By Tara Murray
Sunbury Jets will need all three games of the grand final series if they are to claim their first Big V men’s youth league 1 championship.
On the road for game one of the grand final series, the Jets suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to Waverley Falcons on Saturday night.
No more than seven points separated the teams all night, with neither team able to get on big runs.
The sides traded the lead in the first quarter, with the Jets leading by one point at the first break.
The Jets had one of their best periods of the game in the second quarter and took the lead out to seven points.
The Falcons responded and scores were level at half-time.
The Jets again took the lead out to seven points, and again, the Falcons responded.
The Jets took the narrowest of leads into the final break but this time the Falcons got the lead out to seven points with seven minutes to go.
The Jets responded and were back in front but with 1.20 left on the clock the Falcons regained the lead and were able to hold on.
The Jets had three shots in that time but weren’t able to get them to fall.
Ivanne Loncaric top-scored for the Jets with 19 points, while Brodie Townsend scored 13 points off the bench and Nathan Baker had 12 points.
The loss was just the Jets third of the season, with two coming against the Falcons.
Game two of the finals series will be played on Saturday night at Boardman Stadium, with game three on Sunday at the same location, if needed.
The Jets are yet to lose at Boardman this season.
It will be a big weekend for the Jets youth league sides, with the youth league women’s side playing game two and if needed game three, of their semi-final at the weekend.
They lead that series 1-0.
Tara Murray
