Sport
15 November, 2024
Blazers’ final stand of 2024 campaign
Maryborough Blazers will play for pride this weekend as they wrap up their season with a clash against the Melton Thoroughbreds.
Both men’s and women’s teams will most likely finish fifth should they take victory on Saturday night, with both knocked out by virtue of their losses to Mildura Heat on Sunday.
While the men’s team could sit as high as third position by the end of the round, with teams getting three points for a win and one point for a loss, the fact that the two teams above Maryborough, Mildura and Bendigo, play one another in next week’s final round means it is practically impossible to make the finals.
It is a similar story for the Lady Blazers, who are four points behind fourth-placed Bacchus Marsh, but will have a good chance to finish in fifth with a victory against the bottom-placed Thoroughbreds.
Across both teams, there’s been plenty of positives throughout the year.
In the men’s team, Bailey Jacobs has continued his ascension as a true superstar of the league, and with one game to go, is a good chance to secure a top three finish in the league’s leading scorers.
Across nine games, Jacobs has scored 187 points at an average of 20.8 points per game, showing his continued versatility as a three-level scorer.
Lachlan Drummond has continued to lead the way as a two-way force in the paint, and sits 12th in the competition for most points with 103, while also patrolling the paint.
Youngster Jack Hexter has also had his exciting moments this season, scoring 68 points in seven games, but has provided plenty of energy.
Exhilirating wins against Macedon Ranges Rockies and the Bendigo Braves have been highlights of the year, securing wins in exciting games, while big wins over Kyneton and Swan Hill have also provided good highlights.
The Lady Blazers could yet provided the top two scorers across the competition this season, depending on how the final round goes.
With one game to go, Faith McKenzie and Aislinn McCarthy are separated by just one point apiece, with McKenzie scoring 142 points at 15.8 points per game, and McCarthy just behind on 141 points.
Maddy Egan sits 10th in the competition for most points scored, with 97, but has been a force in the paint throughout the season both offensively, scoring all her buckets exclusively inside the arc, while also providing some great defence.
Maggie Tranter and Keisha Tonzing also sit in the top 16 for scoring in the competition, providing some handy moments which have helped the team throughout the season.
A young Lady Blazers team have continued to develop very well, with the clear highlight of their season their six-point win away from home to the Bendigo Braves, while a pair of wins over Swan Hill has helped them climb to fifth.