The Bairnsdale Bullets hosted a big weekend of Gippsland Country Basketball League matches at the Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centre last weekend.
Action kicked off on Saturday when they welcomed the Morwell Magic.
It looked a complete mismatch in the women’s match, the unbeaten ladder leader taking on the bottom side, who have been beaten by over 100 points in several matches this season.
But the Bullets played some outstanding defence and certainly weren’t disgraced going down 78–37, as the Magic delivered another impressive performance with key players not available.
From the opening tip-off, the Magic controlled the pace, dominating both ends of the court with strong defence and efficient offence.
Tay Pavey set the tone early, hitting a three-pointer to give the Magic the first points of the game.
The Bullets struggled with turnovers and, despite some impressive shooting from Sophie Fontaine, the Magic took full advantage of the Bullets’ mistakes, ending the first quarter with a 27–7 lead.
The young Bairnsdale side worked hard to gain control of the ball but, time and time again, lacked the composure to execute the transition process.
In the second quarter, the Magic’s defence tightened but so did the Bullets, further limiting the scoring for both teams (17–6).
Key contributions from Maecy Wade (13) and Shantelle Thorburn (27) helped extend the Magic’s lead to 44–13 at half-time.
The Bullets played some of their best basketball for the season in the term, defensively lifting six turnovers in a row and preventing the Magic from generating any offence, which has been a strong point all season.
The third quarter was more of the same as the Bullets continued to restrict the Magic; with great defensive pressure, Morwell scoring just 14 for the quarter. A three-pointer from Fontaine and a few fast-break opportunities got the Bairnsdale crowd up and about for the first time in the season.
So effective was the Bullets’ defence that it limited the Magic to just seven points over the first seven minutes, but they still pushed their lead to 58–21 as they closed in on a commanding win.
Bairnsdale was keen to push on offensively in the final term, given that their highest score for the season at that stage was just 22 points.
Tall centre Lillyarna Perry impressed with her ability to rebound and defend for the Bullets. She looked to have a bright future.
In the final quarter, the Bullets broke through the Magic’s defence, scoring 15 points for the quarter, led by Ebony Mooney, who hit a three-pointer. Fontaine added a mid-range jumper, and Georgia Irish capped off the game with a couple of fast-breaks, the Bullets achieving their highest score for the campaign.
Carmen Albrecht led the Magic with 18 points, and some impressive defence saw her take best-on-court honours, while Fontaine was the top scorer for the Bullets with 10 points.
The win showcased the Magic’s defensive dominance and offensive balance, and why they remain undefeated at 8–0.
The Magic men proved too strong for the Bullets, cruising to a clear victory in a game filled with fast-paced action, impressive shooting, and key contributions from all over the floor.
The game kicked off with the Bullets winning the tip-off, and they came out firing, Taydyn Perry (16) hitting an early three-pointer, followed by a rebound and put-back to give the Bullets an early 5–0 lead.
However, the Magic quickly found their rhythm, with Corey Whelan knocking down a three-pointer to keep things close.
Chris Fields (11) responded with two consecutive three-pointers for Bairnsdale, and Perry added a reverse layup to push the Bullets to a brief 14–10 lead.
The game remained tight as both teams traded baskets; Rex Hargreaves added a strong finish at the rim; the Magic fought back with Charles O’Byrne and Hargreaves getting baskets for the Bullets, but Morwell finished the quarter up 21–18.
The second quarter saw the Bullets continuing their push, with Hargreaves hitting a big three-pointer that lifted the crowd and energised his team.
Bayley Croucher capped off a fast break dunk, but the Bullets struggled with some offensive turnovers, which allowed Morwell to stretch their lead to 34–25.
Oliver Palmer had a chance to cut into the lead but missed both free throws, as Fields continued to show his strength on the boards.
As rain came down outside, it began to leak through onto the court, causing a delay in the game, frustrating both teams and the referees, and embarrassing the hosts – an issue that certainly needs to be raised with the venue owners, the East Gippsland Shire Council.
Play resumed, with Fields hitting another three-pointer, and Palmer hit a buzzer-beating shot to end the quarter, giving the crowd something to cheer for, as the Magic led 37–30 at half-time, holding the momentum despite the Bullets’ late push.
The Magic came out strong in the third quarter, with Morwell stopping the Bullets’ offence on three consecutive possessions to spark an 8–0 run.
The Bullets managed to stop the run with a nice finish by Perry, but the Magic kept up the pressure with Nick Sedley (21) knocking down several three-pointers to make the Bullets pay for missed shots at the other end.
Lachie Cameron got to the free-throw line, converting once, while Hargreaves added a key score in the paint.
William Tankard (15) continued his hot shooting for Morwell, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead.
The Bullets tried to respond with a Zachary Wearne basket and a big corner three-pointer from Croucher, but the Magic remained in control, leading 67–47 by the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, the Bullets switched to man-to-man defence in an attempt to slow the Magic’s offensive flow.
Hargreaves hit a floater on consecutive possessions, but the Magic answered back every time with great passing and execution, keeping the Bullets at bay.
Mitchell Bruerton added two free throws after a strong drive, and despite the Bullets continuing to battle hard at both ends, Morwell finished the game strong with a series of highlight plays.
Fields hit another three-pointer for the Bullets late, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Hargreaves provided some spark late in the game with a huge block and coast-to-coast finish.
Perry added a corner three-pointer at the buzzer, but the Magic had already secured the 101–72 victory.
The Bullets’ best-performing player was Rex Hargreaves, who led the team with 19 points and made key plays both offensively and defensively, while Kelvin Austin was outstanding for the Magic, shooting 27 points.
The return of Fields also provided a much-needed boost to the Bullets’ three-point shooting, while he again racked up plenty of strong rebounds.
Despite the Bullets’ best efforts, the Magic were too efficient and too hot from beyond the arc, especially in the second half.
With standout performances from Hargreaves and Fields, the Bullets showed flashes of brilliance, but the Magic ultimately proved too good.
