IN Round 5 of the Melbourne United Victorian Junior Basketball League (MUVJBL) Under-18 Boys Championship Division, the Bulleen Boomers re-join the winner’s list with a dominant display over an in-form Waverly Falcons. Before the round, the Falcons boasted an impressive five-game win streak that had them pressuring for a top-four spot. Unfortunately for Waverly, the result drops the Falcons back into sixth and puts them in danger of falling with four teams pressuring for their spot below. Marcel Haj (19) and Daniel Poelsma (18) were both impressive on the floor for the Boomers. The game moves Haj to fifth spot for league scoring, while Waverly’s, David Amum, follows one position below following his 17-point haul. Sam Haffenden also caught a few eyes with his 11 points for Waverly in the loss.

Two streaks continued following Keilor Thunder’s win at home over the Knox Raiders. The Thunder added their seventh consecutive win, moving into second spot on the table, while the Raiders picked up their fourth loss in a row. Though despite their poor form in recent months, the Raiders still hold fourth spot on the table, but risk falling out of contention if they fail to lift in coming rounds. In the contest, the Thunder opened the first term 17-9 which set the tone for the remainder of the game. Brodie McWhinney topped scoring with 21 points, followed next by Cooper Colson with 17 points and Jackson Djatschenko with 11. For the Raiders, Jordan Anderson held down the fort with 24 points, but had minimal support on the board. Blake Stratton finished next best for the Raiders with six.

Geelong Supercats snare a 68-74 win over Bendigo Braves on the road. The Supercats move into fifth spot, adding their third win from their sixth outing on the road. The Braves have lost touch since the Championship division post-split, dropping to tenth with their second consecutive loss. In the contest the Supercats dominated for most of the game, though the Braves worked hard in the final term to snare a 32-21 term. The Braves came close, but it wasn’t enough in the end. Olivier Northam moves to third spot on the league scoring list with a 29-point performance, while Jet Kneebone moves to 11th with 19 points. For the Braves, Jacob Nihil and Macey Eaton dominated the floor with 21 and 19 points respectively. Eaton moves to eighth spot for league scoring following the game, while Jacob Nihill rounds out the top 20.

Dandenong Rangers moved into the top eight after snaring their third consecutive victory with a win over Pakenham Warriors. The loss dropped the Warriors to thirteenth, adding their third loss to from six outings at home. In the contest, both sides kept close until the final term, entering at 36 apiece before the Rangers surged away with 22-11 in the final term. Jerome Pierre and Dennis Ameti led scoring for the Rangers with 17 points each, while Beau Tranter followed next with 14 points. For the Warriors, Kayne Taylor led with 14 points, but was the only player to crack beyond 10. Jarred Small followed next for the home side with eight.

In the last game of the round, Eltham Wildcats took down Latrobe Energy on the road with a 73-55 victory. The win kept them equal top with Bulleen and Keilor as the three sides emerging as standout title contenders. Latrobe sit eighth on the table now and will be keen to bounce back from the loss.

In the Reserve grade, Casey Cavaliers picked up a 69-57 win over Eltham Wildcats, Melbourne Tigers fell 55-63 against Nunawading Spectres, and Sunbury Jets lost 67-84 at home against Hawthorn Magic. In the remaining two games, Diamond Valley Eagles win 81-53 at home against Southern Peninsula Sharks as Whittlesea Pacers defeated Kilsyth Cobras 58-37.

In the Championship Division for Round 6, the Geelong Supercats face off against the Eltham Wildcats, the Keilor Thunder host the Waverly Falcons, and the Pakenham Warriors hit the road to face the Bulleen Boomers. The round continues with the Bendigo Braves hosting the Knox Raiders, and the Latrobe Energy hosting the Dandenong Rangers.