Results don’t reflect the true development of the Craigieburn Eagles women’s basketball team in Big V division 1.
Going into the weekend, the Eagles had lost their past four games.
On Saturday, they lost to top team Whittlesea Pacers 71-53, Melissa Rofe top scoring with eight points.
Coach Rod Sweeney said his side had been playing some really good games but was struggling to have an impact on the scoreboard.
“Defensively we are holding our own and achieving great results,” he said. “There’s a lack a scoring power but we are getting there.
“Purely on results you could say that we are not achieving but I’m more positive … we are moving in the right direction.”
Coming into the season, Sweeney had said that scoring was something his players were going to have to work on.
“The girls are learning to take the next step,” he said.
“We are shooting at 28 per cent – it needs to be 30 to 32 per cent. We’ve lost a couple of games by less than 10 points so that has hurt.”
The Eagles, who are topping all key performance indicators except for shooting, are making the most of their younger players.
“This season we have 10 players who have played more than 100 minutes for the season,” Sweeney said. “This time last year it was six players.
“Against Mildura, one of the top sides, we had four players missing. We gave some of the young girls an opportunity and lost by 10 points.”
Sweeney said 16-year-old Selin Karakaya, in her first year in the club’s Big V program, had made the trip to Mildura.
Karakaya is yet to become a permanent member of the youth side but has already shown she can hold her own with the seniors.
The Eagles men’s side defeated Oakleigh 83-71 in division 2.
In state championship women, the Hume City Broncos defeated Melbourne Tigers 87-61, with Colleen Planeta top scoring with 23 points.
In the men’s state championship, the Broncos men’s side lost to Bulleen 82-74 while Whittlesea Pacers won a close one against McKinnon 66-63.
