Mixed bag for Warriors
THE Maccabi Warriors have dropped out of the top four after a tough double-header on the weekend, recording one win and one loss against Mornington Breakers and Melton Thoroughbreds respectively.
THE Maccabi Warriors have dropped out of the top four after a tough double-header on the weekend, recording one win and one loss against Mornington Breakers and Melton Thoroughbreds respectively.
The Warriors achieved mixed results from their back-to-back matches, mauling Mornington 80-54, before going down to Melton 75-55.
In front of a boisterous away crowd, Maccabi put on a classy display against Mornington, maintaining a double-digit lead throughout most of the game.
The Warriors were solid across the whole court, with five players scoring double figures and limiting the chances for their opposition.
After switching codes over the summer, former footballer Adam Laitt (13 points, seven rebounds) looked to have found his touch against the Breakers, scoring at will from inside and providing a powerful presence on the boards.
While shooting a sizzling 45 per cent, Maccabi restricted Mornington to a paltry 27 per cent, with Dean Rzechta limiting the Breakers’ primary offensive threat to a season-low 12 points.
The Warriors received even contributions from multiple players, with Jason Conway (15 points), Jeff Devers (10 points) and Benji Tamir (10 points) helping to shore up Maccabi’s biggest win of the season.
Returning home to Bialik Stadium the following day, Maccabi’s meeting with seventh-placed Melton produced a tough, physical encounter.
The Warriors were in touch for most of the match, until Melton heavily outscored the home side in the latter stages to come out with an upset victory.
Maccabi’s offence struggled to find its form, resulting in 23 turnovers and few clear chances to score.
Despite leading early in the match – inspired by veteran Eric Witschel and Devers – Maccabi were overrun in the second stanza, conceding a whopping 23 points for the term.
Laitt (nine points, 14 rebounds) remained a potent inside force and Rzechta was the leading Warriors scorer with 12 points, but coach Andrew Solewicz said his players were feeling the effects from two intense games in as many days.
“Coming off a good win [on Saturday] night, we came out flat [on Sunday] against a team that is a contender this season,“ Solewicz said.
“Now we are three and two, and we’ve got a lot of new guys who have new roles … so now it’s about dealing with those new roles and taking every opportunity we come by.”
Maccabi will take on Cranbourne on Saturday at 8pm at Cranbourne Basketball Stadium (Melway: 134 B6).
ADAM BLAU
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