Defence won the day for Keilor Thunder in a low-scoring 60-51 scrap with Warrandyte Venom in the Big V basketball men’s division 1 at the Warrandyte Sports Centre on Saturday night.
The Thunder is statistically the most disciplined defensive team in their conference and second most miserly in the division, and it came in handy in disposing of the Venon on a night when their long range shooting went astray.
While the Thunder was solid from the field, shooting 43%, they could not hit the broad side of a barn from beyond the three-point arc, draining just one of 13 attempts from downtown.
The Venom had the opposite issue, with their three-point shooting (7-from-20) keeping them in the game, while they shot an abysmal 24% from the field.
Athletic import Jordan Coleman provided the scoring punch for Keilor.
Coleman scored 19 points, including the Thunder’s only three-pointer, to lead all scorers in the game.
He also set the tone defensively with three steals and two blocks.
Joel Bellman and captain Chuck Long were gritty in the paint for Keilor.
Bellman finished with a double-double 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Long reeled in 15 boards to go with eight points.
The other notable contributor for Keilor was Jacob Coleman-Bock with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Keilor remains well clear on top of the Terrill conference.
The Thunder (11-3) will host Shepparton Gators (5-9) at the Keilor Basketball Stadium on Saturday night at 8pm.
In women’s division 1, Keilor Thunder has lost three of its past four games to slide further out of the playoff picture.
The Thunder was brushed aside by the title contending Chelsea Gulls 72-53 at the Keilor Basketball Stadium on Sunday.
Amy Smith was the Thunder’s most potent offensive threat with 17 points and six rebounds, while Genna Anderson logged a double-double 12 points and 12 rebounds, despite having an off day with her shot.
Anita Bandilovski (13 points) and Kelli Schleibs (nine points and eight rebounds) were the other shining lights for the Thunder.
Keilor, in seventh spot with a 7-9 record, faces a must-win game against fifth-placed Mildura Heat (9-5) at the Keilor Basketball Stadium on Sunday at 1.30pm.
