Wallan Panthers’ women’s side is into the top four of the Country Basketball League’s north east division after two wins on the weekend.
It wasn’t always pretty for the Panthers during the games against Castlemaine and Maryborough, but they were able to get the job done.
Panthers’ coach Warren Taylor said the match against Castlemaine was always going to be a bigger challenge than what the side had faced in the last couple of games.
Against an older and more experienced line-up, the Panthers won 67-48 on Saturday night.
“They [Castlemaine] were very physical and tried to use that to their advantage but to our girls’ credit, we didn’t back down and kept to our game plan well,” Taylor said.
“A late second quarter run of 16-2 by our girls, saw us lead 41-29 at half time.”
The Panthers had a mid game slump in the third quarter and allowed Castlemaine to get back into the game.
“We lost the quarter 20-9 with some sloppy play and some defensive breakdowns but credit to Castlemaine who shut down our run and ball reversal.”
The Panthers recovered in the last quarter to win easily.
Alex Darby top scored with 22 points, combining well with Gemma Jackson.
Jayda Hunter and Megan Marasco also had solid games.
Backing it up on Sunday against Maryborough, it was a game Taylor and Panthers would rather forget.
While the Panthers won 46-34, the game was anything but pretty.
“It was another reasonable start for us but we were just unable to break clear and despite some solid early scoring from Alex Darby, we only led by three at quarter time,” Taylor said.
“Our second quarter was again our best as we began to run over the taller Maryborough girls.
“Megan Marasco went 4-4 for eight points in the quarter while her sister Karina added five points.”
The Panther led 33-21 at half time.
From that point the Panthers’ shooting was deplorable and they were lucky that Maryborough was unable to convert,
“I’m going to have to change what we do at half time because again we struggled through a lacklustre third quarter,” Taylor said.
“If it wasn’t for Tracy Tuesley we may well have trailed at three quarter time.”
“Tracy’s six points in the quarter the only thing going for us offensively as we went 3-20 from the field.”
The shooting curse then hit Maryborough in the last quarter, in what Taylor described “the most bizarre last quarter you can imagine”.
Between the teams, they shot 2-28 from the field and 0-8 from the free throw line.
“Maryborough couldn’t just get going in the last quarter peeling off missed shot followed by turnover all through the quarter,” Taylor said.
“But instead of capitalising, we kept them in the game by missing our first 11 shots in the quarter.
“The first points of the quarter for either team came with three minutes left.
“Jayda Hunter scored a layup and followed it up with another goal not long after, to score the only points of the quarter.”
Like earlier in the season, Taylor said he would rather win ugly than win pretty any day.
“It was awful, but to hold a team scoreless in your final quarter of a double header away weekend is a pretty bloody impressive effort for my girls,” he said.
The veteran of the side Tuesley was outstanding with 10 points, 16 rebounds and five steals.
The men’s side had a mixed weekend, splitting their games.
On Saturday night they defeated Castlemaine 85-65.
Daniel Stavrinou and Kane Molloy both scored 17 points, with Stavrinou hitting five three-pointers.
It was heartbreak for the Panthers on Sunday against Maryborough as they were beaten by a buzzer beater.
Leading by eight points midway through the last quarter, the Panthers saw their lead vanish and were trailing with second remaining.
Kane Molloy found the basket from long range with just 2.8 seconds left to tie the game.
Maryborough’s Brady Neil then put a shot up more in hope than anything, which went it to give the home side the win.
