By Jarrod Potter
BIG V – DIVISION 2 MEN PRELIMINARY FINAL
ONE team, one dream.
This unifying catch-cry of all Keysborough Cougars fans, coaches and players showcased the combined effort needed finally overrun long-time BIG V rivals Craigieburn 68-60 in the must-win preliminary final.
From all parts of the roster Cougars coach Nathan Vogt had to find options in the preliminary final match-up on Saturday night.
In a deafening room, where Craigieburn and Keysborough fans alike tried to out-holler each other, you could still hear the gears ticking over in Vogt’s head as he searched for the winning match-ups.
Vogt went five-in, five-out to match the Eagles’ speed. Pushed Robert Ostojic and Ben Morwood in to defend foul shots and in-bounds. Put the long-shot in Steve Haddrell and Aaron Stirton’s hands. Gave hard defensive tasks to Jamie Le Clerc and Jamal Talo while having the play-call. Utilised the dogged defending of Allen Brusting while giving the keys to the kingdom to Andrew Lowe to shoot – especially when he nailed five points in a minute to put Craigieburn on the back foot.
Minute to minute he threw everything the Cougars had at Craigieburn – and especially its star swingman Jonathan Maybank (18 points, eight rebounds).
While Keysborough’s champions Malcolm Heard (12 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks) and Dave Smith (17 points, eight rebounds) were sensational, especially Smith’s role negating Maybank defensively, it’s hard to pick out any Cougar who didn’t step up and flourish under immense pressure.
It was deadlocked through the first half 28-apiece heading into the locker rooms as neither side extended the other up to half-time.
The elastic only snapped in the last five minutes of the match as Keysborough reclaimed a 56-55 lead through an amazing Heard block, setting up Smith who nailed the ensuring foul shots.
Clutch rebounds and tip-ins from Heard and Ostojic started to put the gap beyond Craigieburn’s capabilities before Ostojic reeled in a rebound off a missed free throw, was fouled himself, then nailed the match-winners from the line.
“That was always the plan,” Vogt said. “As we set out to do we really worked them (Craigieburn), worked them and worked them and I thought in the last five minutes there was nothing left that they could give us.
“It’s pretty decisive that we blew them out with five minutes to go as with five minutes left there wasn’t much in it at 54-53.
“At the end of the day we did the hard work early and got to where we needed to be.”
The only sour note in the Cougars’ victory lies within its three-point shooting – a mediocre six-of-37 from long range that will need to be rectified heading into the last campaign of 2015.
The Cougars now resume hostilities with Western Port in the BIG V grand final series, starting this Sunday at Springers Leisure Centre and Vogt believes a complete effort from his charges will give the Steelers many headaches.
“Challenge is definitely what it is, but I’m more than confident we can get them (Western Port),” Vogt said. “We beat them last time we played at Springers albeit the first five minutes last week, we won the remaining 35, but at the end of the day you need to play 40 minutes to win in finals.”
Keysborough will face Western Port in the first of three BIG V Division 2 Men’s grand final match ups on Sunday afternoon from 1pm at Springers Leisure centre.
