IT has been three weeks since the Melbourne United Victorian Junior Basketball League (MUVJBL) Under 16 Boys took to the court and now the teams recommence the action on Friday night with both Ashe and Watson pools beginning to take shape. Four teams are still yet to lose a game in the competition, while two teams are yet to win.
Ashe:
Dandenong Rangers (6th, 2-3) vs. Whittlesea Pacers (9th, 1-4)
Southern Peninsula Sharks (10th, 1-4) vs. Diamond Valley Eagles (8th, 1-4)
Knox Raiders (1st, 5-0) vs. Keilor Thunder (2nd, 4-1)
Eltham Wildcats 2 (5th, 3-2) vs. Latrobe Energy (4th, 3-2)
Nunawading Spectres (7th, 1-4) vs. Bendigo Braves (3rd, 4-1)
In the Ashe pool, a top-of-the-table clash awaits Knox Raiders who are yet to lose a game, but will be tested against second placed Keilor Thunder. Thereabouts are Bendigo Braves who will overtake the Thunder if Keilor goes down, taking on seventh placed Nunawading Spectres. Not far behind the Braves are Latrobe Energy and Eltham Wildcats 2, who have won three of their five games. The Wildcats are on a three-game winning streak, while the Energy are coming off a rare loss in Round 5. Also in Round 6 is ninth placed Whittlesea Pacers travelling to take on Dandenong Rangers. The Pacers are coming off their first win of the season last round, and hope to topple the Rangers who also lost in Round 5. In the final game of the pool, eighth placed Diamond Valley Eagles hit the road against Southern Peninsula Sharks with one side set to break its losing streak as the Eagles have lost their past three, while the Sharks have not won since Round 1.
Watson:
Hawthorn Magic (6th, 2-3) vs. Waverley Falcons (5th, 2-3)
Geelong Supercats (2nd, 4-0-1) vs. Melbourne Tigers (8th, 1-4)
Pakenham Warriors (3rd, 4-0-1) vs. Kilsyth Cobras (7th, 1-3-1)
Sunbury Jets (10th, 0-5) vs. Bulleen Boomers (1st, 5-0)
Eltham Wildcats (4th, 4-1) vs. Casey Cavaliers (9th, 0-4-1)
In the Watson Pool, a one-sided contest is on the cards when the undefeated Bulleen Boomers take on the winless Sunbury Jets. The Boomers are one point ahead of second placed Geelong Supercats and third placed Pakenham Warriors, so will need to win, while the Jets could skip ahead of Casey Cavaliers with victory. The Cavaliers drew in the opening round but have found the going tough since then with four-straight losses, and now must beat the 4-1 Eltham Wildcats to break that drought. The mid-table battle between sixth placed Hawthorn Magic and fifth placed Waverley Falcons will be intriguing, while the Kilsyth Cobras hope to make it back-to-back wins against a strong Pakenham Warriors outfit. In the final game, the second placed Supercats face the eighth placed Melbourne Tigers.
