ROUND 6 of the Melbourne United Victorian Junior Basketball League (MUVJBL) Under-16 Boys Championship Division saw the biggest streak come to an end at the hands of the Waverley Falcons. After letting their long standing streak slip in the round prior, the Falcons look set to share the feeling as they faced the Keilor Thunder on the road – handing the Thunder a three-point loss (56-59) and their second defeat at home for the season. It was a big third term from the Falcons that eventually saw them across the line – outscoring the Thunder 21-11 to take a 50-43 lead into the final term despite being down (29-32) at the break. Tesloch Thong remained a powerhouse for the Falcons, recording a team-high 21 points on his way to thirteenth in the league for points per game (PPG). David Amum also retained his status in ninth spot with 12 points for the game. For the Thunder, Brodie McWhinney recorded a game-high 22 points – moving to eleventh for PPG, with Cooper Colson also impressing with 11 points.
Knox Raiders finally re-join the winner’s list following their 66-46 win on the road against Bendigo Braves. This is the Raiders first win in five games – now sitting at 2-4 for their time in the Championship Division. In the contest, a 20-point victory seemed on the cards early as Raiders surged with a 22-6 opener. They won two of the remaining three terms, with the Braves taking a 12-5 effort in the third. With six games now under his belt, Jordan Anderson moves to second spot on the table for PPG with a solid 16-point performance. The effort placed him in top spot for overall points in the league on 134 – 22 points ahead of second spot. Blake Stratton was equally impressive in the match-up, snaring 16 points for Knox alongside Luke Guerra’s 14. Unfortunately for the Braves, no player cracked beyond 10 points. Oliver Mayhem and Jett Vandenberg were Bendigo’s lead scorers with eight points each for the night.
In the only home win of the round, Bulleen Boomers earn a 79-61 victory over Pakenham Warriors. The win keeps the Boomers atop the table as we edge closer to finals with Eltham pressing in second-place. In the match-up, the Boomers took off hard in the first with 27 points. Surprisingly, Pakenham followed close with 25 before gradually losing touch over the next three terms. The fourth was the killing blow for the Warriors – losing to 22-11 as Bulleen earn an 18-point win. Daniel Poelsma topped the board for the Boomers with 19 points – moving to eighth spot for PPG. Joe Foxwell (15) and Marcel Haj (14) also impressed, with Haj moving to sixth for PPG. For the Warriors, Kayne Taylor topped the game in scoring with 20 points, followed next by Drue Maher with 14 points.
Eltham Wildcats continued to press Bulleen in second as they reigned supreme on the road with a 66-54 win over the Geelong Supercats. Eltham outplayed Geelong in all terms but the last, opening the game with a 22-point first term to eventuate a 38-28 lead into the main break. The loss drops the Supercats to seventh place as the Wildcats’ record on the road (7-1-0) remains impressive. In the contest, Kristian Ferronato was at his usual best with 18 points. The effort moves him to seventh spot for PPG, while Zahn Agosta also emerged for Eltham with 13 points. For the Supercats, Harry Den Dryver led on the board with 14 points. Olivier Northam retains his top-four spot in PPG with 12 in the loss. At the end of Round 6, he remains the only Supercats player within the top 20.
Dandenong Rangers picked up their fourth consecutive win with a 82-75 victory over the Latrobe Energy on the road. The win moves to the Rangers to sixth spot – equalling their record with fifth and fourth at 10-5. The high-scoring affair had a lot to like, with Latrobe leading the first term at 22-21, as well as recording a game-high 29 points in the third. Despite the Energy’s valiant efforts, they were not as consistent as the Rangers – costing them a win at home. The Dandenong Rangers boasted two big scorers for the game, with Beau Tranter and Jerome Pierre recording 28 and 25 points respectively. Following the game, Pierre and Tranter move to fifth and tenth spot for PPG respectively. For the Energy, Coby Burgiel remained dominant with 25 points – moving to the top spot for PPG. Jack Hrehoresen follows the league-leader with 18 points – boasting third spot for PPG from four outings.
In the Reserve grade, Nunawading Spectres thrashed Eltham Wildcats at home (73-27), Casey Cavaliers suffered a one-point loss (63-64) against Kilsyth Cobras, and Diamond Valley Eagles and Whittlesea Pacers finished 66-66 at Community Bank Stadium. The round continued with Melbourne Tigers winning 64-61 over the Hawthorn Magic and the Southern Peninsula earning a 65-54 win over the Sunbury Jets on the road.
In Championship Division for Round 7, Eltham Wildcats host Dandenong Rangers, Keilor Thunder face Latrobe Energy, and Geelong Supercats make their way to Mullum Mullum to face Bulleen Boomers. Pakenham Warriors continue the round against Knox Raiders, with Waverley Falcons rounding out the next weekend of fixtures against the Bendigo Braves.
