By JARROD POTTER
WITHOUT a consistent roster, facing mounting injuries and constantly battling the biggest challengers in Big V’s Division 1 competition … none of these problems have halted the Casey Cavaliers in recent rounds.
A Saturday/Sunday double-header should challenge the depth and stamina of any roster, let alone a newly promoted side with two starting outs in Bevan Camilleri (ankle) and Matt Witherden (leg), but the Cavaliers just grit the teeth and got the job done.
It seems a simple approach, but the Cavaliers aren’t complicating the set-up.
With SEABL-experienced point guard Ben Louis entering the roster to give a chop-out to James Deneefe, Steve Michalski and Brad Szalek, the plan is starting to finally mesh for the Cavaliers.
In a cakewalk, the Cavaliers smashed Melbourne Uni 90-61 on Saturday night – as Brent Hobba (31 points) had a field day – before facing the bigger challenge in Warrnambool on Sunday.
While the Seahawks’ two imports Alexander Starling (15 points) and Tim Gainey (11 points) causing headaches at both ends, it was Cavaliers’ guard Deneefe (11 points, six assists) who stole the game with some early three-point magic.
His three first-half treys created headaches for the Seahawks as they focused too much energy on guarding the key and not the outside threat wearing number 2.
Deneefe and Ben Louis (eight points, seven rebounds, seven assists) brought the tall timber into the match as well, dishing off 19 assists to four to run rings around the Seahawks.
The guards set up a fourth-term surge – with Dean Johnson (15 points), Hobba (13 points) and Lester Strong (12 points) getting the job done under the hoop.
“To beat a quality team on the back end of a double-header weekend was pretty satisfying for the whole group,” Casey coach Stewart Baird said.
“Seven wins in a row and I don’t think we’ve had a full roster for any of them – we’ve had at least one injury ever time.”
Alistair Parker and Sean Mckinnon showed the Youth League Men have the necessary talents to cut it in Division 1 with the handy tandem stepping in to give a chop-out to the injury ravaged D1 line-up.
“The young guys that we’ve had to play up a couple of times have really stepped up,” Baird said.
“They haven’t shied away from the challenge and we certainly tell them to play their natural game – that’s why they’ve been elevated.”
Baird’s charges face Chelsea at home from 8pm on Saturday night in a battle of first-versus-second in Division 1’s Watson Conference.
By a whisker, the Casey women were edged out as Melbourne Uni took a 61-60 win over the visiting Cavaliers.
In a low-scoring nail-biter, Casey could not find the match-winner despite the gallant efforts of Tarryn Wilkin (18 points, 16 rebounds) and front-court counterparts Jess Szalek (11 points, seven rebounds) and Natalie Dowdy (11 points, nine rebounds).
Casey women face Pakenham on Saturday evening from 5pm at Cardinia Life, Pakenham.
