Tara Murray
Bacchus Marsh Lions kicked off their Country Basketball League women’s north-west season with back-to-back wins on the weekend.
After a bye in round one, the Lions started their season against the Melton Thoroughbreds on Saturday night.
The match came down to Jordan Wilson free throws with three seconds to go. She sank both to give the Lions a 66-65.
They then backed it up with a 70-43 against the Maryborough Blazers on Sunday.
Lions coach Monique Caparello said it was nice to finally get out there and play some basketball.
“It was good to get the two wins,” she said. “We had a week to look at some teams sheets and names on rosters to prepare.
“We went with the flow and it was definitely a nailbiter on Saturday night.”
Caparello said the biggest message out of Saturday night was that the Thoroughbreds were playing their third game of the season, while they were playing just their first and things would only get better.
“I got to see how we play,” she said. “We didn’t take as many opportunities as we could have in transition.
“CBL is different from Big V and it’s a lot more physical. It’s a learning curve for us and it’ll be back to the drawing board for us.”
It was a physical game with 52 fouls paid across the two teams.
Wilson finished with 24 points for the Lions, while Jelena Savic scored 13 points.
For the Thoroughbreds, Ruby Murphy top scored with 18 points including hitting four three-pointers.
Caparello said it was positive to see the group already made some adjustments from game one to game two, saying they were a lot more comfortable in the offence and it showed on the scoreboard.
Wilson top scored in Sunday’s match as well with 19 points.
While Caparello is new to the club, the core group has started the same.
She said a lot of the girls had played Big V between seasons and grown a bit.
They were keen to improve on last season.
“Finals are achievable for this group,” she said. “We’re taking it one game at a time but the goal is to play finals.”
The Lions have another double header this weekend facing the Mildura Heat and Swan Hill Flyers, both on the road.
The Lions men also opened their season with two wins on the weekend.
On Saturday night, the Lions beat the Thoroughbreds, 119-94.
The damage was done in the middle two quarters, which the Lions won 64-51.
Hunter Salmons top scored with 29 points, while Daniel Salvatore scored 21 points.
For the Thoroughbreds, Tyson Hamilton put up 32 points.
On Sunday, the Lions beat the Blazers, 90-76.
Hunter Salmons scored 20 points and Salvatore had 18 points.
They have a double header like the women this weekend.
