The Sunbury Jets continue to rack up the wins in Big V women’s division 1, with a hard-fought win over Keilor on Saturday night.
Having won their first six games of the season, the Jets were again tested in the first half before stepping it up a level in the second.
The Jets were already without coach Kennedy Kereama and centre-forward Jess Bygate, who are at a New Zealand team training camp and likely to miss at least the next month, while captain Chelsea Burns didn’t take to the court.
It didn’t matter for the Jets, who opened up an early eight-point lead. The margin was decreased to six at half-time, but the Jets regained control of the game in the second half, to win 77-59.
The starting line-up did most of the scoring, with only two points coming from bench players.
Courtney Duever had a massive game with 29 points, 17 rebounds and five steals. Emma Mahady, Monique Stevens and Kayla Theodore all scored double figures as well.
Meanwhile, the men’s side lost at home to Chelsea. Shooting at about 60 per cent for the first half, Chelsea opened up a 12-point lead at half-time and extended it to 14 points at the last break.
Sunbury were within three points with 27 seconds to go, but that was as close as they got, losing 83-74.
Mitchell Newton had 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Ish Sanders added 29 points.
The Jets have four wins and five losses from the first seven rounds.
The Jets youth league sides had mixed results on Sunday.
The men’s division1 outfit defeated Bendigo in an up and down game.
Bendigo started the better before the Jets won the middle two quarters. Despite losing the last, the Jets held on 71-63.
Kyle Collins had 21 points for the Jets.
The youth league women’s division 2 side lost to Keilor 61-43.
Leading by three points at quarter-time, the Jets lost the next three quarters, and the game.
Kereama and Sanders were recognised during the week, as Big V coach and player of the month respectively.
Sanders is averaging 32 points per game, while the women’s side is undefeated after the first seven rounds.