A banner weekend for Ballan Brumbies, with 13 wins and just the four losses - two of those losses by a solitary point and another to a fellow Brumbies outfit!
After a less that satisfactory loss last week, the Under 14 Boys B took on ladder leader Excies Acmy looking to get their campaign back on track. Brumbies were attempting to move back into the top four, Excies to consolidate top spot on the ladder.
Ballan shot out of the gate, racing to an 8-0 lead inside three minutes through Angus Tranter and James Pace. Excies found their footing with baskets to leading scorers Henry Hopkinson and the sweet shooting Ned Williamson, pegging Ballan back to tie the game at 12 apiece.
Wary of Ballan's superior size, Excies packed the paint, risking a barrage of outside shots from the Brumbies array of shooters. Unfortunately for Ballan, the likes of Jack Clark, Fletcher Garner, Will Rogers and Cruze Miller were unusually off target. Tranter and Barney Batiste were still able to control the offensive glass, however. Tranter was perhaps unlucky not to head to the free throw line on a number of occasions, though Batiste was able to capitalise with easy put backs. Batiste in particular was able to power through Excies defense to push the lead back out. A late pair of Tranter free throws saw Ballan lead 19-14 at the break.
In the 2nd half Ballan started to run a more structured offense to try and free their interior scorers. Unfortunately Batiste and Tranter were unable to extend Ballan's lead, missing easy opportunities. Those missed shots led to a series of Excies fast breaks. A combination of Excies speed and some lax transition defense from Ballan saw Excies eradicate the margin, taking the lead on a Hunter Stevenson layup.
The lead swapped hands a few times over the next few minutes as both teams traded baskets, Batiste keeping Ballan in the game with some inspired offense. Ballan reclaimed the lead for the final time after Clark drained a tough basket inside before Tranter converted from yet another offensive board.
Tight defense on Excies perimeter scorers saw their offense run dry, resorting to long shots and playing into the hands of Ballan's bigger bodies. A late drive and pump fake by Pace followed by a baseline jumpshot from Miller stretched the margin out to seven points, Ballan prevailing 33-26 in a match that was even closer than that tight scoreline suggested.
U10 Boys D (White) lost Ballan Brumbies Blue: 6-12
U10 Boys D (Blue) defeated Ballan Brumbies White: 12-6
U12 Boys E defeated Sovereign Knights Purple: 15-13
U12 Boys C lost to Celtic Tigers: 20-21
U12 Girls C defeated Drummo Dragons Black: 28-16
U14 Boys F (White) defeated Drummo Dragons Green: 28-12
U14 Boys F (Blue) defeated Drummo Dragons Black: 26-10
U14 Boys B defeated Excies Acmy: 33-26
U14 Girls C defeated Wildcats: 31-21
U16 Boys F lost to Saints Magic: 23-24
U16 Boys E lost to Saints Mavs: 37-50
U16 Boys D defeated Phoenix Razorbacks: 33-12
U16 Boys B defeated Saints Suns: 61-42
U16 Girls C defeated Excies Acmy: 42-21
U19 Boys E defeated Saints Pistons 43-33
U19 Boys C defeated Sovereign Knights Purple: 57-42
U19 Girls defeated Wildcats Gold: 35-15