The Bairnsdale Bullets’ first season back in the Gippsland Country Basketball League came to a disappointing end last weekend, with two losses on the road in the final round of matches.
The Bullets finished the season in 10th position on the ladder, scoring just one win against Sale in round three, the Sonics the only side below Bairnsdale on the table. Bairnsdale has been competitive in most matches this season, but that wasn’t the case last weekend.
The sixth-ranked Korumburra Wildcats blew the Bullets off the court on Saturday night at the Korumburra Indoor Recreation Centre, winning 94-22.
Byron Walker (18 points), Michael Johns (17), Bradley Starkey (14) and Joel Winderlich (12) led the way for the Wildcats who felt their way early at home in front of their home crowd, leading by 12 points at quarter time, 18-6.
Both sides upped the tempo in the second term, the Bullets having their best term offensively for the match, scoring 10 points, but the red-hot Wildcats scored a game-high 31, as they nailed three pointers regularly from downtown.
Tayden Perry (10) led the scoring for the Bullets, who were blown away in the second half, Korumburra scoring 45 and restricting Bairnsdale to a pultry six points, a disappointing performances from a side that was playing a team that won’t make the playoffs.
Bairnsdale was determined to put up a better performance on Sunday both defensively and offensively against the Maffra Eagles at the Cameron Sporting Complex, who were keen to sharpen up their game prior to a semi final appointment this week against Pakenham.
Maffra came out on fire scoring 37 points in the first term while the Bullets worked hard for their 15, trailing by 22 points at quarter time, as another huge defeat loomed.
The Eagles got plenty from Byron Sandeman (19), Ethan McIntyre (17), Sam Whelan (17), Elijah Berry (16), Phoenix Cox (15) and Marcus Cope (13).
The second quarter was similar to the first, the Eagles adding 33 points to the Bullets 14, the lead a whopping 41 points at half time.
Bayley Croucher (20), Rex Hargreaves (20) and Perry (12) all tried hard for Bairnsdale at both ends of the court.
The heat went out of the game in the second half with Bullets matching Maffra in most departments, the Eagles coming out marginally in front in both quarters as they got some valuable minutes into their bench players.
The Eagles eventually won by 49 points, 114-65.
The Bullets will now have nine months to regroup and build on this year’s effort, knowing now what is expected to compete at Country Basketball League level.
