By RUSSELL BENNETT
MISSED free throws down the stretch cost the Casey Cavaliers men dearly in an at times emotionally-charged Big V basketball local derby against the Pakenham Warriors at ’The Fortress’ in Cranbourne on Saturday night.
Casey trailed by 15 at the half, but roared back into the contest with a 22-5 third quarter. Yet in the last, with the game there for the taking, the Cavs could only manage 2-9 in a brutal night at the charity stripe as they were outscored 23 to 12, eventually losing by nine – 79-70.
The Warriors seemed to have no answer for the Cavaliers’ stifling zone defence in the third and proceeded to take a host of low-percentage, long-range jump shots.
But the side’s approach changed from the start of the fourth, with Jed Bentley (26 points, 7 steals), point guard James Magrath (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Sean Armstrong (13 points, 5 rebounds) inspirationally scooping their team mates up off the deck and driving to the hoop with seemingly reckless abandon.
Both the Warriors and Cavs played the opening term at a frenetic, and sometimes out-of-control pace – possibly in a rush of blood due to the deafening noise from the local fans.
Cavaliers guard Jamie Leclerc (17 points, 5 rebounds) and big man Dean Johnson (12 points and 10 rebounds) spearheaded the Casey charge, while Pakenham skipper James Topp (15 points, 7 rebounds) and the hard-nosed Jay Richardson (5 points and 9 rebounds) set the early tone for their side.
Pakenham led 19-18 at the first change – with their inside-out offence utilising Richardson and Topp in the low-post to find long-range shooters on the wings.
Bentley, one such long-bomber, found his range in the second and his team mates followed – nailing four of five from downtown in a blistering 32 points-to-18 quarter. Richardson did the dirty work for Pakenham – jumping on every possible loose ball as if it was a live hand-grenade set to explode in the face of a team mate.
But a disastrous third left the Warriors in a deep, momentum-less hole and searching for answers at the final break. The Cavs had put the clamps on the Warriors’ inside scoring, forcing them into ill-advised long-range attempts.
But Pakenham bounced back in the fourth – regaining the lead that they held by 15 at the half.
When athletic Casey powerhouse Puoch Phuoc performed a massive put-back slam to put his side up 62-56, the home side had all the momentum.
But he went for another one soon after, which resulted in a Topp layup at the other end. The Warriors had dragged the lead back and refused to let go.
When a fired-up Armstrong sank a free-throw to complete an and-one play, the Warriors were up 74-69 with just two minutes remaining.
After a string of broken plays at each end in the dying stages, it was Bentley who iced the game at the free-throw line.
Cavs coach Stewart Baird admitted to not even having Bentley on his scouting report in the lead-up to the clash, but praised his lights-out shooting on the night.
A self-confessed hater of zone defence, Baird said he was “ecstatic” with his boys’ effort in their third quarter, but he was under no illusions when it came to the side’s weakness on the night.
“Our free-throw shooting was awful the entire game,” he said.
“Look at Dean (Johnson).
“He was terrific for us but he let himself down at the line and he knows that.”
Baird credited Pakenham on their “great performance”, but said fatigue played a role in his side’s turnover count – with some players forced into much more court-time than they’ve been used to.
The Cavaliers men will take on the Melton Thoroughbreds from 8.30 this Saturday night in Cranbourne.
Meanwhile, in Division 2 Women’s action, the Cavaliers came away with a thrilling one-point win on enemy soil against the Melbourne University Black Angels, 72-71.
Renae Mokrzycki was the star of the show for Casey, recording an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. Leah Swain was also superb, with 12 and 9 to go along with 4 blocks.
The Cavs, sitting third on the ladder, will face the Southern Peninsula Sharks at home this Saturday night from 6.30pm.
