It is an exciting time to be a Shepparton Gator, with the region’s premier basketball team continuing its cracking start to the season.
The Gators produced a weekend to remember in Big V Division One competition, defeating Bellarine by 22 points on Saturday, April 3, at the Swamp, followed by a 24-point victory against Southern Peninsula away from home on Sunday, April 4.
Shepparton assistant coach Troy Lundberg said the team did a fantastic job.
“Right from the word go on Saturday night everybody was switched on and everybody bought into the game plan, which has been the same all season,” Lundberg said.
“It all started from defence and really just set the tone, it was really good to be a part of, it was just fantastic.”
Lundberg said the side started pretty well in Saturday night’s game and despite some lapses, managed to pull off a decent 85-63 victory.
The Gators had little time to celebrate Saturday night’s win, with an away trip to take on Southern Peninsula in Mornington — and a four-hour bus ride departing at 8.30am on Sunday.
“The guys did a great job of doing their recovery, we did recovery straight after the game on Saturday night,” Lundberg said.
“Southern Peninsula have been playing some really good basketball, they’ve got a really good import, Dareon Jones, he’s just been on fire in the first couple of rounds so we knew he was going to be a handful for us to stop.”
Lundberg gave Gators import Dylan Wilkie the job of minding Jones on the court, with Wilkie not only keeping Jones quiet in the first quarter, but putting up 16 first-term points of his own.
“There were shots dropping from everywhere and his really good defence against Jones filtered right through to the rest of the group,” Lundberg said.
Wilkie finished the game with 22 points, while American import Garrett Jefferson picked up 19 points, with five rebounds and four assists in the 96-72 win.
“Everybody who played did their part, there was no let-up for either team on either night, it was just pressure the whole night in both games,” Lundberg said.
With four games played so far this season, the Gators have a 3-1 record, with the only loss by a one-point margin.
“We keep improving every game and we keep improving in every training,” Lundberg said.
“Everyone in the group is really buying into the team’s defensive philosophy and plan, and that’s what we’ve got to pride ourselves on this year, being the best defensive team in the league and just trying to make life miserable for anyone that comes down here to play us.”