Gators’ Josh Kooiman shoots through contact.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Shepparton has been rocked by a late surge from Coburg to heartbreakingly end its hopes of a maiden Big V victory for the 2026 division one men’s season.
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The game started on Coburg’s terms, with the Giants establishing a six-point lead at quarter time after connecting ball to basket at a 50 per cent clip from deep.
However, thriving off a buzzing home crowd, the Gators took control in the second and third quarters, scoring in blitzes.
After just 11 first term points, Shepparton launched a scoring barrage of 32 points in the second and 27 in the third, shooting at a wild 70 per cent rate from three in the second and 87.5 per cent rate from inside the arc in the third term.
The Gators led by as many as 11 late in the third quarter, but the Giants were yet to give in.
With some structural defensive changes, Shepparton was suddenly clamped and buckets drained turned to bricks clanked off the iron.
The Gators were held to just nine final quarter points as Coburg’s bench surged to draw level inside the final minute.
Defence intensified and no side would score until the final 15 seconds, where Coburg’s Sam O’toole drew a foul call, making one of two free throws at the charity stripe.
A contested driving layup from Josh Kooiman was missed after a Gators timeout, before the Giants found Justice King for a game-sealing dunk with two seconds remaining.
Gators leading scorer Samuel Hawkins managed to draw a foul in the dying moments and headed to the free throw line, but with three points required, he was forced to intentionally miss after sinking the first, with the rebound collected by the Giants, resulting in a 79-81 loss for the Swamp hosts.
The Gators led by as many as 11 in the third term, recovering from an early quarter-time deficit of six points, but the Giants stomped home with efficient shooting, outscoring Shepparton by ten in the last term and slamming home a game winner with two seconds remaining to seal an away victory.
Hawkins’ 22-point effort led the Gators scoring, while Samuel Maher recorded a 12-point, 11-assist double double.
Meanwhile, the Gators’ women’s side suffered a 31-point defeat to Blackburn.
Yu-Shan Hsieh continued her potent shooting with 12 points, but also was lively defensively with three steals.
News photographer Rechelle Zammit attended the division two Big V match to capture the action courtside.
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