MCKINNON and Wyndham have started the 2022 Big V Championship Men’s season on the perfect not, with both sides picking up two wins across Round 1 of the competition. In a round that featured a number of games, just three sides remained undefeated, whilst only one – Chelsea – had back-to-back losses.

MCKINNON 34 | 16 | 22 | 28 (100)
WESTERN PORT 10 | 22 | 21 | 15 (68)

McKinnon dominated from the outside and the opening 34-10 quarter effectively ended the contest before it began. To Western Port’s credit, the visitors managed to win the second term by six points, and level the third, but were ultimately overwhelmed and went down by 32 points overall.

Sharif Black put up 29 points – including five of seven from long-range – five assists and two rebounds in the win, looking incredibly damaging across the court in 27 minutes. Tom Carroll ably assisted with 22 points – seven of 11 including four of eight from three-point range – and nine rebounds. Anthony Kimble (17 points, eight rebounds) and Matthew Tolnai (15 points, three assists and two rebounds) were also key players.

Western Port recruit Nasman Hightower (22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists) lived up to expectations, with Jack Gaze (16 points, two rebounds) and Troyce Manassa (eight points, nine rebounds) trying hard in a team that was smashed off the boards and shot at 38.6 per cent from the field, compared to McKinnon’s 52.3 per cent.

CAMBERWELL 13 | 17 | 23 | 12 (65)
MCKINNON 20 | 15 | 14 | 24 (73)

McKinnon backed up its win over Western Port with a strong start against Camberwell, racing to a seven-point lead. The Dragons were not going to roll over easily though, cutting the deficit to five at the main break, then putting up 23 points to 14 in the third to take the lead. A dominant final stanza of 24 points to 12 saw the Cougars storm home to win by eight points, 73-65.

Nic Laycock stood up in the win, recording 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, whilst Kimble (11 points, 14 rebounds) and Carroll (eight points, nine rebounds) were enormous off the boards. Tolnai (nine points, seven rebounds) also caught the eye, whilst for the Dragons, the likes of Luke Shelley (18 points, five rebounds) and Jay Mackenzie (12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks) both stood up bravely.

AROUND THE COURTS

Wyndham’s two victories for the round came against Hume (37 points) and Chelsea (19) in what was a massive couple of games for the side. Maurice Howard was phenomenal across the matches, racking up 60 points in the combined games, whilst Manel Ayol (44 points, 15 rebounds) also starred. Makuei Puondak was a lone-hand for Hume with 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, with Max Viitala (19 points, five rebounds) the next best. Chelsea’s Aaron Frost tried hard with a massive double-double of 24 points and 15 rebounds.

In the other matches, Camberwell picked up an 18-point win over Blackburn, and Sunbury doubled-down on Chelsea’s Round 1 pain with a 23-point victory. Shelley was again a star for the Dragons with 30 points, four rebounds and three assists, with Mackenzie assisting with 16 points, four rebounds and two steals. D’Monte Evans tried hard for Blackburn with a massive 25 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and three assists. For Sunbury it was the damaging duo of Trevon Clayton (24 points, 15 rebounds) and Ishmael Sanders (21 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals), whilst Frost was once again the best for the Gulls with 21 points and eight rebounds.

BIG V MEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:

Blackburn (69) defeated by Camberwell (87)
McKinnon (100) defeated Western Port (68)
Chelsea (78) defeated by Wyndham (97)
Sunbury (90) defeated Chelsea (67)
Camberwell (65) defeated by McKinnon (73)
Wyndham (126) defeated Hume (89)