BULLEEN 1 has remained the only undefeated side in the VC Ashe division of the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL), thanks to a convincing win over the the Keilor Thunder at Mullum Mullum Stadium on Friday night. The home side have been the form team of the competition over the first seven weeks of play, producing an impressive record of six wins, zero losses and one draw. They were expected to claim the chocolates, given their dominance to start the year, but the matchup was touted as a danger game. However, a powerful first half showing has seen Bullen 1 claim a commanding result, and remain the title favourite after Round 7. The result saw Bulleen maintiain its position at the top of the table, while the Thunder remained in eighth spot on the ladder.

Bulleen 1 (73) def. Keilor Thunder (53)
Friday, May 13 @9:40pm
Mullum Mullum Stadium

It was a seriously good performance on both ends of the court in the first two quarters from the home side, storming out to an early lead on a shellshocked Thunder side. It appeared each attempt from the field was going to find the bottom of the net, and the Keilor defence was on the back foot in a big way. Conversely, the Thunder could not buy a basket on their offensive sets, as the suffocating nature of defending from their opponents forced up some pretty tough shots. When the first quarter wrapped, the visitors found themselves on the wrong end of a nine-point margin, and Bulleen was not done yet. The lead once again shot out further than the Thunder would have liked, as the hosts continued to deliver a two-way performance. They had a serious amount of momentum when pushing the pace of the game, often scoring in transition. By the time the buzzer sounded for the main break, Bulleen held a whopping 18-point lead, with Keilor facing an uphill battle in the second half.

It was a much improved showing on the offensive end from the Thunder, finally able to match the scoring output of the opposition. However, despite a lift with ball in hand, Keilor was unable to contain the offensive power of its opponents, as the margin was pushed out to 19 with 10 minutes left to play. The fourth and final term saw the scores continue to be pumped out at a rapid pace, with both teams surpassing 20 points for the period. Despite the improvement from the Thunder, Bulleen was too good in the end, cruising home for a 20-point triumph, their sixth of the year.

It has been a similar story all year, but Tabitha Betson was once again the leader on the offensive end for Bulleen. She has managed to produce an eye-catching points total in basically every game in 2022, and that trend continued on Friday night. Betson delivered a game-high 19 points, eluding the Keilor defenders to break free for another strong outing. Lily Carmody and Talia D’Agostino both recorded 10 points each, and were valuable contributors in the win. Meg Lucas (14 points), Jelena Savic and Milly Kumbara (10 points apiece) were the standouts for the Thunder, particularly in the second half where the side looked much better.

Across the courts

As is the case every week, the VJBL delivered a jam-packed weekend of action, with the standings once again shifting across the two divisions.

VC Ashe

Bulleen 2 (38) def. by Waverley (59)
Broadmeadows (45) def. by Altona (49)
Frankston (55) def. by Sandringham (63)
Gippsland United (40) def. by Knox (66)

VC Watson

Kilsyth (68) def. Nunawading (59)
Casey (88) def. Ballarat (21)
Diamond Valley (26) def. by Eltham (34)
Dandenong (43) def. by Melbourne (59)
Wyndham (57) drew Hawthorn (57)