Bayi Handy (New Head Coach and ex Globetrotter), Bryce Westwood (Under-18’s player), Aiden Jenkinson (Under-16’s player), Daniel Jeavons (Big V player), Dylan Jenkinson (Under-14’s player), Trent Westwood (Under-18’s player) and Jake Heyen (Big V player).
PAKENHAM Warriors will show-off their new head coach, former Harlem Globetrotter Bayi Handy at this Sunday’s 2012 season launch and fun day.
The Big V basketball season might not start until early March but the excitement levels are rising as the Warriors look to improve on their fifth placing from last season.
The division 2 side is looking to move up over the next few years, and the appointment of its new point guard could speed up the process.
New coach Bayi Handy comes with some impressive credentials.
He played College Basketball for Georgia State University, had a stint with the world famous Globetrotters and twice scored 60 points in a game while playing in Germany. In recent seasons he has topped league scoring averages in both Darwin and Tasmania.
New Pakenham President, Rob Roberts is delighted to have Handy on board.
“We’re a new club this year. We have a new committee and new players. Bayi brings leadership and experience to a team that with direction will be able to compete at the highest of levels. We’re glad to have him on board.”
Bayi will bring much needed experience to a side with a lot of promise. Natural improvement will come from last season’s crop of players and with a fresh influx of talent from Cranbourne, Dandenong and Latrobe, the Warriors have their eyes set on finals action.
Roberts also has a refreshing attitude to his new role.
“We want more of a community involvement this season and that’s a big part of why Bayi is with us,” he said.x
“Bayi is very strong in the area of education and development of basketball so we intend to talk to schools in the area and use that strength.”
This Sunday’s season launch will start at 10am at the YMCA Cardinia Life in Pakenham and run through to 12.30pm with coaching by some of the Warriors senior coaches plus jumping castles and giveaways.
“This is going to be a start to the year that no one will forget.” Roberts said.
Everyone is welcome, come along and meet a real life Harlem Globetrotter.
For all enquiries please contact Rob Roberts on 0431 165 579.
BERWICK Miners junior team will fight for their spot in the 2011 Junior VicBowl this week when they face the Bay City Buccaneers in a preliminary final on Saturday afternoon at Corio. The third place Miners have been defeated by the Buccaneers in both their encounters this year, 36-0 at home in round five and a nailbiting 40-36 loss in the last week of the regular season at Footscray.
WEST GIPPSLAND Ladies Mid-Week Tennis Competition reaches its exciting conclusion this week with the grand final to be played between Maryknoll Gold and Bunyip on Wednesday 30 November.
Semi-finals were held on Wednesday 16 November which saw the top two teams, Maryknoll Gold and Tynong, battle it out for a spot in this week’s grand final. The Maryknoll team were dominant, their final score being 6 sets 48 games to Tynong 0 sets 21 games.
In the minor semi-final it was Bunyip who progressed through to the preliminary final with a hard fought win over Bayles, 4 sets 37 games to 2 sets 31 games.
In the preliminary final on Wednesday 23 November it was Bunyip who caused the upset, beating Tynong to progress through to this week’s grand final. The final scores were Bunyip 4 sets 44 games defeating Tynong 2 sets 33 games.
Maryknoll Gold will start warm favourites this week but Bunyip have proven they can handle that extra bit of pressure that finals bring about. Bunyip has the home court advantage this week so it should be a tight contest right to the end.
The first serve will take place at 9.30am at the Bunyip Tennis Courts this Wednesday 30 November.
IN Victorian Champions League soccer, the boys fared better than the girls this week in the Southern Bluetongues v Lodden Mallee Lightning matches, the under-17, 15 and 13 boys all took wins while only the under-13 girls managed to better their opponents.
The under-17 boys won 4-3 over the Lightning, the under-15s snared a 3-0 victory, the under-14s lost 0-1 and the under-13s continued their winning ways with a 5-2 thumping of the Lightning.
