Bulldogs Men and Panthers Women are the summer season South East Coast Basketball League Premiers. A pleasing crowd witnessed two entertaining and high standard games of finals basketball. Coach of Panthers women, Marianne Walters, described their final as typical of the tough, high standard contests of some years ago and Kurt Russell, coach of Bulldogs men, claimed that the standard of the SECBL Men’s competition is the best in SA beyond the city limits.    

Panthers made their way into the Women’s final from fourth place. In gaining their grand final appearance Panthers defeated reigning premier Cats in the semi-final and then, in the preliminary final, accounted for Bulldogs for the first time for the season.

In contrast the Bulldogs Men scored a comprehensive win over Panthers-Wizards in the second semi-final and waltzed straight into the title game.

The women’s final opened with Cougars looking the more confident and efficient unit even though scores were level at the first break. They appeared composed despite being without stalwart Narelle Ryan, who was sidelined through injury. It was all Cougars in the second quarter as Panthers had no answer to the dominance of Georgia Green. She had scored 17 of her 22 point total by half time.

It was a different story in the third quarter when the Panthers players lifted their intensity at both ends of the court. Brianna Walters became the focus in offence and she did not let her team-mates down with a fine shooting display from beyond the arc.Just 4 points separated the scores as the final ten minutes unfolded. The question for Panthers was whether they would match the expected desperation from Cougars or fold as they did in a recent encounter.

Quiet achiever Abby Loughhead and tireless worker Melissa Chuck however led Panthers in maintaining their defensive efforts in a dour low scoring final quarter for a 54-49 title win. Green scored a game high 22 points for Cougars while Brianna Walters led for Panthers with a personal tally of 17.      Abby Loughhead of Panthers was named Most Valuable Player in the grand final as a result of her determined efforts and smart teamwork over the four quarters.

Bulldogs Men were hot favourites going into the grand final after easily accounting for Panthers-Wizards in the second semi-final. It was however a very different Wizards in the opening quarter of the grand final when Nick Morrison and Chris Mason had Bulldogs on the back foot. Michael Stephens and Peter Loring supported well to have Wizards in control at half time. Bulldogs, on the other hand, were hesitant as the pressure mounted.

Kurt Russell’s on court leadership proved critical as his team-mates gradually worked their way into the game. Simon Berkefeld and Joe Ferguson-Lane, until fouled out, joined Russell to stamp their authority on the third quarter and level the scores at the final break.The final ten minutes became a free flowing affair in which the lead changed hands many times as each side replied; Simon Berkefeld and Kane Ransom the finishers for Bulldogs and hardworking Mason and junior Matt Parslow for Wizards.

Simon Berkefeld , on the end of some quick transition plays, showed his class and gave Bulldogs a narrow lead in the final two minutes of the game. Wizards challenged right up until the final siren but could not find the necessary hoops. Victorious coach Russell praised Wizards on their performance on the night and stated that while Bulldogs were the victors, Wizards were possibly the better side on the night

Top scorers in this final were Simon Berkefeld with 29 and Mason on 23.Kurt Russell was judged Most Valuable player in the final.

 

SECBL MVP AWARDS

 The SECBL Most Valuable Players for the 2010/11 season were named during the presentations after the grand finals on Wednesday night.      

Bulldogs’ dynamo, Sara Chapple won the coveted award for the first time. She has featured strongly in previous seasons since moving to Mount Gambier, without claiming the Award.Chapple is a very talented and complete player, who single-handedly lifted Bulldogs over the line in many games this season. The achievement of Bulldogs finishing in second place is the result of Chapple’s stellar season.She played in 13 of the 15 regulation season games and recorded votes in all 13 games, 10 best on court votes and 3 second best for a total of 36.

State Under 17 junior Jasmin Howe has taken over the leader and scoring role for Cats since Kate Seebohm’s departure to the USA. She too had a standout season and finished second in the Award with 30 votes. This superb achievement won her the Sally-Jane Allen/Trisha Flett Memorial Award, which goes to the junior basketballer scoring most votes in the season MVP count.

Junior state squad member Georgia Green was third with 20 votes and Catherine Larkin next on 19. It is interesting to note that Larkin only played up to the break when she moved to Adelaide to pursue her tertiary studies. She is now playing with Eastern Mavericks in the Central Conference of the ABA.

The Men’s competition of the SECBL was relatively close and results hard to predict this season and as a result, the voting in the MVP Award was also close and the winner well hidden. As the saying goes however, the cream rises to the top and Mount Gambier’s home grown champion Simon Berkefeld finished the season strongly to win yet another MVP comprising 7 best on court and one second best votes for a total of 23. Nick Morrison, reflecting his first class season, recorded 17 votes to finish a worthy runner-up

Berkefeld’s record in individual A Grade basketball awards borders on the unbelievable. In the past 11 seasons he has won the Award 8 times and been runner-up 3 times. This means that he has been judged as one of the best two basketballers in the top senior men’s competitions over the past eleven seasons.

Outstanding multi-sportsman Joe Walker of Cats won the Bill Cook Memorial Award which goes to the junior basketballer scoring most votes in the SECBL MVP Award. This is his second consecutive win and highlights his sporting prowess. Joe is in the top group of SA Country junior sportsmen. He is currently preparing to represent SA Country in the Under 18 Junior Basketball Championships in Tasmania and has represented SA Country in every age group in the annual Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup in Albury.