Harper Sercombe
Sunbury lost in its first Big V state championship men’s finals match to local rivals Hume City Broncos at the Broadmeadows Basketball Stadium on Saturday.
A spot against Wyndham in the semi finals was on the line, with both teams to go through to the next week of finals no matter the result.
The Jets took a three point lead into the quarter time and seemed to be working their way into the game, although proved not enough for the hungry Hume side.
The Broncos came out firing in the second quarter going on a 17-2 point run within the first five minutes of the term.
The match played out all in the Bronco’s hands, bar a charge late from the Jets which turned out to be too little too late, losing 94-86.
Jets’ coach John White said he was most disappointed with the way his team approached the second quarter.
“That was really disappointing,” he said.
“The first five minutes (of the second quarter) we failed to execute offensively, our positioning on the floor was incorrect for the first five possessions.
“I don’t feel like that was much to do with Hume’s pressure, but more just us not being locked in. I think a lot of the stuff we can fix this week is based on us not what the other team gives us.
“A bit disappointing after that strong start, we’ve got to regroup this week and try to get it back next week.”
“Credit to Hume they tried to bully us, I think they got in our heads a little bit at the start of the second and flowed into the third as well.
It wasn’t all bad news for Sunbury with the league’s second most prolific scorer Ishmael Sanders doing what he does best, putting down 27 points and having five assists and doing this with the extra attention the Broncos had put into him.
Trevor Clayton was another stand out for the Jets also scoring 28, going at 100 per cent from his two point attempts, whilst also picking up 17 rebounds.
Next week the Jets will take on the McKinnon Cougars in a do or die clash.
White said beating them in the regular season will give his side the confidence needed to win the game.
“Hume’s the only team we haven’t beaten this year, so we take confidence going into every game,” he said.
“We gave ourselves a really good shot tonight, we will approach it like we do every other game.”
For the Broncos, they will head into a final against top placed Wyndham, where the winner will guarantee themselves a place in the grand final. For the loser they will play off against the winner of Sunbury and McKinnon to fill the remaining spot in the big dance.
The Jets championship women finished their season with a 70-62 loss to the Sherbrooke Suns.
The Jets finished in fifth spot a game outside the top four.
The Jets youth league 2 men’s side is through to the grand final after beating Mornington, 95-77.
