By JARROD POTTER
BIG V – GRAND FINAL SERIES
IT TOOK every ounce of Keysborough’s combined resolve, but after 18 home-and-away games and six nail-biting finals the 2015 Big V championship was finally earned.
Finally earning a senior men’s pennant to hang from the rafters at Springers, the Cougars put behind them so many near-miss seasons and countless finals performances to pick up their inaugural flag.
Steeling themselves for a monumental challenge against Western Port – culminating in two grand final clashes across the weekend – Keysborough threw everything it had at the minor premiers to push them to the brink, especially on Sunday with the visitors taking the championship with a 66-53 triumph.
It could’ve turned out pear-shaped for the Cougars over the weekend, after conceding a 15-point lead on Saturday night to lose the second grand final clash 80-81.
The loss forced the series into a third-and-deciding match, but the Cougars rallied to resume their usual high-tempo tactics – running out to an 18-1 lead in the first term – which put the Steelers to the wall early.
Keysborough coach Nathan Vogt predicted his side’s leg-speed and stamina would wear down the Steelers … with the basketball prophecy coming to fruition on Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars outran the opposition through the first half – once again posting a sizeable lead at the main break 43-29, with thoughts of Saturday night’s capitulation not entering the Keysborough equation on Sunday.
Neither side covered themselves in much glory through the third term – as field goal shooting fell rapidly while fouls mounted on both sides.
But Keysborough kept its stranglehold for one last term – all but negating Western Port’s output in the fourth term to take the emphatic 13-point championship victory.
“We knew all along if it was going to go to a third game that we went deeper and would run them off the floor and in the end that’s exactly how it panned out,” Vogt said. “Credit to the guys – they stuck to the game plan and allowed us to play that way.”
Co-captains Adam Sliwinski and John Constance were thrilled to get the championship victory after years of toil – including the heartbreak of the 2012 grand final series defeat.
“It’s pretty amazing – I’ve been playing for 14 years but to finally get over that hurdle and achieve our ultimate goal is a pretty surreal experience and I’m enjoying every moment,” Constance said.
“Especially after a year like 2012, we took our key points from there and learned a lot from there and were in the same position as 2012 where we wanted to make sure that we had a different result,” Sliwinski said.
Steelers’ talls Peder Whelan and Dylan Walsh struggled to stay out of foul trouble, leaving it to ephemeral Western Port guard Manny Hendrix (28 points) to burden the effort.
But Keysborough’s rotation roster didn’t focus so heavily on individuals – part of its greatest strength.
Vogt threw the ball around for the final time in 2015 as Adam Sliwinski (14 points), Aaron Stirton (11 points), Rob Ostojic (seven points) and Steven Haddrell (six points) made their shots when called upon.
While everyone stood up in the final, it was mighty Malcolm Heard (20 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, three steals) who rose above the rest.
Arriving in the league for the first time in 2015, Heard averaged 20.8 points and 10.6 rebounds throughout the season but saved one more double-double for his crowning moment on Sunday.
Heard starred once more as he battled the talls and smalls – literally everyone Western Port could think of throwing at him from Hendrix, Whelan and even Ricki Dehaan.
It made for a mighty celebration for Vogt – who was pivotal in the creation of the club a decade ago and has coached the side since – and he believed it was a just reward for all the hard work put in by everyone behind the scenes.
“It’s absolutely amazing – it’s only as good as the people you share it with and I couldn’t have asked for better people to share this journey with,” Vogt said.
“So many fantastic people around us at the club, great playing group, great support staff and great followers – it’s just fantastic.”
For now there’s only celebration left to properly savour as the side will aim for its next big challenge – Big V Division 1.
“They better watch out,” Vogt said.
