By JARROD POTTER
EXACTING some form of revenge for last year’s BIG V grand-final loss, Casey had to battle through overtime but was able to knock off Shepparton 92-85 as the burgeoning rivalry continues to blossom.
Casey got out of the blocks early as Brent Hobba (35 points, 13 rebounds) lit up the scoreboard with 14-of-24 field shooting.
Hobba’s monster haul was well complemented by Dean Johnson (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Bevan Camilleri (11 points) to keep the Gators at bay.
Shepparton rallied to fight their way back into the Saturday night blockbuster, with the lead going back-and-forth before scores locked on the final buzzer, forcing overtime.
Stewart Baird’s brigade was able to chip away at the Gators through overtime as Hobba and Lester Strong (5 points, 6 rebounds) led the way in the absence of Casey’s usual late-game maestro Matt Witherden – who is currently nursing a leg injury.
With the Saturday night/Sunday afternoon double-header frantically forcing Casey to fang back down the Hume Freeway, not even five hours of round-trip travel the night before could stop the Cavaliers smashing Warrandyte 74-49.
Baird gave his starters prolonged spells on the bench to rest up from the night before, but it was a clinical full-team performance from his charges.
New recruit Ben Louis (6 assists) was given the big defensive task on Warrandyte’s Martino Brock (9 points) and restricted the Venom scoring-threat to four-of-19 shooting.
Hobba (18 points, 9 rebounds) pushed past 50 points for the weekend in another sublime performance from the versatile forward.
Lester Strong (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Brad ‘Big Smile’ Szalek were tenacious on defence and kept the Venom off-guard and scrambling in its key.
Strong, fresh off his wedding on Friday, should get married every week for the way it boosted his performance across the double-header.
Baird said Casey’s last three wins – Warrandyte, Shepparton and La Trobe – show the Cavaliers are a side-to-beat in Division 1 even in their first season making the step up.
“I’m so proud of the boys – the last eight days starting last Saturday night where quality opposition in La Trobe, road trip last night, still a bit of angst around the place, they’ve just focused and locked in so well,” Baird said.
“Could’ve probably collapsed when it went to overtime but dug in and won the overtime pretty conclusively.
“Then to come out today (Sunday) – they’re (Warrandyte) missing their one big guy really – but they’re still a quality side and third on the ladder in our conference and it’s a great scalp to get… we’re really hitting our straps.”
Not to be outdone by their senior club mates, Casey’s youth men pumped up the score to smash Warrandyte 101-50.
All three Cavaliers teams will be at home this Saturday from 4pm for the Ballin’ for Breast Cancer triple-header. The Cavaliers trio will don the famous pink jerseys for the one-off weekend to raise funds and promote awareness of breast cancer treatment and prevention.
