BULLEEN 1 has been firing in the 2022 season of the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) Under 18 Girls, and will be looking to keep its form rolling. The upcoming week of action in the competition will see the ladder-leaders take on the Altona Gators at Altona Sports Centre on Friday night.

It will not be an easy job for the Gators, given how powerful the Boomers have been in the first eight rounds of play, but history says that they cannot remain undefeated forever. Altona is in the midst of a decent season, but is not quite up there with the contenders yet. However, a win against the season’s current powerhouse would certainly elevate their standing amongst the competition, but it is going to take a lot of two-way work to do so. Bulleen has not put a foot wrong in the start to its 2022 campaign, but will not take Friday’s matchup lightly.

Altona vs. Bulleen 1
Friday, May 27 @ 9:40pm
Altona Sports Centre

The Gators have broken even from their first eight games, winning four of these outings and showing some signs of promise. Unfortunately, their biggest enemy has been a level of inconsistency, as they could never win more than two games in a row. It is an area that has cost them a spot higher up the standings, and it may stem from their lack of scoring power.

Altona’s wins have come when it has been able to hold the opposition to an extremely low score, which is unlikely to happen against the Boomers on Friday. If they are to chalk out a remarkable win, then they will need to get some offensive output from a number of sources, without compromising the ruthless nature of their defence. It will also need to be a much better showing than the one they produced against the Sabres last round, where the Gators only produced 27 points. Malena Edwards has had some strong scoring totals throughout the season, and will need to do the same here.

As mentioned above, there is not much that the Boomers have done wrong to start season 2022, not dropping a single game in the first eight rounds of the year, and annoucning themselves as the side to beat. They have been dominant in a number of their wins, and look a class above any other side. While there is a chance that an upset could be on the cards, it would be extremely unlikely given how strong Bulleen has been.

However, they will still come out ready to fire as they look to distance themselves from any other side in the standings. The ability to produce a winning score has come naturally to the Boomers, and if their offence can flow as potently as it has in their first eight outings, then it will be tough to stop them from improving their record further. Chantal Vitale has been a reliable source of scoring in nearly every game, and will play a key role again.

Across the courts

There will be plenty more VJBL U18 Girls action to enjoy on Friday night, with a total of 10 matches on the cards for Round 9.

VC Ashe

Bulleen 2 vs. Knox, 8:20pm, Mullum Mullum Stadium
Gippsland United vs. Sandringham, 9:20pm, Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium
Broadmeadows vs. Frankston, 9:40pm, Broadmeadows Basketball Stadium
Waverley vs. Keilor, 9:40pm, Waverley Basketball Stadium

VC Watson

Ballarat vs. Nunawading, 9:20pm, Selkirk Stadium
Wyndham vs. Melbourne, 9:40pm, Eagle Stadium
Diamond Valley vs. Dandenong, 9:40pm, Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre
Eltham vs. Kilsyth, 9:40pm, Eltham High School
Casey vs. Hawthorn, 9:40pm, Casey Stadium