WITH the cobwebs blown out in week one, round two of basketball action saw the Under 19 Boys E take on Wildcats at Selkirk Stadium.<\/p>\n
Ballan was without the luxury of a bench thanks to illnesses to big man Albie Eskdale and guard Will Lewis.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies boys, though, started well enough, with Noah Cardona and Angus Tranter finding space under the basket for layups, and Barney Batiste scoring on a typical bullocking drive to the hoop.<\/p>\n
The dynamic Harry Winton was the only young man to fire a shot for Wildcats in the early stages, though he was doing enough to keep his team in touch.<\/p>\n
Both sides sported long, athletic types who loved to get out on the break though it was Ballan who were making the most of their fast break chances.<\/p>\n
Joe Seketa especially benefitted from some sharp passing from Cardona and Batiste, as he used his speed to finish off the break. By contrast, Wildcats were not connecting and on the turn were left a man short in defence time and time again.<\/p>\n
That opened up space for Tranter dominate around the basket, scoring 10 first half points.<\/p>\n
After a flurry by Winton and Lachlan Quinney for Wildcats, late threes to Cardona and Josh Farrugia saw the Brumbies hold a 29-17 lead at the half.<\/p>\n
Rather than flag as the second half began, Ballan upped the pace.<\/p>\n
Seketa and Farrugia again ran Wildcats ragged in the first few minutes of the half. Farrugia’s finishing at the hoop wasn’t what he would have hoped, but he made up for it with a second three pointer.<\/p>\n
Ballan’s exhaustion began to tell, though, as Winton started to pull the strings for Wildcats.<\/p>\n
Batiste, in a tell-tale sign of fatigue, committed a pair of needless fouls pushing him up to four for the match.<\/p>\n
Just as Wildcats began to cut into the lead, Cardona took over at both ends. He picked up a steal and fed Seketa on the break, before scoring on three consecutive possessions: a tricky layup from an offensive rebound, a deep three pointer and finally a floater from a baseline drive.<\/p>\n
That quick eight-point burst \u2013 a part of his game high 17 \u2013 broke the back of the Wildcats challenge, as Ballan pushed the margin out in the final five minutes, eventually winning 58-39.<\/p>\n