As Seymour’s Tyler Best bested all those that took to the hardwood, the reigning premier Blasters were too much for the Breakers to handle on court one of Seymour Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday.
The Breakers were up for the fight in the first term, holding the lead more than halfway through the quarter before Best began to stamp his authority in the paint with six of the next eight Blasters points to put Seymour up six at the first break, 20-14.
It was the momentum shift that propelled Seymour towards minor premiership contention, as while Benalla’s Aaron Hamill scored a quick bucket as the second term began, the Blasters then ripped through the Breakers to slam dunk a statement.
Seymour would go on a 10-point unanswered run before Benalla’s Matthew Hedger and Matthew Bartlett finally ended the scoring drought, but another nine-point run followed for Seymour as Harry Stones turned up the scoring prowess for the men in red.
The unstoppable shooting streaks lifted the Blasters to a 17-point half-time lead of 40-23, stunting Benalla’s aims for a second win of the CBL North East men’s season.
In the third term, life didn’t get much better for the Breakers.
Seymour turned up the heat after the main break’s huddle, banking buckets from the post, fading away from the mid-range, and spot up shooting from beyond the arc.
The Blasters’ team chemistry was in a complete flow state, and while former Big V Shepparton Gators Bartlett and Sam Beks dished out dimes and found their own respective long-range buckets, the Breakers were left in the dust.
Seymour extended its advantage by a further 20 points after a 34-point term, leading 74-37 ahead of the last 10-minute period.
With the game decided, Seymour went through the motions on the home court hardwood in the final term, as Benalla matched the Blasters how it had done so in the first term.
However, Seymour still remained too good to best, winning the term by two points for a 39-point victory, 95-56.
Best top scored for the Blasters with 23 points, while Stones (19) and William Stewart (12) also reached double figures.
Seymour (5-2) is second on the CBL table, one premiership point behind the unbeaten Wallan Panthers (6-0), and the boast the competition’s best percentage.
The Blasters host one-win side Albury on Saturday, November 7 to continue the bid for the minor premiership and to hold a prime spot in hopes of another deep playoffs run.
Meanwhile in the women’s CBL, Seymour suffered a pair of defeats on the weekend.
A huge shooting night from Chloe Dimkopoulos (29 points) was left in vain as the Swan Hill Lady Flyers 24-point half time advantage was too great to overcome, an improved second half seeing the Blasters lose Saturday’s clash by 16 points, 74-90.
Marnie Jarvis (15 points) and Ella Hicks (nine) were defiant despite the loss.
With aims to rebound after falling to the current ladder-leaders, the Blasters were met with disappointment on Sunday as an inspired Wallan unit upset the visitors.
Entering the clash with just one win, the Panthers played with a formidable groove at its home stable of RB Robson Wallan Indoor Sports Stadium, pouncing onto a 15-point half time lead despite the match being tied at 15-all at the quarter-time buzzer.
It was the single term lapse that bricked the Blasters’ shot at winning a round five match, with Wallan only improving its advantage by one in the second half for a 72-56 win at full time.
Seymour’s Kasey Lennox led the scoring with 13 points, while Dimkopoulos’ efforts weren’t quite the hot shooting of Saturday night, but her nine points were still one of the top contributors against Wallan.
The women’s Blasters face Albury at home on Saturday also, and will require a resilient effort to trump the currently undefeated Cougars.
11°C