By Tara Murray
Whittlesea Pacers are back on track after a slow start to the Big V men’s division 1 season.
Nothing went the Pacers way early in the season with the Easter break coming at the perfect time to reset.
The Pacers have won both their matches since to get back to level pegging.
Pacers coach Des Radoslovic is a lot happier now with where they are sitting.
“We should have been 2-2 early on as we had the upper hand in a couple of the early games,” he said.
“We’ve reset the season and we’re where we should be at 3-3. Being at full health helps, we had three or four guys leading up to Easter with niggles.
“We’re definitely taking some steps forward.”
The Pacers injury concerns early weren’t helped with import Raheem Anthony suffering a back injury in a heavy fall in round one.
While he was still able to contribute, Radoslovic said he wasn’t at 100 per cent.
“We decided to rest him the week before Easter and gave him the chance to have a two week break.
“He came back at full health and that helps a lot.”
The Pacers on Saturday just got over the line against the Craigieburn Eagles.
It was the Pacers early on in the game as they led by 17 points at half time with the game in their control.
The Eagles came back hard in the second half, with the Pacers able to hold on to win, 95-92.
“We played extremely well in the first half,” Radoslovic said. “We then got into a little bit of a hole.
“Shots weren’t dropping and they were generally shots we wanted to be getting.
“We missed some really open shots, but we were able to still come up with the twin.”
Anthony top scored with 20 points as five players reached double figures for the Pacers.
Lachlan Kego and Gene Vocale had 17 each for the Eagles.
Radoslovic said while they don’t want to be giving leads up like that, the experience of tight games would help them down the track.
“We play in a lot of close games so when they get tight later in the season, we’ve not in unfamiliar territory,” he said.
“We really executed late in the last few minutes and that was the pleasing part.”
Now back with an even record, the Pacers and Radoslovic are keen to build on that.
“The next three games, we go in expecting to win,” he said. “Warrnambool is on the bottom of the ladder, but we can’t take them lightly, it’s an even competition.
“Hopefully we can get to 6-3 and up towards the top of the ladder.”
In the women’s division 1 match, the Eagles beat the Pacers, 86-62.
Myra Wood top scored with 18 points for the Eagles, while Meg Lucas top scored with 13 points.
