Tara Murray
The Sunbury Jets produced their best performance of the Big V women’s championship season to help keep their finals hopes alive on Saturday night.
After a few tough weeks on and off the court, the Jets upset the fourth placed McKinnon Cougars, 75-60.
The Jets started the better on their home court and led by five points at quarter time, which they maintained at half time.
They were able to double the margin in the third quarter before finishing off the game strongly to secure their third win of the season.
Jets coach Simon Nicholson said it was their best performance of the season.
“It was nice to get another win, some reward for effort,” he said. “It’s been a tough period and the girls have done a great job and sticking together.
“We’ve nutted out a few issues in the team on and off the court and we’ve turned a corner.
“We’ve kept our finals hopes alive.”
Nicholson said the most pleasing thing for him was the way the group went about the game. He said they worked well together as a team.
“We had four girls in double figures,” he said. “Everyone did their job and was on the same page on the floor and we got the job done in an important game.
“I was happy to win as a team.”
Chloe Hilderbrand top scored with 21 points, as four of the five started hit double figures.
Nicholson said the group had started to find its identity and the way they want to play.
“There were a number of different reasons,” he said for the struggles.
“With the playing group they have turned the page and are now on the same page as a group.
“They are getting around each other.”
The win has the Jets sitting three games outside the four with seven rounds remaining.
Nicholson said they know it will be hard work, but they believe they can still make finals.
“The good thing for us, we still have to play McKinnon,” he said. “We also still have games against Hume and Pakenham, teams that are also pushing for fourth spot.
“We need results to go our way, but playing some of the teams around us we have some control over where we are going to end up which is nice.”
The Jets this week face the third place Sherbrooke Suns which Nicholson said was a gettable game for them.
“If we play like we did last night [Saturday night] we will be tough to beat no matter who we play.”
The Jets men also had a win against McKinnon on Saturday night, winning 90-77.
Not much separated the two sides for the first three quarters, before the Jets finished with a 22-10 final quarter to seal the win.
Ish Sanders top scored with 37 points.
The Jets sit on top of the ladder.
