The Ballan Brumbies U16 Boys C were looking to consolidate last weeks return to form against a Drummo Dragons team sitting well above them on the ladder, though evenly matched talent wise.
Debuting their new offensive system, the Brumbies started the match as if shot out of a cannon, racing out to a 16-2 lead inside four minutes, their quick ball movement setting up open three pointers for Noah Pace, Will Lewis and Noah Cardona.
A quick Dragons time out saw them recover some ground as Ballan's offensive movement abated and their own offense started to click behind the impressive Toby Walsham, Drummo reeling off 12 unanswered points before Barney Batiste stopped the run with a layup in traffic.
Ballan lost defensive linchpin James Prosser after he collected a stray elbow to the eye socket, the versatile forward leaving the floor and not returning. The Brumbies responded with some excellent defensive possessions: Cardona picking off a pocket pass before Lewis did the same, racing up the floor to feed Noah Pace foe an easy basket.
Walsham and Koby Robinson scored late for Drummo to cut Ballan's half time lead to five points, the scoreboard reading 22-17.
The Brumbies started the second half in a daze with lax defensive efforts and lazy offense, typified by Batiste literally dribbling the ball off of his foot under precisely zero pressure. With Drummo capitalising to take a narrow lead on the back of a lightning quick 8-0 run, Ballan needed a time out. The break seemed to reset Ballan and Batiste in particular. The big centre came out of the time out playing with serious intensity at both ends of the floor, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the second period.
Noah Pace and younger brother James stepped it up on defense, too. They smothered the Drummo guard with only the slippery Walsham able to find any joy. At the other end the elder Pace drained a couple of three pointers on the back of smart ball movement as Ballan rediscovered their groove.
Walsham scored back-to-back baskets to keep Drummo in the contest, but when Harrison Clark set up Batiste for an open layup and Cardona for a corner three on consecutive possessions, the Dragons resistance was finally broken, Ballan running out 47-38 winners in a stylish and entertaining contest.
Under 10 Boys D lost to Sovereign Knights 14-46 Under 10 Boys B lost to Phoenix Tigers 10-11 Under 12 Boys E lost to Saints Cavaliers 8-9 Under 12 Boys C defeated Saints Clippers 27-21 Under 12 Girls lost to Phoenix Pearls 10-12 Under 14 Boys F lost to Phoenix Titans 20-23 Under 14 Boys D defeated Excies Acmy 22-19 Under 14 Boys C lost to Phoenix Bullets 33-37 Under 14 Girls D lost to defeated Sovereign Knights 40-4 Under 14 Girls B defeated Excies Acmy 26-23 Under 16 Boys G White lost to Sovereign Knights 17-18 Under 16 Boys G Blue lost to Wildcats 2-46 Under 16 Boys E lost to Excies Acmy 35-53 Under 16 Boys C defeated Drummo Dragons 47-38 Under 19 Boys H defeated Sovereign Knights 40-18 Under 19 Boys E defeated Drummo Dragons 51-36 Under 19 Boys D defeated Celtic Tigers 82-22 Under 19 Girls lost to Saints Panthers 37-52
Comments