After a tough few weeks Shepparton Gators are back in the win column.
And just as well, as there is no room for error if the newly-promoted side wants to make the Big V Championship finals.
The Gators welcomed Sunbury Jets to Shepparton Sports Stadium on Saturday night, July 13, in round 14.
Shepparton was looking to atone after losing a heartbreaker away at Sunbury earlier this season.
With reigning defensive player of the year Nick Dodd and captain Matt Bartlett returning from injury, coach Josh Waight said this was the first time Shepparton had been at full strength all year.
“They (Dodd and Bartlett) are big pieces to the puzzle,” Waight said.
“It just gives us so many more options.
“It was really exciting to have everyone on the court at the same time.”
After a tightly-contested first half, Shepparton pulled away after a dominant third quarter.
American import Devin Thomas and Canadian import Jayden Coke had a chorus of buckets at the basket.
New Zealand sharpshooters Josh Kooiman and Dylan Wilkie added points from the three-point line.
A late Sunbury push was too little too late and Shepparton took the win 78-68.
Top performers v Sunbury
Devin Thomas: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
Jayden Coke: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Josh Kooiman: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal
Lachlan Kego: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal
“We needed the win, we got the win,” Waight said.
“Three quarters were really good basketball.
“The last quarter was probably a bit disappointing.
“We played with pace, really pushed the ball and that’s when we play our best basketball.
“We need to keep building, getting better and winning if we want to play finals basketball.”
Bartlett had been sidelined due to injury and was forced to watch two tough home losses from the sidelines.
He said he had been itching to get back out there and shake the rust off.
“Dropping games at home, that really hurts,” Bartlett said.
“Absolutely loved getting back out there.”
It’s do or die now.
Shepparton is up to sixth place with four games remaining.
Essentially, the Gators must keep winning and the other teams must start losing.
“We’ve made things hard for ourselves,” Bartlett said.
“We’re taking it a week at a time.
“We’ve had a tough season regarding injuries, but we’ve now got our entire roster back.
“We believe.
“There are a few teams that play each other coming down the stretch.
“All we can do is get wins on the board and have our own destiny in our own hands, which is what we should’ve been doing the last few weeks.”
Waight and Bartlett heaped praise on the returning Dodd and his defence.
In round 15, Shepparton has a double-header.
It first welcomes seventh-placed Melbourne University to Shepparton Sports Stadium on Saturday, July 20, at 7pm.
The next day, Sunday, July 21, Shepparton travels to take on second-placed Keysborough.