Blackburn Vikings' Cormac Bohanna and Gators' Joshua Kooiman.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Shepparton has strength at the Swamp.
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The Gators have valiantly rallied against Blackburn in round 13 of the Big V division one men’s and division two women’s and, although the Shepparton Sports Stadium hosts fell short, it was a marked improvement.
After losing by 35 and 47 points in round four to the Vikings, the Gators played with heart to avoid a repeat effort on Saturday.
Led by a trio of three pointers from captain Josh Kooiman in the opening term, the Gators stunned Blackburn with a quarter-time lead of five points.
The second quarter saw Blackburn raise its intensity, but Shepparton elevated its game too, in a high-scoring term that went back and forth across the period.
The Gators relinquished one point off the quarter-time lead to hold a 44-40 advantage at the main break.
But while the Gators were gallant, Blackburn was better – and after the half-time huddle the ladder leader came to play.
It was a commendable first half by Shepparton, but the Vikings snapped themselves out of a complacent start, improving the perimeter defence to concede zero three pointers in the third quarter.
That defensive strength wrestled back the lead from Shepparton to give the Vikings a five-point three-quarter time lead, which was extended by a further five again at full-time.
In the end a 10-point loss, 75-85, was one the Gators would take and walk off the hardwood with their heads held high.
Taine Wattie (24 points) and Joseph Allen (22) led the scoring, while Samuel Maher was a point off a double-double (nine points, 10 rebounds).
In the women’s, the fight was just as proud.
After getting beat out the blocks to a 13-point quarter-time deficit, the Gators would not allow Blackburn to extend its lead any further, matching the Vikings across three quarters to finish 50-63.
It marks a 34-point turnaround compared to the women’s Gators previous meeting with the orange team, one coach James McQuellin would undoubtedly be impressed with.
The women’s Gators play Mornington this weekend, while the men will travel to play Altona, a side with an equal record and one Shepparton will chalk up as a prime winning opportunity.
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