THE Sunbury Jets will be entering Round 9 of the Big V Men’s basketball competition with hopes of taking down Wyndham when the two sides clash on the weekend. They have been the best sides in the competition to start season 2022, and their matchup at Boardman Stadium on Saturday night will be a true test of character.

While Wyndham have been essentially flawless as they start the year undefeated from 10 outings, Sunbury is not too far behind with eight wins from nine games. Both teams have found a winning style of basketball that works for their respective rosters, but that will be put to the test on Saturday.

The game will have a fair impact on the landscape of the competition, and if the Jets can bring Wyndham back to the playing field with a loss in Round 9, then it is game on for favouritism status. On the other hand, a win for Wyndham and it will find itself a couple of games clear on top of the ladder as the halfway mark of the fixture approaches.

Sunbury Jets vs Wyndham
Saturday, May 21 @ 8pm
Boardman Stadium

The Jets have been one of the better sides to start the year, claiming a record of eight wins and just one loss so far. When at its best, Sunbury has the capacity to outscore any side in the competition, but it is just a case of if they show up on the night. With a number of scorers on the roster such as Ishmael Sanders and Trevon Clayton, the Jets can hurt you on the scoreboard from a number of avenues. Wyndham will have a tough task on its hands slowing down the offence of the Jets, but Sunbury’s defence must also be on point, as its opponents have also proven to be a high-scoring outfit. Fresh off a 37-point win over Hume last round, the Jets will come into Saturday’s game with some momentum, but they will need a bit more than that to slow down their opponents.

Wyndham has been outstanding in the first eight rounds of play, winning all 10 games and finding itself parked comfortably at the top of the table. It has been a start driven by high-scoring performances, as the visitors have surpassed 100 points on a number of occassions. They will enter the game as the favoured side, but there is no guaranteed result in sport. The biggest area of concern from a Wyndham perspective will be on the defensive end. While they have been able to post a winning score on a weekly basis in 2022, it has also come at the cost of conceding reasonably high totals to the opposition. Given the high-scoring nature of the Jets, they will need to clamp up on defence if they are to get the win here. Keep an eye on star Maurice Howard, who has been an MVP candidate to start the year and will be a key figure in Saturday night’s contest.

Across the courts

There will be three other games to take place in Round 9 of the Big V Men’s championship on the weekend, each of them having ramifications moving forward.

Chelsea vs Blackburn, Saturday @ 7pm, Patterson River Stadium
Camberwell vs Western Port, Saturday @ 8pm, Balwyn High School
Hume vs Blackburn, Sunday @ 2pm, Broadmeadows Basketball Stadium
McKinnon vs Sunbury, Sunday @ 2pm, GESAC