THE Bulleen Boomers 1 delivered a powerful four-quarter performance in their win over the Nunawading Spectres in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) Under 18 Girls Round 3 matchup this past weekend.

The two sides went to battle on Friday night at Mullum Mullum Stadium, in a contest that could have gone either way. Earlier in the year, the Boomers would have been widely expected to win the game, but their form had dropped of late. However, Bulleen bounced back in a big way against the Spectres, outperforming the opposition for all four quarters on their way to a 17-point triumph.

It is the Boomers’ first win of the VC Championship half of the 2022 season, after a slump in form saw them drop away from top spot. However, they appear to have their mojo back if Friday’s performance is anything to go off, as they look to reclaim their title favouritism. On the other hand, it marks the second loss for Nunawading in the last three weeks, who will need to bounce back soon.

Chantal Vitale continued her strong form throughout the 2022 season, delivering a game-high 19 points, in one of her best returns in recent weeks. Also impressive for the victors was Lily Amor, who finished not far behind her counterpart with 17 points of her own.

For the Spectres, Katie Harrington fought bravely to conjure some offence, finishing with 15 points, the most of anyone in her side. Teammate Madeline Potts also caught the eye with ball in hand on her way to 12 points.

Bulleen Boomers 1 (67) def. Nunawading Spectres (50)

In a low-scoring opening term, the Boomers managed to get a slight upper hand. Just 20 points were scored across the two sides, as the defence played a heavy factor on both ends. However, the Boomers fired late to take a four-point lead into the first change of play.

Quarter number two saw scoring lift in a big way from the two teams, as offensive adjustments resulted in free-flowing baskets. Once again, it was the Boomers who were able to push past the opposition and extend their lead. By the time the buzzer sounded to conclude the first half, Bulleen led by eight points, and had control of the contest.

The third term saw more of the same, with the fast-paced, high-passing play of the Boomers bringing Nunawading’s defence undone. The Spectres tried to fire back and keep up the pace on the offensive end, but could not conjure frequent enough baskets as the home side’s lead was pushed further out to 15 points.

To close out the game, things were much more contested, with the Spectres finally able to match the output of the opposition for much of the fourth period. While it was not enough to produce a miracle comeback, it was their most promising term of the game, but they still ended up falling by 17 points.