Ballan Brumbies Basketball

Last weekend’s basketball action saw Ballan Brumbies Under 14 Boys D take on Saints Pelicans in a closely contested affair.

The teams traded baskets in the opening stages, or to be more accurate, Saints forward Jed James and Brumbies guard Trinder exchanged makes, both boys scoring tough baskets on slaloming drives to the hoop.

The teams continued to trade baskets, this time Micah Oswin converting from close range before Ballan responded through a Noah Ranieri drive.

Saints star Caius Bull started to asset his authority on the game, powering his way to the hoop, the Brumbies boys only able to illegally impede him. That, in turn, created foul issues for Ballan as both point guard Kristian Seketa and centre Eamonn Grigg picked up three fouls apiece. Bull shot the ball well from the free throw line, making three straight to push the Saints out to a 9-6 lead.

Ballan closed the half strongly, however. A Seketa jump shot was quickly followed by another Trinder drive and a Ranieri score from an offensive rebound as Ballan took a 12-9 lead into the break, despite Seketa being generally well held and the talismanic Lucas Cardona being blanketed by the Saints defense.

The Brumbies started the second half well as Cardona began to break the shackles, carving his way to the basket. His radar, however, was malfunctioning as he missed a series of gettable chances. Seketa, though, connected on a nifty layup under pressure, then hitting a pretty mid range jumpshot.

The dangerous Elliott Bourke, kept quiet to this point by Ballan, finally opened his account to get Saints rolling in the half. That brought Bull back to life, the powerful guard hitting three consecutive baskets to turn the game on it’s head, putting Saints back in just as Ballan threatened to run away with things. Ranieri cleaned up an Isaac Healey miss to stop Saints run.

Saints were laying off Trinder to thwart the threat of his quick-stepping drives to the hoop but he made them pay with a long jump shot. Seketa then got to the line, converting the back end of his free throws to put Ballan back in the lead. A long three pointer from Bourke gave Saints the lead in a seesawing contest, Ranieri putting Ballan back in front 21-20 with a fast break layup.

As the game entered its final 90 seconds both teams attacked the basket with vigour.

Bull converted a layup through traffic to put Saints back in front before a mazy run and finish from Trinder restored Ballan’s lead. The Brumbies defense broke down as James found Oswin for an uncontested layup with under a minute to play before Seketa – playing a splendid second half – took on the defense. He diminutive lefty beat his man off the dribble, spun expertly around a second defender and connected a difficult fall away jump shot to give Ballan the lead with just 30 seconds to play.

The Brumbies stood firm as Saints tried to steal the game away, deflecting a series of passes before Morris untimely intercepted a loose pass and ran out the clock on a hard fought 25-24 win in a most entertaining match.

** Ballan Brumbies have places available for junior boys and girls as well as senior places available. For information please contact us through the ‘How To Join’ section at www.ballanbrumbies.com.au

RESULTS

Under 10 Boys

Ballan D 4 lost Excies Acmy 27
Ballan C 42 def Phoenix Lions 2

Under 12 Boys

Ballan E 10 def Saints Mavs 8
Ballan C 28 lost Celtic Tigers 30

Under 12 Girls

Ballan 21 def Saints Mystics 12

Under 14 Boys

Ballan F 17 lost Phoenix Titans 21
Ballan D 25 def Saints Pelicans 24
Ballan C 54 def Celtic Tigers 17

Under 14 Girls

Ballan D 18 def Excies Acmy 6
Ballan C 87 def Celtic Tigers 2

Under 16 Boys