By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Jets stepped up on Saturday night to beat the Werribee Devils in their Big V women’s state championship match.
In a top-of-the-table clash, the Jets showed another level in the second half to run away with a big win.
After an up and down first half, with the Jets trailing by one point at half-time, the Jets outscored the Devils by 26 points in the second half, to win 90-65.
Acting Jets coach Sharon Plichta said she was happy to come away with any win, let alone a 25 point win.
“It was a fantastic win, the girls really came together,” she said.
“It made my job easier.”
The Jets made a focus of getting off to a good start and they did exactly that, leading by nine points at quarter time.
The Devils responded in the second quarter, to take the lead at the main break.
“Werribee’s first quarters have been good, so we knew we had to be on our best game,” she said.
“They hit back in the second quarter, going in even at half-time.
“We came out and set the tone in the second half and Werribee couldn’t keep up.”
The win came despite Courtney Duever missing the match while back home in America and Josie Stockill limited through illness.
Coach Kennedy Kereama missed the game with his Victorian commitments at the under-16 national championships.
Plichta said one of the strengths of the squad was that they had a lot of depth.
“We’re lucky that we have a team that anyone cane step up, at any stage,” she said.
“We’ve got quite a few scorers. Lynn came off the bench and scored 27 points.”
Jacinta Beckley scored 21 points in her best performance of the season.
Plichta said she put it on Beckley to take her opportunities when it arose.
“Without almost two girls, I really put it on her to step up.
“This was her opportunity.”
The win moves the Jets to equal top with the Devils, on 12 wins. The Jets are ahead on the season head-to-head record.
Plichta said not only did the win give the side confidence, it was important in the context of their season and hopefully getting a home final.
The Sunbury Jets this week face Southern Peninsula, with Plichta again taking the reins.
Plichta said it was a side they had to watch out for. “They have some young kids,” she said.
“They beat Warranmbool by nearly 100 points. They had a couple of young girls score 30-40 points and that doesn’t happen often.
