By ADEM SARICAOGLU
KEILOR’S Division Two Men’s Big V record is now 3-3 after the Thunder succumbed to the Keysborough Cougars at home on Saturday night.
After giving up an 11-point buffer to the Cougars in the opening quarter, Keilor was forced to play catch-up for the entire game and despite breaking even for the second term and winning the third by six, the first-quarter shocker proved the difference by game’s end.
The Thunder’s deficit was just five points at the final change but Keysborough managed to stay in control in the final quarter, outscoring Keilor 18-17 to come away from Keilor Basketball Stadium with an 80-74 win.
The deadly duo of Nathaniel O’Hara (22 points) and Eric Miraflores (21 points) proved exactly that on Saturday night for the Cougars, while Jackson Houpt (16 points) and Kevin Benn (15 points) were also handy contributors for the winners.
For Keilor young gun Joel Smith could hold his head up high by the end of the night with 21 points and nine rebounds, while James Deegan (12 points) and James Webster (10 points) were the only other Keilor players to hit double figures.
Keilor now sits outside the top four in fifth spot on the table and will go to Casey to take on the Cavaliers after the Easter break.
The weekend did not get any better for the club on Sunday, with Keilor’s women also going down.
Backing up from a close eight-point home loss to the La Trobe City Energy the previous night, the Thunder proved no match for the Whittlesea Pacers on the road.
By half-time Whittlesea had managed to establish a 16-point barrier at Mill Park Basketball Stadium and despite losing the third term by a point, held off Keilor in the final period to come away with a crushing 81-52 win.
Alyssa Mifsud was serviceable with 18 points and five boards for the day, but the Thunder lacked potency on offence and struggled to find many other avenues to the bucket, with Jessica Francke’s nine points the next best individual contribution in the final box score.
The eighth-placed Thunder will hit the road to play Southern Peninsula after the Easter weekend.
