It would be difficult to find anyone who would disagree that the Whittlesea Pacers are the early premiership favourites in women’s Big V division 1 basketball.
The Pacers played four games in the opening five rounds and had an average winning margin of 34 points, before having two weeks off.
The lowest winning margin in those matches was 26 points.
On Sunday, they continued their winning streak with a 76-63 victory against Latrobe City.
Before the weekend’s game, Pacers coach Shannon Bodley said the side had set a pre-season goal of being 4-0 at the Easter break.
“We split the season into mini-seasons and the girls and myself pencilled in to be 4-0 in the first four rounds,” Bodley said.
“We had a hard pre-season. The girls worked on getting fit and have been able to push it to another level this year and are running out matches much better.”
Bodley said the focus on getting fit was partly in response to his side’s performances last year, in which it finished sixth.
“It was something we did lack last season,” he said. “We are now able to keep running and hurt teams on fast breaks.”
One player who has had a massive impact this season is import Kimetria Hayden. She has averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds in her first four games, and has other coaches standing up and taking notice.
“It’s amazing how quickly Kimetria has settled in,” Bodley said. “We got her out early and she has been here all pre-season.
“The Werribee coach said that Mildura had a one in 10 year import last season and that we have got one of those players, too.”
Hayden isn’t the only inclusion to the Pacers line-up this season.
“Hannah Rifat has come down from Bendigo,” Bodley said. “Her defensive intensity is amazing and she provides an X-factor. Haylee Cooper-MacLean has returned to the club after a year away. She and Kellie Down have played together before and they play off each other.”
Bodley said the Easter break and bye came at a good time, allowing his players to freshen up and rest niggling injuries.
“The next three weeks we face the other teams in the top five and it will show us where we are at,” Bodley said. “It will be really tough but hopefully we’ll get a few wins.”
