By RUSSELL BENNETT
“EVERY heart beats true for the Gold and the Blue!”
The Pakenham Warriors faithful were in fine voice singing their team song on Saturday night at ‘The Fortress’ in Cranbourne, following an emotion-charged 79-70 win over local Big V Division 2 rivals, the Casey Cavaliers.
Jed Bentley, a 21-year-old swingman, led from the front for a Pakenham side that bounced back from a horror five-point third quarter to claim the win.
The Warriors seemed to have no answer for the Cavaliers’ stifling zone defence in the third and proceeded to take a host of low-percentage, long-range jump shots.
Pakenham began well and led 19-18 at the first change – with their inside-out offense utilising Jay Richardson and James Topp in the low-post to find long-range shooters on the wings.
Bentley, one such long-bomber, found his range in the second and his team-mates followed – nailing four of five from downtown in a blistering 32 points to 18 quarter. Richardson did the dirty work for Pakenham – jumping on every possible loose ball as if it was a live hand-grenade set to explode in the face of a team-mate.
After a string of broken plays at each end in the dying stages, it was Bentley – fittingly – who iced the game at the free-throw line.
“It just shows the fight in this group to come back from the heartache of losing Jeff (Reid) and this result confirms a finals spot for us for the first time,” Warriors coach Ryan Rogers said, still buzzing from his side’s triumph in the minutes after the game.
“And I couldn’t be more rapt for Jed.
“I spotted him trying to make the Warrandyte MMBL side.
“He didn’t make the cut there, but he was absolutely lights-out tonight.
“He has shades of Jeff in his game.”
The Warriors will make the trek to Shepparton this weekend to take on the Gators from 7.30 on Saturday night.
