through to the third,” Dean said.
In a solid finish Millicent outscored the Hornets in the fourth term 21-19, but by then the damage was irreversible.
Dean was pleased with the input from his team and
“The guys who went, they showed commitment and didn’t drop their heads the whole way through,” he said.
Mitch Martin and Austin McKenzie were the focal points for the Hornets and their combined 52 points left the Magic on the back foot.
For Millicent it was Bradley who stood tall at both ends of the court, shooting 19 points and defending well.
“We were lucky he went – originally he wasn’t going to be one of the guys who were going,” Dean said.
“He had a solid night offensively and defensively.
“Clint Gallio certainly controlled us from the point guard position and then the younger ones stepped in and played their minutes around those two really.”
Of those Austin Fuller and Jackson Dean earned a mention, while Declan Hurley was a highlight of the night when he took to the court and drained three three-point bombs in a row.
To add to the occasion, Millicent was privileged to be a part of two pre-game celebrations recognising services to the Horsham Hornets Basketball Club.
“We were involved in a bit of a ceremony at the the start thanking four of (Horsham’s) volunteers for their efforts over the last 10 years,” Dean said.
“Then we were lucky enough to be a part of Tim Wade’s 200 game presentation.
“That was special to be a part of.”
Millicent now enters a three-week hiatus for the Christmas/New Year break, with its next game against Warrnambool on January 8.
