ONLY two rounds remain in the 2022 Big V Championship Men’s division and there are three teams that can round out the final two spots in the playoffs. While Sunbury Jets have secured the minor premiership and Wyndham will finish second sitting five wins clear of the mid-table logjam. Sitting in the prime positions are McKinnon Cougars and Hume City Broncos who are 10 wins from 18 games, while Camberwell Dragons sit a win behind and hoping to crack into the top four.

Camberwell’s task is not made any easier by having to face Wyndham this weekend, while McKinnon and Hume both face the winless Chelsea which will ultimately not only hand them a victory, but a likely percentage boost as well. If the Dragons do lose, they will be out of the final race, but a win against Wyndham will allow them to remain alive before a last round trip to Somerville to take on Western Port, while Hume – who has the lower percentage – faces the juggernaut of Sunbury in the last round.

Luke Shelley has been a consistent performer for the Dragons this season, averaging 20.8 points per game, and nailing 51 three-pointers with a 31.7 per cent efficiency. Shelley has also pulled in 3.7 rebounds and dished off 2.0 assists. Brendan Trewella (14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists) has done a bit of everything, and is the number of passer in the side. The one player that Wyndham will look to stop is Jay Mackenzie who is averaging a double-double of 12.4 points and 10.1 rebounds, as well as 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks this season.

Wyndham has been cooking nicely and is preparing for a big finals series, with the likes of Maurice Howard (24.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals) leading the way. Kavione Green could go head-to-head with Mackenzie off the boards, managing a whopping 10 rebounds per match to go with 16.5 points per game. Manel Ayol is the other one for the Dragons to keep a close eye on, ranked second in both points and assists for Wyndham, with 17.1 and 2.6 in those statistical areas respectively.

Sharif Black (26.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists) will be hoping to lead McKinnon to a good win over Chelsea, with Aaron Frost (17.3 points, 11.9 rebounds) the key bigman for the Gulls. He will be key in going head-to-head with Makuei Puondak on Sunday, with Hume City’s bigman pulling in 8.8 rebounds to accompany his 16.5 points per game. In the other match, the top of the table Jets will clash with Blackburn Vikings at Boardman Stadium. Ismael Sanders (26.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals) has been in electric form this season, particularly from outside the arc, and now the Jets shooter will go head-to-head with Blackburn’s D’Monte Evans (19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals).

BIG V CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S ROUND 17 FIXTURES:

Saturday, July 23:

Camberwell Dragons vs. Wyndhym @ Balwyn High School
McKinnon Cougars vs. Chelsea Gulls @ GESAC
Sunbury Jets vs. Blackburn Vikings @ Boardman Stadium

Sunday, July 24:

Chelsea Gulls vs. Hume City Broncos @ Patterson River Stadium