HEADING into Round 4 of the Big V Men’s, Sunbury Jets and McKinnon will be looking to keep their winning streak alive and make it four straight as Western Port still search for their first win but have shown glimpses of magic.

Hawthorn vs. Hume
Saturday, April 10 @7:30pm

Hawthorn will be looking to get back on the winner’s list in Round 4 after dropping two consecutive games while Hume are coming in off the back of a narrow loss to Sunbury. Both sides currently boast a 1-2 record and will be endeavouring to better that outcome with a strong performance on Saturday night. It will be an exciting battle between the two sides which share a number of similarities.

Joe Furphy and Ryan O’Sullivan are the two main concerns with the duo often firing for the Magic and given they are coming off strong performances with 14 and 19 points respectively, will be keen to inflict a similar amount of pain in their outing against Hume. There are a couple of players for Hume who are more than capable of stepping up to the plate and delivering with Shayan Mahboobi, Joel Rimes and Mackuei Puondak serious threats when they get going. Jake Martin is another that is known to pop up and hit the scoreboard coming off an 18 point and eight rebound performance.

McKinnon vs. Wyndham
Saturday, April 10 @7:30pm

McKinnon will be riding a wave of confidence heading into the clash boasting a 12-point win and looking to keep their winning ways intact with a fourth against Wyndham. McKinnon are yet to skip a beat in 2021 proving they know how to win when the going gets tough and can grind out games while Wyndham are no easy beats having secured two wins from three games. Expect a high intensity battle as the two teams lock horns on Saturday with both teams in strong form and more than capable of spreading the points around.

Aaron Dolny is in fine form and will be eager to continue his dominance across the court having recorded 29 points and seven rebounds last time he stepped out on court. Teammate Stefan Pomasan is another viable option for Wyndham constantly able to chime in with handy points and proved that last week while Tomi Ayilara and Kaelan Matejin are others to keep an eye out for in the clash. When looking at McKinnon it will be the likes of James Malvaso, Luke Shelley, Luke Peynenborg and Jordan Vandenberg who will be the real worries with all four of them not afraid to get busy and hit the scoreboard. Their attacking intent is undeniable while Vandenberg has also proven to be force to be reckoned with off the boards meaning Wyndham will have to be acutely aware of his presence. 

Western Port vs. Chelsea
Saturday, April 10 @8:00pm

Western Port and Chelsea are set to face off on Saturday with the latter securing a strong win last round and oozing with confidence. Western Port put up a strong effort last round and will be hoping to build on that form to run away with a victory here, but will have their work cut out for them.

There is no denying that Darryl Corletto is the go-to player for Western Port given his proficiency at the basket and relative accuracy. Starring in Round 3 with a 31-point, five rebound and four assist effort, Corletto will be eager to back that up against Chelsea this round. Matt Turner is another exciting player for Western Port and most importantly can shoot at a high accuracy coming off a 69 per cent field goal efficiency. Teammates Chris Taylor and Jack Gaze are others to keep a watchful eye on throughout the clash. For Chelsea, the combination of Nathan Frost and Aaron Frost is what could do the most damage as the duo combined for 47 points. They received good support from the likes of Corey Standerfer and Blake Newman-O’Brien with the side showing just how many options they have to hit the scoreboard and do so effectively.

Blackburn vs. Sunbury
Saturday, April 10 @8:00pm

It is going to be a challenging game for Blackburn who come up against the undefeated Sunbury Jets who are firing on all cylinders. The Jets are one of the most inform teams in the competition at the minute with their scoring prowess and overall defensive pressure causing all sorts of havoc for opposition teams. On the other hand, Blackburn have struggled to get their signature style of play up and running only winning one game so far this season.

Bul Niop has had a stellar start to the Big V competition often leading the way with points and impressed for Blackburn last week thanks to his 14 at 50 per cent. His efforts will be needed again this week against a firing Sunbury side who are yet to drop a game. Neal Mueller is the other key pillar for Blackburn producing 20 points, five rebounds and three steals in Round 3 highlighting his skillset. Blackburn are going to have to put a wealth of work into Trevon Clayton who has taken the competition by storm thanks to his prolific nature. Clayton managed 23 points and 15 rebounds last week and while Nathanael Coory has had a quiet couple of outings cannot be kept down for long. Nathan Baker and Nathan Marshall are other threats able to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the Jets while Jayce Beasley impressed in Round 3 and will be keen to maintain that high intensity output in this clash.

Casey vs. Keilor
Saturday, April 10 @8:00pm

The final game of the round is set to bring plenty of excitement as Casey and Keilor go head-to-head with the Thunder currently sitting on a two game winning streak. After dropping their first game of the season, Keilor have found some strong form, putting out dominant performances and will be hoping to implement that style in this clash. Casey have also won two out of three games making for an intriguing clash as both sides vie for their third win of the season.

All eyes will turn to Luke Sist who has proven to be a real livewire for Keilor leading not only his side but the league with an average of 24 points per game and 23 rebounds showcasing his sheer star power. Teammate Matt Spencer is another focal point for the Thunder producing an average of 6.7 rebounds a game meaning that Casey will have their work cut out for them. Charleston Long cannot be underestimated for the Thunder as Jeremy Edwards has also proven to be a handy player meaning Keilor have more than one damaging option that Casey will need to stop to get on top and claim the win. Anthony Williams Jr. has proven more than once to have a hot hand and will be the danger man for Casey with the likes of Michael McInnes, Matt Donlan and Calvin Enge able to provide ample support on the scoreboard. Expect a high-scoring battle between the two sides.