BIG V basketball continued over the weekend as Round 3 delivered some big wins as most matches were decided with ease. Sunbury maintained top spot on the ladder with their third win of the season, while McKinnon’s win keeps them right on Sunbury’s tail in second place. Wyndham, Keilor and Chelsea also walked away with wins in Saturday’s basketball action.

Wyndham (91) defeated Western Port (84)

Wyndham bounced back from last week’s loss to Sunbury to record their second win of the season against the brave Western Port, who are still searching for their first victory. Western Port opened the game in strong fashion, taking a five-point lead into the second quarter, led by Daryl Corletto’s 12 points in the first term. Wyndham returned serve in the second to outscore their opponents by 10 in the quarter to lead by five at the main break. With Western Port cutting the margin to just one point at the end of the third quarter, the fightback saw the game tied with two minutes to go. The class of Wyndham was on display when they needed it, as they ran out the game winners by seven points.

Despite not taking home the win, Corletto topped all scorers with an explosive 31 points to keep his side constantly in the fight. Teammate Matt Turner continued his strong form, backing up last week’s 25-point effort with a handy 21 points this week, while Chris Taylor poured in 10 points of his own to be his side’s other double-digit scorer. Wyndham’s victory was emphasised by a number of strong scoring performances. Aaron Dolny led from the front in typical fashion, finishing with 29 points and seven rebounds as he delivered some big baskets for his team down the stretch. He was well aided by Stefan Pomasan who chimed in with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Kaelan Matejin recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in just 26 minutes.

McKinnon (92) defeated Casey (78)

In what proved to be a one-sided affair, McKinnon continued their strong start to the year with a 15-point win over Casey, who were handed their first loss of the season. McKinnon put in a strong performance, winning every quarter and continuously keeping their opponents at bay. While McKinnon still trail the in-form Sunbury on the ladder after three rounds, this win keeps them right in the hunt for top position as they look to next round’s match against Wyndham. Casey will look to rediscover their form from the first two rounds in their next match against Keilor.

McKinnon’s win was driven by a strong team performance with five players scoring in double digits for the game. Jordan Geer led the side in scoring while nearly notching up a triple double in the process. He finished the game with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to end as his side’s strongest performer. James Malvaso finished with 18 points, while Luke Peynenborg poured in 15 points of his own in the win. Luke Shelley ended the game with 12 points and Jordan Vandenberg worked his way to a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. For Casey, Anthony Williams Jr. dropped a game high 25 points with five three pointers as he tried to drag his side back into the contest. Michael McInnes was solid with his 13 points and seven rebounds while Matt Donlan contributed 12 points.

Keilor (78) defeated Hawthorn (63)

Keilor survived a third quarter fightback from Hawthorn to record back-to-back wins and build some momentum after three games. Keilor creates a strong lead in the first half, heading into half time 11 points up on their opponents, as the game shaped to be a straightforward victory. Hawthorn clawed their way back into the match, outscoring Keilor by 10 in the third quarter and trailing by only one point heading into the final term. The hopes of a comeback victory were soon squashed as Keilor opened the quarter with a 10-1 scoring run to put the game out of reach and walk away with a 15-point win.

For Keilor, the clear standout was Luke Sist for the second week in a row. He finished with 22 points and a massive 18 rebounds – backing up his 28 from last round – as he continues to be a threat from both inside the paint and from beyond the three-point line. He was backed up by Charleston Long who added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a strong all-around performance, while Jeremy Edwards’ 11 points saw him finish as the team’s other double-digit scorer. Hawthorn finished with only two players in double digits as Ryan O’Sullivan scored 19 points and Joe Furphy added 14 points.

Chelsea (87) defeated Blackburn (68)

To notch their first win of the season, Chelsea delivered a consistent performance against Blackburn who were looking to record their second consecutive victory. From the opening quarter, Chelsea took control of the game, with their 26-point first term laying the foundation for a strong win. They never let go of the wheel, despite Blackburn reducing the margin by two in the last quarter when their opponents had gone into cruise control with the victory secured.

Nathan Frost led the winning side with a blistering 29 points and 12 rebounds along with five three pointers to be his team’s strongest performer, but he was not carrying the load alone. Aaron Frost finished with 18 points and nine rebounds while Corey Standerfer poured in 15 points and eight points. Blake Newman-O’Brian was Chelsea’s fourth double digit scorer with 13 points. For Blackburn, Neal Mueller’s 20 point performance led the way as he finished as one of only two scorers in double digits, with the other being Bul Niop and his 14 points.

Sunbury (79) defeated Hume (62)

Sunbury’s 17-point victory was set up through their strong second and fourth quarters, as Hume kept themselves in the match in the other periods. Outscoring their opponents by five points in the second term and 11 points in the fourth term, their strong bursts were dominant enough to help them secure their third consecutive win and keep them at the top of the ladder. Following two close losses, Hume are still searching for their first win of the season after this disappointing loss.

For Sunbury, Trevon Clayton scored a game high 23 points but also controlled the boards, pulling down 15 rebounds, eight of them being offensive. He clearly put in the strongest individual performance and put his team in a winning position. He had teammates to help carry the load offensively, with Jayce Beasley’s 17 points and Nathan Baker’s 15 points and 12 rebounds putting the defence under constant pressure. Nathan Marshall ended the match with 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a typically solid performance. For the losing side, Jake Martin’s 18 points led the team in scoring and he also grabbed eight rebounds. Shayan Mahboobi scored 13 points of his own and Joel Rimes finished with 12 points and two steals.