ROUND 2 of the Melbourne United Victorian Junior Basketball League (MUVJBL) Under 18 Boys championship division gets underway tomorrow night. We take a look at the 10 matches across the two pools.
Ashe Pool:
Waverley Falcons (7th, 0-1) vs. Geelong Supercats (10th, 0-1)
Kilsyth Cobras (5th, 1-0) vs. Werribee Devils (4th, 1-0)
Eltham Wildcats (3rd, 1-0) vs. Bendigo Braves (2nd, 1-0)
Bulleen Boomers (9th, 0-1) vs. Dandenong Rangers 2 (6th, 0-1)
Dandenong Rangers (1st, 1-0) vs. Collingwood All Stars (8th, 0-1)
In the Ashe Pool there are a number of close matches expected if Round 1 results are anything to go by. The big clash will be second placed Bendigo Braves travelling to take on the third placed Eltham Wildcats. Matt Debney (29 points in Round 1) looms as the key scorer for the home side, while William Smythe (17) was the number one shooter for the Braves. In the other big clash, Kilsyth Cobras host Werribee Devils in a fifth verse fourth clash. Darrien Herbert was the difference in the first round win for the Devils scoring 27 points, while Lachlan Vandervorm was his equal in Kilsyth’s victory.
In the other clashes, the dominant Dandenong Rangers will look to back up their first round smashing of Geelong with a victory over Collingwood All Stars, while the Supercats travel to fellow round 1 losers, Werribee. The other match pits ninth placed Bulleen Boomers up against Dandenong Rangers 2 with the latter hoping to bounce back following a narrow loss in the first round.
Watson Pool:
Ballarat Miners (5th, 1-0) vs. Hawthorn Magic (8th, 0-1)
Knox Raiders (7th, 0-1) vs. Ringwood Hawks (10th, 0-1)
Diamond Valley Eagles (9th, 0-1) vs. Casey Cavaliers (4th, 1-0)
Melbourne Tigers (1st, 1-0) vs. Korumburra Wildcats (6th, 0-1)
Keilor Thunder (3rd, 1-0) vs. Nunawading Spectres (2nd, 1-0)
The Watson Pool also has some entertaining matches planned, with the highlight being a top three clash between third placed Keilor Thunder and second placed Nunawading Spectres. Paul Tsapatolis scored 22 points for the Thunder in the opening round to be the top scorer, while James Roche posted 17 for the Spectres in their win. A fifth verse eighth clash between Ballarat Miners and Hawthorn Magic could be one to watch, with Austin McKenzie‘s 30 points in Round 1 the most of any player. He faces a side that could not get the points against Keilor last week, but Will Burgess was the top scorer with 19.
In the other matches, top-of-the-table Melbourne Tigers look to make it 2-0 to start the season against a brave Korumburra last week who pushed Ballarat all the way. The winless Knox Raiders and Ringwood Hawks go head-to-head to try and get on the board, while Diamond Valley Eagles will look to get back on an even keel with victory over Round 1 winners, Casey Cavaliers.
