Sunbury Jets men’s basketball side will play finals for the first time since winning the Big V division 1 championship in 2009.
But the Jets, who finished the regular season with their biggest loss of the year, had a few nervous moments waiting for the outcome of other games.
Luck went their way as they finished the season in seventh place.
Jets coach Andrew Summerville said he was happy to have made the finals in a season which he considered a development year.
He said the playing group had come along faster than he expected.
“We’re probably ahead of schedule,” he said.
“Everyone wants to play finals and win championships but we were looking at making play-offs next season and a championship the season after.
“I think the players have grasped what we’re doing a lot quicker than we expected. They have a high basketball IQ and brought into what we’re doing.
“We’re still making a lot of mistakes and have ups and downs but we haven’t had as many downs as I thought we would.”
Saturday night was one of those downs, as the Jets crashed 105-66 against Warrnambool.
Summerville said it wasn’t something they would like to dwell on.
“The endeavour was good and it was a tough physical encounter,” he said.
“They are 11-0 at home and we’d have been doing something no one else has done. But being blown out wasn’t what we wanted.”
Ish Sanders top-scored for the Jets with 20 points, with Nathan Baker was the only other player in double figures.
The Jets will be back on the road this week when they travel to Shepparton.
“We match up well against them,” Summerville said. They’re a tough side with a lot of talent and I’m looking forward to it.
“Our chances are really good. You can beat the top team one week and lose to the bottom team the next week.
“We’re one of the teams who have beaten the top four sides at least once.”
The Jets’ men’s side qualifying for finals means they will have four sides playing in finals for the first time in the club’s history.
Both the youth league sides finished in their respective top fours, although the youth league men’s side was knocked out with a loss to Werribee Devils on Saturday night.
“The club is pretty proud,” Summerville said. “It shows how far we’ve come; it’s been a massive turnaround.”
