Ten three-pointers from Jeff Crowe led Melton to an impressive 17-point win against Blackburn in Big V basketball on Saturday night.
Melton coach Mick Downie was rapt to get his side’s fourth win in a row.
“We’re starting to string some games together,” he said.
“We are starting to show some really good teamwork and understanding between the players. That sort of game from the whole team has been around the corner.
“We’ve virtually been building up to that over the past month.
“I’ve been saying to the boys … play with a bit of freedom and instinct. Once we start doing that, we play so much better basketball.”
The Thoroughbreds were forced to play some good basketball on their home court throughout the first half as the Vikings applied pressure at Melton Basketball Stadium.
Both sides made the most of their opportunities by shooting at above 50 per cent from the field in the first quarter.
Although that scoring rate dropped away a little in the second term, there was still no breakaway as Melton went into half time up by one point.
From there the Thoroughbreds began to click into gear, both offensively and defensively.
While Blackburn struggled to hit the scoreboard, Melton thrived under pressure to out-score the Vikings by 11 in the final term to claim a 101-84 win.
Anthony Kimble maintained his impressive form with a 25-point game and nine rebounds.
There was no stopping Crowe, who finished with 35 points in a dominant display.
“That is the one we’ve been waiting for from Jeff,” Downie said.
The coach said Crowe had spent a couple of hours after a fund-raising barbecue earlier in the day practising his shooting.
“I’d say that session had a lot to do with building up his confidence and getting him in a good rhythm.”
The result maintains Melton’s third placing on the Terrill conference ladder.
In this week’s final round before the finals, Melton will take on the sixth-placed Altona.
