ROUND 3 shapes as a huge round for a number of sides, headlined by two championship favourites clashing in the Melbourne United Victorian Junior Basketball League (MUVJBL) Under 18 Boys.
Ashe Pool:
Dandenong Rangers (1st, 2-0) vs. Eltham Wildcats (3rd, 2-0)
Dandenong Rangers 2 (9th, 0-2) vs. Bendigo Braves (5th, 1-1)
Kilsyth Cobras (2nd, 2-0) vs. Geelong Supercats (10th, 0-2)
Collingwood All Stars (8th, 0-2) vs. Waverley Falcons (4th, 1-1)
Werribee Devils (7th, 1-1) vs. Bulleen Boomers (6th, 1-1)
The clear standout match in the pool is top-of-the-table Dandenong Rangers facing third placed Eltham Wildcats. The Rangers and Kilsyth Cobras are the favourites to take out the grade, while Eltham sits very close behind and will be keen to topple the side brimming with Vic Metro representatives. The Wildcats have firepower of their own with Matt Debney on fire so far this season, leading the competition for points with 23.5 per game (albeit without confirmation of the Rangers scores from Round 2). For the Rangers, Leyi Adebayo had a day out in Round 1 with 22 points, while Josh Heywood (17) and Marcus Windhager were also impressive. In another predicted tight contest, sixth placed Bulleen Boomers travel to face seventh placed Werribee Devils. Owen Foxwell has been damaging for the Boomers with 42 points from two rounds, while Darrien Herbert has been the key scorer for the Devils with 36.
In other matches, Dandenong Rangers 2 search for their first win against Bendigo Braves, second placed Kilsyth hope to make it three consecutive wins over the struggling Geelong Supercats, while Collingwood All Stars also hope to get on the board when they face fourth placed Waverley Falcons.
Watson Pool:
Knox Raiders (4th, 1-1) vs. Korumburra Wildcats (9th, 0-2)
Ballarat Miners (3rd, 2-0) vs. Keilor Thunder (6th, 1-1)
Hawthorn Magic (8th, 0-2) vs. Melbourne Tigers (1st, 2-0)
Casey Cavaliers (5th, 1-1) vs. Nunawading Spectres (2nd, 2-0)
Ringwood Hawks (10th, 0-2) vs. Diamond Valley Eagles (7th, 1-1)
In the Watson pool, sixth placed Keilor Thunder look to take down third placed Ballarat Miners away from home. The Miners have remained undefeated in the opening two rounds thanks to the work of Austin McKenzie (19.5 points per game) and William Hynes (18), while for the Thunder, Paul Tsapatolis is a player to watch, sinking 41 points so far this season. Second placed Nunawading Spectres travel to Casey to face the fifth placed Cavaliers and try and make it three from three to open the season. James Roche has averaged 17 points per game this season, while for the Cavaliers, Kobe Miles and Corey Roos have averaged the 13.
In other games, the winless Korumburra Wildcats look to get back on the board against fourth placed Knox Raiders, fellow winless side Hawthorn Magic will need to be at their best to knock of pool favourites Melbourne Tigers, while Diamond Valley Eagles travel to Ringwood in order to add more pain to the bottom placed Hawks.
