For the second weekend in a row, the Echuca Pirates have managed a 1-1 record in their Country Basketball League fixtures.
This week’s home double at Echuca Basketball Stadium kicked off on Saturday night with Echuca’s second meeting with Mansfield for the season, after the Pirates prevailed by 41 points in the season opener.
The home side jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead, as Joey Mizzi started his scoring early while Regan Smith drained the first three-pointer of the contest.
Mansfield made some effort to keep in touch but another late run to the Pirates saw them take a 23-10 lead into the first break.
In a more balanced second quarter, Echuca marginally extended its lead, holding a 16-point advantage at half-time.
The Pirates continued to creep away in the third before putting the result beyond doubt in a 28-14 final period.
Mizzi’s 22, including a pair of threes, led the way for Echuca, while Oscar Jones (17), Tyler Phillips (14) and Mitchell Markby (12) all put up double-digits.
Backing up on Sunday in a day game, the Pirates took on the as-yet undefeated Seymour Blasters.
Phillips opened the scoring from beyond the arc for Echuca in a see-sawing first quarter.
Seymour led as many as seven late in the period, but the home side closed the gap to three by quarter-time.
A pair of threes from Patrick Green and William Stuart in the early minutes of the second pushed the Seymour lead towards 10, and it consolidated the advantage throughout the period, ahead by 17 at the main break.
Another big quarter for the Blasters, scoring 29-14, left a big ask for Echuca in the fourth, down more than 30 points.
The Pirates restricted Seymour more effectively in the final period but went down 98-61 on the final scoreboard.
Phillips (17) was again key to Echuca’s scoring momentum, having now scored double-digits in four of the Pirates five games.
The dynamic duo of Green (28) and Stewart (20) proved too much for Echuca to overcome, with Jack Murphy (15), Callum Stojanovic (13), and Griffin Rowe (10) also useful contributors for Seymour.
The Pirates (3-2) continue to hold on to top spot on the CBL North East ladder, but are likely to be eclipsed next weekend by either Wodonga (3-0) or Seymour (3-0) as Echuca sits out with the bye.
Echuca returns to action on November 2, travelling to Albury to take on the Albury Cougars.