By Jonty Ralphsmith
Pakenham Warriors women are back on the winners list!
After starting the season reasonably well, Pakenham fell out of finals contention and have been in a two-month form slump, before the Warriors’ two games on the weekend.
Against second-placed Bulleen they won by nine points, led by 26 points to both Haille Nickerson and Stephanie Pal.
Pakenham was up by three points at quarter time and maintained that sort of ascendancy at each break but was challenged throughout the contest.
The following day, the women got up by 25 points against Southern Peninsula.
Although Southern Peninsula are on the bottom of the ladder and the margin seemed comfortable, the women were forced to fight back from a three-point halftime deficit.
A 33-point third term ensured victory, though, and Nickerson was again important on offence with 25 points.
Keeley Patterson scored 18 points and Shannon Patterson collected 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The men also banked an important victory, against the highly-seeded Sherbrooke, winning by five points.
Down by two points at three-quarter-time, Pakenham dug in and ran over the top of Sherbrooke.
Pakenham was in front for the majority of the final stanza, but Sherbrooke got up by a point with just over a minute to go, before the Warriors resurrected to come out winners.
Pakenham led by three points with 30 seconds to go and had eight free throws in those dying stages, but made just four of those to make it tense until the final buzzer.
Joe Davis (20 points), Ned Weideman (17 points) and Joshua Dow (16 points) all hit the scoreboard for Pakenham.
The youth league women won its semi-final by five points and will face Wyndham in the final.
The experience of Rhiannon Gallagher, Ebony Sans, Alahna Arnason and Chloe Zielinski – all of whom have played senior basketball this season – shone through as each hit the scoreboard and were influential and consistent throughout the contest.
Down by 12 points at halftime, Pakenham charged home, turning it around thanks to some tight defence and improved offence.
The youth league men, meanwhile, were far too good for Melton, winning by 45 points.
The Warriors scored at least 28 points every quarter, and was tight defensively, particularly through the middle of the game, against the visitors.
