Melton has made a bright start to the new Big V basketball season.
Playing in division 1, the Thoroughbreds hold a 2-1 record after wins against Mildura and Keilor.
But head coach Julie McCallum knows her players will need to improve if they are to challenge for a title.
Melton’s only loss came in the form of a blow-out against defending champion Latrobe City.
“I look at Latrobe as the benchmark,” McCallum said. “They won it last year and I think they are where we need to be. The match against them showed that we are not quite there yet.”
The Thoroughbreds were left to rue a poor shooting display against Latrobe City, scoring at just 35 per cent from the field.
There were no such problems at the other end of the court for Latrobe City, with the winners making the most of their chances and enjoying a shooting percentage of more than 50.
“It was a little bit of everything with our shooting,” McCallum said.
“Some of our shot selection was poor and their intensity was better than ours … their defence was pretty good. At the end of the day, some of our players just had an off night.
“I think the scoreline was a bit harsh. It wasn’t a 30-point game. We were probably 10 or 15 points off.”
The Easter break has come at the perfect time for import Ivan Harris, who has been nursing minor injuries through his first three games.
That hasn’t stopped Harris from having an impact. The American is averaging 16 points.
Melton will return to action this weekend, with a double-header against Altona and Camberwell.
In what is her first year in the top job, McCallum said she had been enjoying the challenge.
“They are a great bunch of guys,” she said. “I have been around the program now for a long time and I have been around basketball my whole life. I would be a little bit lost without it.”
