BASKETBALL

CBL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

TRARALGON continue to be a must watch across the opening stretch of the Country Basketball League season, winners of six of their first seven games including two-for-two at the weekend.

Things began on Saturday night with a much anticipated Grand Final rematch between the T-Birds and reigning premier, Moe.

Last year’s big dance was a bloodbath, another act in the long-standing rivalry between the two towns and clubs which ultimately came down to literally the final seconds of the season with the Meteors prevailing.

Traralgon well and truly made one of their first stamps during their redemptive year, winning convincingly 116 to 75 at GRISS.

Moe entered with a different-looking side in this most recent instalment against the T-Birds, after league MVP Austin Shelley didn’t return, taking up an offer with the NBL’s Cairns Taipans and forward Tom Portbury went down for the year’s entirety in their season opener against Bairnsdale.

Thus, the Meteors made some needed recruitment midseason, seeing Warragul players Jayden McMillin and Josh Keegan arrive to the squad recently.

However, Traralgon also buffed up their side as well with Ben Waller returning for his first round of games after spending some time in the United States visiting the University of California, Riverside upon being offered a full scholarship beginning next year.

With all that aside, expected was still for a high-pressure, competitive game – which was provided during the first quarter of action.

No clear separation could be made between the two sides after the first seven minutes of play, each having a spread of scoring across the board.

Traralgon then arrived with added emphasis as Kody Tibballs and Waller scored four of their last six buckets of the term after Moe had taken the lead, yet ending with the T-Birds ahead 27-22.

Traralgon’s onslaught then began. Ben Barlow hit an early three-pointer into the second quarter but nearly three minutes went by before another field goal was made from either side.

The game was held up with a multitude of foul calls which slowed play down drastically, cooling down some of the players on the court.

Just like a flash however, with the T-Birds already holding a nine-point edge over Moe, they began their run with furious intent, outscoring the Meteors 26-13 through to halftime.

Traralgon now held a 22-point lead to open the second half, and it was all about maintaining focus from here on out, while Moe sought to relinquish some of the deficit they had sustained during the back end of the second term.

It didn’t begin much better for the Meteors, as Tibballs took hold early on with five quick points, extending the margin to near 30.

Moe desperately tried time and time again to chip away at the T-Birds lead but to no prevail, as Traralgon was staunch not to let this one slip away.

The rest of the way, Moe couldn’t even manage to get the game back under 20 points, as the T-Birds continued at pace and even succeeded in posting their highest quarter score of the night in the final term with 36 points to Moe’s 21.

Tibballs finished with a career-high 33 points along with Waller (23), Barlow (20) and Zac Bezzina (17) as the driving enforcers for Traralgon.

Jayden Van Dyk with 23 points and Rohan Demczuk (15) led the way for Moe.

Traralgon turned around Sunday afternoon to play Korumburra in the second leg of their home double-header, taking it 90-66.

After a tense start, ending the first quarter tied 22-all, the T-Birds once again got on one of their dominate runs which made it difficult for the Wildcats to overcome.

Traralgon’s combination of flair on offence as well as lockdown stretches on the defensive end show why the T-Birds are tipped to return deep towards the end of season for which they have done so consistently over the last number of years.

Ultimately, Traralgon held Korumburra to only 44 points through the final three quarters (including eight points in the third term) while piling on 68 points to cruise to another victory.

The T-Birds doubled-down on their all-in mentality, with five players scoring in double figures namely Waller (18 points) and Bezzina (16).

 

MORWELL had the bye in the men’s competition. Both Latrobe Valley sides had the bye in the women’s competition at the weekend.