Year 7s show strength at basketball comp

SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA – SANDHURST DIVISION

Year 7 Basketball

On Wednesday 27 August, the Year 7 Basketball Teams travelled to Red Energy Arena to compete at the Sandhurst Division Competition. Each school competed in the round robin competition, with the top two schools playing off in the Grand Final to complete the day.

Year 7 Girls

The Year 7 Girls played some great team basketball in the preliminary rounds, securing convincing wins over three out of four schools to finish second and advance to the Grand Final.

Preliminary Round
CMCB def Eaglehawk Secondary College 32-12
CMCB def Crusoe College 35-4
Marist College Bendigo def CMCB 15-6
CMCB def Bendigo South East College 22-7

Grand Final
From the start, the Grand Final against Marist College Bendigo was a tightly contested match. Having lost to them earlier in the day, the CMCB girls were determined to lift their game, and they did just that. The first half saw both teams trading points, with CMCB applying strong defensive pressure and making the most of their chances.

Darcy Rodda led the charge with her determined drives to the basket, while Colbie O’Bree worked tirelessly in defence, doing a lot of little things that made a big difference. Lucy Pollock kept the team composed, bringing the ball down the court with confidence. Arie Dean and Emma Hietbrink were solid under the ring, contesting rebounds and showing a great presence. Macey Nielson directed play with great awareness, and Maggie Miller, though the smallest player on court, showed incredible grit and flair, winning key contests and never backing down. Despite their best efforts and a significantly improved performance, the girls were narrowly defeated by Marist, 13 to 17. It was a fantastic team effort and a performance of which they should be proud.

Greta Pollock was unfortunately injured and unable to play on the day; however, she was a great asset to the team by scoring each game, while Mia Cox and Molly Beasley (Year 9) were invaluable assistants to Mrs Fennell throughout the day.

YEAR 7 GIRLS TEAM: Mrs Julie Fennell (Coach), Lucy Pollock, Arie Dean, Emma Hietbrink, Greta Pollock, Maggie Millar, Macey Nielsen, Colbie O’Bree, Darcy Rodda

Year 7 Boys

The Year 7 Boys Basketball Team launched the day with a gritty 20–15 win over Marist College Bendigo. Eddie Mansfield led the way defensively, pulling down rebounds and locking down key players, while Will Shadbolt drove strongly to the basket, keeping the pressure on Marist throughout the match.

In Game 2, the boys continued their winning form with a 23–11 victory over Bendigo South East College. Gus Ritchie controlled the offence with sharp play-making, setting up teammates and keeping the tempo high. Archie Walsh added flair with a powerful one-handed finish that energised the team and spectators alike.

Game 3 saw the team dominate Eaglehawk Secondary College with a commanding 44–14 win. Gus Pitcher was unstoppable in the post, using clever footwork and strength to score consistently inside. Jessie Cox added to the scoreboard with accurate shooting, punishing Eaglehawk from mid-range and beyond.

Against Crusoe College in Game 4, the boys delivered a defensive masterclass, winning 23–6. Jensen Sawyer was outstanding with his intercepting, breaking up Crusoe’s plays and turning defence into offence. Hamish Baker applied relentless defensive pressure, making it difficult for Crusoe to find any rhythm.

Game 5 was a tough matchup against Victory Christian College, resulting in a 10–21 loss. Despite the scoreline, Josh Prowse impressed with excellent ball handling, navigating tight defence and setting up plays. Isaac Manley maintained his aggressive attack on the ball, keeping the energy high and challenging Victory’s offence.

The Grand Final was a rematch against Victory. The boys started strong, with aggressive drives to the basket, solid rebounding, and suffocating defence that kept the game even at halftime. However, foul trouble and fatigue in the second half allowed Victory to pull away, and the team unfortunately went down 19 to 33.

A huge thank you to our coaches, Jake Gribble and Mr Arnott. Thanks also to all the parents who came and supported the team as well as Zander Walker, Oscar Connolly and Aaron Crewes for attending as referees for the day.

YEAR 7 BOYS TEAM: Jesse Cox, Will Shadbolt, Angus Pitcher, Eddie Mansfield, Jensen Sawyer, Jake Gribble (Assistant Coach), Hamish Baker, Isaac Manley, Joshua Prowse, Gus Ritchie, Archie Walsh, Mr Dan Arnott (Coach)