Harris Wassylko was named player of the match for the Dandenong-Eltham Basketball Tournament under-18 boys’ final. The Pakenham Warriors defeated the Sherbrooke Suns 36-20. 76425 Picture: Jarrod Potter
By Jarrod Potter
THE Pakenham Warriors scorched up the courts in the Dandenong-Eltham Basketball Tournament over the Australia Day weekend, with the under-18 and under-16 1 boys winning championships.
The under-18 boys defeated the Sherbrooke Suns 36-20 after leading by only three points at half time.
The Warriors had an extra gear in the muggy conditions and ran away with a comfortable 16 point victory.
Pakenham’s Harris Wassylko was awarded player of the match in the final, with 10 points and numerous rebounds to his name.
Pakenham Warriors under-18s coach and Pakenham and District Basketball Association (PDBA) president Rob Roberts said the win came about through the Warriors’ work ethic off the court.
“It was a ripper game,” Roberts said.
“We played Sherbrooke in the regional games and the cross overs in the VJBL and they knocked us out, so to win from our point of view was fantastic.
“Their (Sherbrooke) coach even told us ‘how much different is your team since last time?’”
Wassylko impressed spectators, coaches and players alike with his athleticism and aerial dominance.
“We had coaches coming up to us afterwards saying just how good he (Wassylko) is,” Roberts said.
“One coach from Mornington said they had tried to get him for years, so it’s no surprise to us that he got best on court.”
The 16-1 boys also defeated Sherbrooke in their final, 43-19, with Matt Darcy awarded player of the match.
The other grand finalists for the Warriors were the 16-1 girls, who narrowly losing their final to Knox 31-25.
Ten Pakenham Warriors teams participated in the tournament at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium, with seven of those teams making the finals and three making grand finals.
Roberts was amazed with the results from the weekend considering last season the Warriors had nowhere near this level of success.
“We wouldn’t have gone into this weekend thinking about success,” Roberts said.
“Out of the 13 teams we had last year, not even half of them made the finals but for three quarters of them to get into finals this season is brilliant.
In other Warriors news, the Big V team kicks off their 2012 pre-season with a practice match at home on 18 February and a Labour Day tournament at MSAC, before the Big V season launches the week afterwards.
VJBL starts this weekend and in the MMBL, the Warriors are at home tonight (Wednesday) from 8.30pm.
