Mixed results on home floor

The OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers women remain undefeated having backed up their opening round road double with two wins at home.

The girls started the weekend with an 85-53 victory over Frankston before surviving a tough contest against Ballarat on Sunday.

In the Frankston clash on Saturday night, the Pioneers built a seven point lead by the end of the opening quarter and then stretched that advantage to as much as 13 points in the second term, and were leading 38-27 by the half.

It was in the third quarter that the home side really put the foot down, increasing their advantage to as many as 35 points in the second half before ending up with the impressive 32 point final margin.

Haliegh Reinoehl (bottom centre) had a terrific night for Mount Gambier finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and two assists on 10/18 shooting from the floor and 3/5 from three point territory.

Isabella Brancatisano (bottom right) added 17 points and four assists, Sherrie Calleia 15 points, five rebounds and four assists, Zitina Aokuso 14 points, 12 boards and five assists, and Samantha Fatkin (main photo)12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Sunday match against Ballarat was a nailbiter and it literally went down to the final seconds of the contest.

No more than seven points separated the two teams the entire contest with Ballarat leading by two points at quarter time before the Pioneers did work on top to lead by seven through the second term.

The Pioneers were leading by five points at half time but only by two at three quarter time and then every time the home side threatened to pull away, the Miners would respond.

Reinoehl scored with a minute on the clock to give her side a six point lead but the next five points to Chloe Bibby had Ballarat again within one before Aokuso was fouled and made both free throws to put the Pioneers three points clear.

There was still time for Ballarat to set up a play but the ball stuck with Micah Simpson. She did get a three-point shot off and it even went in, but it was marginally after time expired.

Aokuso had a terrific afternoon for the Pioneers with 30 points, seven rebounds and two assists on 13/18 shooting from the floor.

Calleia contributed 14 points, four steals, four assists and three rebounds, and Samantha Fatkin 12 points, 14 boards and five assists.

It was a much tougher home court weekend at Wulanda for the Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers men, battling to a six point victory against Frankston on Saturday night, 93-87.

The men’s line-up was initially shellshocked by Frankston who went on a 22-2 run after tip off in a shooting display that had to be seen to be believed.

By the end of the first quarter, the Blues had made seven of their eight three-point attempts to be leading 38-19 and they had thrown down the gauntlet to the Pioneers on their home floor where Frankston had not won at since 2013.

As you would expect, the Pioneers responded and quickly and by the main break the 25 point lead for the Blues had been whittled down to seven points.

The home side eventually worked their way to the lead and despite Nick Marshall fouling out were able to hold on for a six point victory,

Dylan Marshall top scored with 23 points, including four form seven from beyond the arc, while Akech Aliir also delivered 16 points, 10 rebounds and four steals with Austin Shelley contributing 15 points, three assists and three steals, and Nick Marshall 15 points, five boards and four assists.

The Sunday game against long time rival Ballarat was an arm wrestle for most of the afternoon.

The visitors had a two point lead at the first break and it was just a one point game in favour of the Pioneers by the main break.

In the end, the Miners were just marginally better in the second half to outscore the home side 52-11 to secure an 11 point road victory.

Nick Marshall put up 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals with Austin Shelley contributing 21 points, Akech Aliir 16 points and seven rebounds, and Tom Daly 11 points and three assists.

The Pioneers teams are back at Wulanda this Friday night.

RESULTS

Mount Gambier Pioneers 85 (Reinoehl 24, Brancatisano 17, Calleia 15) d Frankston Blues 53 (Brown 17, Reid 13, Boorer 10)

Mount Gambier Pioneers 67 (Aokuso 30, Calleia 14, Fatkin 12) d Ballarat Miners 64 (Bibby 20, Wehrung 17, Bunton 17)

Mount Gambier Pioneers 93 (D Marshall 23, Aliir 16, Shelley 15, N Marshall 15) d Frankston Blues 87 (Trist 27, Lachlan Barker 16, Brown 12)

Mount Gambier Pioneers 94 (N Marshall 29, Shelley 21, Aliir 16) d Ballarat Miners 105 (Rudolph 31, Rosendale 22, Stoddart 14, Majok 14)