Tara Murray
Team basketball is the key for the Whittlesea Pacers in the Big V men’s division 2 competition.
The Pacers sit atop the division 2 table having won all 10 of their games so far and have quickly become the team to beat.
Coach Des Radoslovic said the way they were going about things was the most pleasing thing.
“We are 10-0,” he said. “We were expecting to have a successful season and we go out to win every game.
“To be 10-0 I can’t ask for much more. We’re really happy with our ability to play the style of basketball we want to.
“It has proven to be successful.”
Radoslovic said the whole squad was buying into the first team environment and it was showing on the court.
Pat Green leads the way with 19.9 points per game, the fourth most in the division. Gabe Evans, Ashley Bryar, Jason Dirkx, Max Stoganovic and Angus Fischer all average double points per game.
Evans was named the Big V division 2 player of the month averaging 24 points, nearly nine rounds and four assists a game.
“There’s an unselfish team mentality,” Radoslovic said.
“They have a connection and they play for another, not about individual stats. They’re happy for everyone to contribute.
“We have six or seven players who average double figures which is really good.”
While pleased with the season so far, Radoslovic knows there’s still plenty of work to be done.
It starts with the Sherbrooke Suns on Saturday night and then the Maccabi Warriors on Sunday.
“It’s a defensive orientated week at training heading into the bye,” he said.
“It will just get us past the halfway mark of the season.
“We will start playing everyone a second time and they could throw a few different things at us offensively and defensively, we won’t rest on our laurels.”
Radoslovic said that they had plenty of improvement still left in them. He said they were relishing knowing that teams would throw their best at them.
As well as playing two games this weekend, it’s a big weekend for the Pacers with Green playing his 200th Big V game on Sunday.
In good signs for the future, the Pacers youth league men’s division 2 side is sitting second in their pool.
