By RUSSELL BENNETT
ANYONE who hasn’t yet had the chance to see Darren Galloway ply his trade on the Pakenham Warriors’ home floor at ‘The Colosseum’ at Cardinia Life really should consider it.
The star import for Pakenham’s Big V basketball Division-2 men’s side was simply sensational against Coburg on Saturday evening, proving all the difference as the Warriors secured a crucial 86-83 win.
After an athletic, up-and-down start from both the Warriors and the Giants, a silky-smooth euro step and a breathtaking put-back jam – both from Galloway – set the early tone.
Pakenham’s ball movement was outstanding early, due in no small part to their start guard, but their transition defense loomed as a real issue.
Galloway (27 points on 10-17 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals) continued to show the full extent of his offensive repertoire with a killer turnaround fade-away, while young forward Hayden Davey (11 points, 14 rebounds) continued with his long-running habit of making the right pass at the right time.
Pakenham was 20-9 up at one stage in the first, but that was whittled away to just a two point margin late in the quarter as the home side struggled to capitalise on their momentum.
Galloway continued to shine in the second – making the extra pass and driving-and-kicking to the likes of big man Paul Phillips (12 points, 6 rebounds) – while the Warriors’ trap worked to good effect.
But Coburg’s Jordan Harding (30 points, 15 rebounds) had a brilliant night individually, capped off by an attempted alley-oop pass from the top of the three-point that missed so badly it went straight in the hoop at the start of the third quarter. The visitors levelled the scores at 65-apiece, after the Warriors were ahead by 14 at one stage.
But fittingly an emphatic Galloway block got the crowd on its feet and provided the spark that brought the team to life in the final minute of the third.
Some key free-throws down the stretch from Sean Armstrong (18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) proved pivotal, as well as a key runner from Davey, as the Warriors secured a gutsy win.
Understandably, Pakenham coach Jeff Reid’s nerves were shot immediately after the game.
“It shouldn’t have been that close, really, but Darren was just unbelievable all game,” he said.
“He’s capable of that and the thing this time is that he was smarter on the defensive end and didn’t get in foul trouble.
“He made excellent decisions – particularly when to push the ball – and he was the difference.”
In the curtain-raiser to the Warriors’ clash with the Giants, Pakenham’s Big V Division-2 women put in the best performance of their season to date in a 75-61 loss to the Keysborough Cougars. The ever-consistent Natalie Bjelan finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds, while Peta Rhodes (12 points and 8 rebounds) finished with a near double-double of her own.
The Warriors’ women will travel to Coburg this Saturday to face the Giants from 8.30pm, while the men’s side heads to Oakleigh to face the home side from 7.30 the same night.
