By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Jets’ reign as the top team of the Big V women’s state championship competition is over.
After winning the past two state championship titles and three premierships in a row, the Jets have had to settle for finishing third this year.
The Jets’ successful time ended on Saturday night at the hands of the Werribee Devils, losing 77-74.
It was a match that could have gone either way, with eight points the biggest margin.
In the end it came down to the dying seconds.
Sunbury Jets coach Kennedy Kereama said it was a disappointing way to end the season.
“I don’t think either team played particularly well,” he said.
“For the spectators it would have been a good game to watch.
“They hit some good shots and plays down the stretch.”
Kereama said there were several areas where his side could have been better.
He said they weren’t too bad defensively, but struggled offensively.
“We didn’t put the ball in the hoop enough times,” he said.
“I think the numbers tell the story and there isn’t much else I can say.
“Executing is one thing, making the shot is another.
“We let ourselves down in a number of areas. There was some concentration level errors, that really let us down.”
Orla O’Reilly top scored with 23 points and Lynn Leaupepe and Jacinta Beckley scored 19 each.
The rest of the group had nine scoring attempts between them.
PHOTO GALLERY: Sunbury Jets vs Werribee Devils
Kereama said while it was disappointing for the Jets, the result was good for the competition as a whole.
“You can’t win everything,” he said.
“Making finals and finishing top four is a good achievement, but it’s always tough measuring against teams previously.
“I would have liked to have done better and had a team that could have done better.
“Credit to the two teams, Werribee and Keilor, that beat us.
“They were better on the day. It’s good for the competition that the top-five teams in the league were competitive.
“Where you finish [on the ladder] doesn’t mean anything.”
Kereama said while he was disappointed with the result, he was looking at the bigger picture with the side and the club as a whole.
He said since he joined the club as director of coaching at least two sides have made Big V finals and there had been development on the junior side.
“When I came on board it was about getting local people back to the club.
“We’ve attracted people back and they want to play at the club.
“This year we produced more state level development players in rep sides.”
“It’s about the bigger picture for me, not just one year. I want to look back in 10 years at it.”
MORE BIG V NEWS
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/sunbury-jets-soar-to-grand-final/
