There is nothing predictable about the Melton Thoroughbreds Big V basketball campaign.
Throughout the first third of the season, Melton has shown that on any given night any number of players can make life difficult for opposition defenders.
Picture gallery: Big V men: Melton Thoroughbreds v Sunbury
The likes of Ivan Harris, Jeff Crowe, Shane Moroney, Blake Allison and Cameron McCallum have all top scored for the Thoroughbreds at different stages.
That versatility has delighted head coach Julie McCallum.
“It is very difficult for other teams to guard us,” she said. “We have five or six players who can step up for us, which is really encouraging.”
On the back of the strong offensive start to the season, Melton has jumped to outright first on the division 1 ladder with a 9-3 record.
The club is on a three-match winning streak after toppling Sunbury by 27 points at the weekend.
In scary news for opposition sides, McCallum believes her side will only improve as the season continues. But she is keen to see more consistency on the defensive end of the floor.
“It is something we can work on,” she said. “We tend to go off the boil a bit sometimes. We can be really good but then just get a little bit lazy. I think it all stems from our defence.”
The Thoroughbreds have been at their best at the Melton Basketball Centre and are holding an imposing 5-1 record on their home court.
They will have a chance to improve that record this week when they host Mildura. McCallum said continuing to win at home was vital for her side.
“It keeps the crowd coming and generates some atmosphere,” she said. “It is good for the town and good for the sport.”
McCallum pointed out that on Mother’s Day, a crowd of “a dozen people” ensured there was little or no atmosphere.
“If we keep winning, we get people there and that is important for us,” she said.
It was a tough weekend for the Melton youth league side, which lost to Warrandyte by 50 points on Saturday and went down to Corio Bay by 14 points on Sunday.
