Seymour Blasters kept their perfect Country Basketball League North East men division record in tact with a hard-fought 13-point road win at Albury on Saturday night.
In the closest match the Blasters have contested this season, it took until the final minutes for the ladder-leaders to shake what was a very brave Cougars outfit, as they went back down the Hume Highway 74-61 victors.
Seymour sharpshooter Keenan Gorski continued his excellent patch of form, dropping a game-high 29 points in the victory, while the likes of Jordan Hockley (14 points), Thomas O’Connor (13 points) and Harry Stones (12 points) all provided great support throughout the night.
The result showed Seymour’s ability to grind out an ugly victory, with all five of its earlier wins coming by a margin of 25 or more.
Fresh off a refreshing bye, the Blasters showed a few signs of rust early in the piece, with their offensive fluency not up to its usual standard.
As a result, the home-town Cougars pounced in the first term as they traded blows with the dominant reigning premier to take a one-point lead into quarter-time.
The mark of a great team is its ability to fight through adversity, and Seymour showed its pedigree with a swift second-term response.
With Gorski leading the way, the Blasters regained their offensive groove and maintained strong intent on the defensive end to go into the main change six points ahead.
For the first time this season, Seymour was in a position where the game was up for grabs come the beginning of the second half.
And with a raucous home crowd behind them, the Cougars rose to the challenge in the third term, getting back on top of proceedings and cutting the Blasters’ lead to five at the final break.
But once again, Seymour responded with championship swagger, as it produced a near-perfect final quarter to blow the margin out to 13 by the buzzer.
The win extends the Blasters’ lead on top of the ladder as they prepare for a double-header next weekend against Mansfield at home and Myrtleford on the road.
It was a different story for the Blasters’ girls, who were outclassed by a ferocious Cougars outfit on Saturday evening.
A sluggish first half proved the catalyst for the Seymour downfall, as it trailed the entire night to end up losing 73-58.
Tayha Watkins was once again the star for the Blasters, continuing her golden start to the season with a dominant 29-point outing.
But her efforts alone were not enough to lift Seymour to victory, with just one other teammate in double figures telling the tale of an offence that was far from its best.
The loss was the Blasters’ second for the season and sees them fall to third spot on the ladder with a record of 4-2.
They will now look to bounce back on the road against Myrtleford next Sunday afternoon.