Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Werribee Devils Round 18 recap: July 25 & 26, 2015
With the finish of the Werribee Devils Youth League Men season in dramatic fashion last week, the three remaining teams played their final games on the weekend. The Senior teams both finished their seasons with wins in front of the home crowd, but unfortunately the Youth League Women were left out of the finals after losing their must-win game against Corio Bay.
State Championship Men: Werribee Devils (13th) defeated Eltham Wildcats (7th) 78-68
Saturday July 25th
The Werribee Devils State Championship men’s team have put aside a disappointing season to farewell outgoing coach Mark Hughes in the best possible way, snatching a 78-68 win against seventh-placed Eltham Wildcats. It was made even sweeter by the fact that even from the bottom of the ladder they were able to influence the make-up of the finals, since Eltham were still mathematically able to enter the postseason if they had won both their final round matches.
Darcy Harding scored the first basket of the match and put up a couple of others before a dodgy ankle played up again and ruled him out of the game after two minutes. This could have been a major blow for the Devil’s chances, however there are some days where even the loss of one of your star players doesn’t make any difference to a winning result. This was one of those days.
Eltham started stronger and jumped to a 13-7 lead after five minutes. From there, the Devils switched on and went on a 14-1 run, to lead 21-14 at quarter time. It was clearly going to be Jordan Hughes’s (36 points, nine rebounds) day. He was doing everything, and started with 11 points in the first quarter, while Jonathan Sonda (10 points, 13 rebounds) had four.
The first two minutes of the second quarter were a flurry of missed shots and offensive rebounds at both ends before Anthony Luxford (five points, three rebounds, two assists) sunk one to extend the Devils lead. The home side controlled the game, leading by double figures for the whole quarter, before a Wildcat freethrow made the margin nine points at half time, 36-27 in favour of the Devils. Remarkably, Eltham only scored two field goals, but ended up with 13 points for the quarter thanks to 9-10 free throw shooting. Big man David Cobb (10 points, 13 rebounds) led the way with five points for the quarter, while Jesse Harberger (nine points, four rebounds), enjoying increased court time in the absence of Darcy Harding, chipped in with three.
Jordan Hughes, who had a quieter second term, started the Devils off well, then the game went scoreless for the next two minutes. The Devils continued to maintain control of the game. Eltham got within six, but baskets to Harberger, Andrew Johnston (four points, eight rebounds) and four points in quick time to Hughes meant that the lead was comfortable and they led by 13 at the last break, 55-42. Harberger and Hughes top scored for the quarter with six points each, while Nick Morda (four rebounds, four assists, five steals) was having an impact on the defensive end.
Although the Devils held on for the win, the final quarter did not go as they had hoped it would. Eltham started with a 9-1 run and crept within five points before a Hughes three-pointer gave the Devils some relief. However it was only temporary, as Eltham kept coming, thanks to 10 fouls and eight Werribee turnovers for the quarter. As the final five minutes ticked over, Jonathan Sonda scored two quick baskets to take the lead back out to nine, but then Simon Grant replied in kind for the Wildcats and all of a sudden it was 63-61 with three minutes to play.
Hughes once again hit a big three to buy some time but Eltham again got within two points thanks to some good free throw shooting. Andrew Johnston nailed a jump shot and then Jordan Hughes scored another three pointer thanks to an Anthony Luxford steal, which pushed the margin out to seven. Hughes kept on delivering when it mattered. Another two-pointer plus two free throws, as well as three of four free throws from Luxford resulted in a 78-68 victory to end the season on a high.
The Devils finished the season in 13th position, with 5 wins and 19 losses.
Division One Women: Werribee Devils (10th) defeated Craigieburn Eagles (9th) 60-54
Sunday July 26th
The Werribee Devils Division One Women have finished their disappointing season in the best possible way over the Craigieburn Eagles, although they did it the hard way, almost blowing a 20-point quarter time lead before holding on to triumph 60-54. The game was far from a spectacle, with a combined 49 fouls and 50 turnovers, but there’s no doubt the Devils will take a final round win on their home court, regardless of how it occurred.
In an incredible first quarter, the Devils led 16-1 after seven minutes and 26-6 at quarter time to set up the win. The Eagles could not even manage a field goal for the quarter, with all their points coming from free throws. The Devils also pinched nine steals and affected 12 turnovers. They had seven players hit the scoreboard for the quarter, led by Georgia Tauschke (13 points, five rebounds) with eight points and four each for Suzie Ashford (six points, four rebounds), Brittany Klaman (15 points, five rebounds, four steals) and Katrina Vogelezang (seven points, one rebound).
Roles were reversed in the second quarter. The Devils could only manage two field goals and six points for the quarter, while foul trouble and nine turnovers gave the Eagles plenty of scoring opportunities. Fortunately for the Devils, they did not make the most of these opportunities, only making four of ten free throws. A 14-point quarter from the Eagles cut the margin to 12 at the half, 32-20 in favour of the home side. Lauren Conroy (seven rebounds, four assists), Lydia Brooks (13 rebounds, four steals) and Suzie Ashford managed one basket each for the Devils.
Things continued to swing the Eagles way in the third quarter as they cut the deficit back to single figures within two minutes, and even drew within two points halfway through the quarter. Once again, Devils turnovers and foul trouble proved a significant factor in the pattern of play. A pair of three-pointers from Klaman and Vogelezang with less than four minutes remaining gave the Devils some breathing space, but they didn’t score again until a Lydia Brooks jump shot with seven seconds to go, resulting in a far-from-convincing 45-39 three-quarter-time lead. Brittany Klaman again led the Devils scorers with six points.
The Devils knew they would have to produce a big final quarter, given that the momentum had been completely with the Eagles in the previous two quarters. It took 90 seconds for either team to get a score, with Kelly Richardson (six points, eight rebounds) sinking a free throw and Brittany Klaman nailing another three-pointer. Richardson had a big impact with four points and four rebounds. The Devils maintained their lead before the Eagles went on an 8-0 run to get within one point with 2:20 remaining in the game. Richardson and Brooks both made the most of Craigieburn turnovers, extending the Devils lead and they held on to get up 60-54.
Rebounds proved a crucial stat in the final quarter, with the Devils winning the boards 13-6 and more notably offensive rebounds 8-1, giving themselves many second-chance scoring opportunities. The Devils had six rebounders in the final term, led by Richardson (four) and Conroy (three).
The Devils finished the season in 9th position, with 6 wins and 14 losses.
Youth League One Women: Werribee Devils (5th) lost to Corio Bay Stingrays (4th) 71-62
Sunday July 26th
After a rollercoaster of a season, the Werribee Devils Youth League Women found themselves in a “do-or-die” final round clash with the Corio Bay Stingrays at home on Sunday.
The first quarter was a tight affair, with the margin not exceeding four points. The Devils held the lead early through contributions from Teaghan Doyle (six points, five rebounds, three assists) and Tegan Hindle (11 points, five assists, six steals), but Corio Bay got on top later on. Olivia Klaman (six points, three rebounds) and Rachel Miller (two points, two rebounds) helped wrestle the lead back, and the Devils led 18-16 at the first break.
There wasn’t much action on the scoreboard from either team early in the second quarter, but the Stingrays were more effective and once again reclaimed the lead, before Taylah Lea (three points, two assists) scored the Devils first points three minutes in. The two teams continued to trade blows, and six points for the quarter from Britney Epperson (12 points, eight rebounds) and a couple of clutch free throws from Kirsty Neeves proved vital in keeping the Devils in the game. Ultimately the Stingrays shot marginally better, resulting in a 19-14 win for the quarter and a 35-32 lead at half time.
Tegan Hindle struck early in the third quarter for the Devils, but the next three minutes saw nine missed shots before Olivia Klaman broke the ice with a free throw. Despite this, the Devils never trailed by more than five points. Along the way, Teaghan Doyle converted an “and-one”, Kennedy Taylor (two assists) nailed a couple of free throws and Charlotte Vincent-Lord (15 points, six rebounds, four steals) scored four points in 20 seconds to tie the game with two minutes to go. However, they soon found themselves trailing again thanks to five points in quick time from Stingray Abby Loughhead. A successful jump shot from Hayley Jones with nine seconds remaining brought the margin back to four points, setting up a huge final quarter which would decide the ultimate 2015 season fate of both teams.
A foul on Tegan Hindle at the very start of the quarter resulted in two free throws to Abby Loughhead, which she duly converted to extend the Stingray lead. Hindle made up for it soon after with a jump shot and a steal. Charlotte Vincent-Lord scored four points in 15 seconds to once again tie the game and a Britney Epperson basket put the Devils back in front for the first time since late in the second quarter. When Epperson scored again with 4:21 to go, the Devils found themselves with a 61-56 lead.
What happened next was inexplicable. With a lead and a finals spot for the taking, everything just stopped for the Devils in the final four minutes. The Stingrays went on a 14-0 run, thanks to nine points from Abby Loughhead. Seven missed shots, four fouls and a couple of turnovers later, the game, and the season was over for the Devils, with a 71-62 final scoreline.
The Devils finished the season in 5th position, with 10 wins and 11 losses.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Round 17 Big V Division One Women: Werribee v Keilor; Sunday July 19th, 2015
The Werribee Devils Division One women have endured a disappointing Round
17 clash with Keilor, going down 67-39. In a game neither team will be in a
hurry to revisit ever again, shooting percentage did not reach above 40% for
the entire contest, meaning there were almost as many rebounds grabbed as there
were points scored.
Keilor got off to the better start, jumping to a 9-0 lead inside three minutes before Suzie Ashford hit a free throw and Katrina Vogelezang (seven points, five rebounds) converted an “and-1” to get the Devils on the board. As the quarter progressed the Devils found themselves on the wrong end of a double-digit margin, from which they would never recover. Kelly Richardson (seven points, eight rebounds, three blocks) top-scored for the Devils with four points for the quarter, which finished with a 21-10 advantage to Keilor.
The second quarter was one to forget for both teams. The Devils only managed two field goals and six points for the quarter. It’s not often that the score with 2:30 remaining is the score at the half time break but that’s exactly what happened, with no score in the final couple of minutes resulting in a 34-16 advantage to Keilor. Georgia Tauschke (10 points, eight rebounds, three assists), Lauren Conroy (three points, five rebounds) and Lydia Brooks (seven rebounds, one block) managed to get on the scoresheet for the Devils.
Things didn’t get much better for the Devils in the third quarter. While they doubled their field goals and Brittany Klaman (five points, four rebounds, two steals) hit their only three-pointer for the match, Keilor marched away and held a 55-27 lead at the final change. Vogelezang top scored for the quarter with four points, while Klaman and Tauschke scored three each.
Despite the first three quarters, the challenge for the Devils was to save face and gain some sort of respectability in the last. While the shooting wasn’t much better, Keilor foul trouble gifted the Devils several free throw opportunities which they made the most of, managing to level the final term 12-12 for a final scoreline of 67-39. After being out-rebounded 9-15 in the third, the girls also got back on top on the boards 16-11, thanks largely to Adele Giarrusso (four points, eight rebounds) with four and Richardson with three. Giarrusso also top scored for the quarter with four points, while Richardson and Tauschke scored three each.
The Devils final game for the season is at home against Craigieburn on Sunday.
Keilor got off to the better start, jumping to a 9-0 lead inside three minutes before Suzie Ashford hit a free throw and Katrina Vogelezang (seven points, five rebounds) converted an “and-1” to get the Devils on the board. As the quarter progressed the Devils found themselves on the wrong end of a double-digit margin, from which they would never recover. Kelly Richardson (seven points, eight rebounds, three blocks) top-scored for the Devils with four points for the quarter, which finished with a 21-10 advantage to Keilor.
The second quarter was one to forget for both teams. The Devils only managed two field goals and six points for the quarter. It’s not often that the score with 2:30 remaining is the score at the half time break but that’s exactly what happened, with no score in the final couple of minutes resulting in a 34-16 advantage to Keilor. Georgia Tauschke (10 points, eight rebounds, three assists), Lauren Conroy (three points, five rebounds) and Lydia Brooks (seven rebounds, one block) managed to get on the scoresheet for the Devils.
Things didn’t get much better for the Devils in the third quarter. While they doubled their field goals and Brittany Klaman (five points, four rebounds, two steals) hit their only three-pointer for the match, Keilor marched away and held a 55-27 lead at the final change. Vogelezang top scored for the quarter with four points, while Klaman and Tauschke scored three each.
Despite the first three quarters, the challenge for the Devils was to save face and gain some sort of respectability in the last. While the shooting wasn’t much better, Keilor foul trouble gifted the Devils several free throw opportunities which they made the most of, managing to level the final term 12-12 for a final scoreline of 67-39. After being out-rebounded 9-15 in the third, the girls also got back on top on the boards 16-11, thanks largely to Adele Giarrusso (four points, eight rebounds) with four and Richardson with three. Giarrusso also top scored for the quarter with four points, while Richardson and Tauschke scored three each.
The Devils final game for the season is at home against Craigieburn on Sunday.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Round 17 Big V State Champ Men: Werribee v Ringwood; July 19th, 2015
The Werribee Devils State Champ men have put in a solid performance in
their penultimate game of the season against ladder leaders Ringwood. Although
the final margin was 16, it was basically three minutes of basketball in the
third quarter, in which Ringwood went on a 13-0 run, that cost the Devils any
chance of a victory.
One positive from this game was the consistency in offence, with the Devils shooting at least 20 points in each quarter, and at least four players getting on the scoresheet each quarter.
Ringwood led early, but four minutes into the game Werribee grabbed the lead thanks to seven points in a minute from Nick Morda (nine points, four rebounds) and wouldn’t let it go for the rest of the quarter. The game was free-flowing, with minimal fouls or turnovers, and Werribee was ahead in the rebounds thanks to the work of David Cobb (15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals). Jordan Hughes (28 points, six assists, six rebounds) led the Devils with eight points, while Darcy Harding (22 points, five rebounds) scored five. Although the 24-23 lead was minimal, Ringwood knew they weren’t going to have it all their own way.
Andrew Johnston (nine points, three rebounds) opened the second quarter for the Devils but Ringwood hit back with the next five points to take back the lead. Darcy Harding then scored six points in 50 seconds as the game continually see-sawed throughout the quarter. Shooting percentages were high on both sides, and Ringwood came out on top at half time thanks to six successful free throws compared to zero from Werribee. Harding (10 points) and Hughes (nine) were the main contributors for the Devils, who trailed 49-52 at the main break thanks to a Jonathan Sonda (10 points, eight rebounds) bucket with three seconds remaining.
The third quarter is where it all came unstuck for the Devils. They scored the first two baskets through Cobb and Hughes, and when Hughes nailed a three-pointer 90 seconds in, the margin was one point. During the next seven minutes, Ringwood outscored the Devils 28-8, thanks largely to four three-pointers from Tate Unruh, who finished with 36 points for the match. While the Devils scored 22 points themselves, the defence leaked and allowed Ringwood to pour in 33 for the quarter. Though trailing by 21 with 1:16 remaining, the Devils scored the last seven points of the quarter thanks to Harding, Morda and Andrew Johnston, to add some respectability to the three-quarter time scoreboard which read 85-71 in favour of the ladder-leaders.
Trailing by 14 against the top team is never a good position to be in and Werribee were unable to make up any ground on the scoreboard in the last quarter. The margin hovered between 12 and 18 and once again fouls and turnovers were not a factor, resulting in another high scoring display. Ringwood just managed to win the quarter 24-22 thanks to a couple of extra three-pointers, to take a 109-93 victory. David Cobb (nine points) and Jonathan Sonda (six) were good for the Devils in the final quarter.
The Devils final match for the season is at home on Saturday night against Eltham.
One positive from this game was the consistency in offence, with the Devils shooting at least 20 points in each quarter, and at least four players getting on the scoresheet each quarter.
Ringwood led early, but four minutes into the game Werribee grabbed the lead thanks to seven points in a minute from Nick Morda (nine points, four rebounds) and wouldn’t let it go for the rest of the quarter. The game was free-flowing, with minimal fouls or turnovers, and Werribee was ahead in the rebounds thanks to the work of David Cobb (15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals). Jordan Hughes (28 points, six assists, six rebounds) led the Devils with eight points, while Darcy Harding (22 points, five rebounds) scored five. Although the 24-23 lead was minimal, Ringwood knew they weren’t going to have it all their own way.
Andrew Johnston (nine points, three rebounds) opened the second quarter for the Devils but Ringwood hit back with the next five points to take back the lead. Darcy Harding then scored six points in 50 seconds as the game continually see-sawed throughout the quarter. Shooting percentages were high on both sides, and Ringwood came out on top at half time thanks to six successful free throws compared to zero from Werribee. Harding (10 points) and Hughes (nine) were the main contributors for the Devils, who trailed 49-52 at the main break thanks to a Jonathan Sonda (10 points, eight rebounds) bucket with three seconds remaining.
The third quarter is where it all came unstuck for the Devils. They scored the first two baskets through Cobb and Hughes, and when Hughes nailed a three-pointer 90 seconds in, the margin was one point. During the next seven minutes, Ringwood outscored the Devils 28-8, thanks largely to four three-pointers from Tate Unruh, who finished with 36 points for the match. While the Devils scored 22 points themselves, the defence leaked and allowed Ringwood to pour in 33 for the quarter. Though trailing by 21 with 1:16 remaining, the Devils scored the last seven points of the quarter thanks to Harding, Morda and Andrew Johnston, to add some respectability to the three-quarter time scoreboard which read 85-71 in favour of the ladder-leaders.
Trailing by 14 against the top team is never a good position to be in and Werribee were unable to make up any ground on the scoreboard in the last quarter. The margin hovered between 12 and 18 and once again fouls and turnovers were not a factor, resulting in another high scoring display. Ringwood just managed to win the quarter 24-22 thanks to a couple of extra three-pointers, to take a 109-93 victory. David Cobb (nine points) and Jonathan Sonda (six) were good for the Devils in the final quarter.
The Devils final match for the season is at home on Saturday night against Eltham.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Werribee Devils Youth League recap - Round 17, July 18/19 2015
Both Werribee Devils Youth League teams have spent most of the season in finals contention but as it turned out, both seasons went in very different directions. Here's the story...
Youth League Men: defeated Ballarat 82-58 (but missed finals by 3%)
The Werribee Devils Youth League Men’s season has ended in dramatic fashion. Despite a big 82-58 win over Ballarat, the Devils finished level on points with Camberwell and Bendigo, with Camberwell’s percentage a mere 3.74 points higher, leaving the Devils in seventh place. In turn, Bendigo were also on 11 wins, and only 1.02 percentage points behind the Devils.
The Devils showed positive signs during the season with some impressive wins, but were never really able to build much consistency or momentum. Round 15 was a big contributor to their finals omission, with losses to Altona and Camberwell in consecutive days proving costly. They were then forced to sit out Round 16 and hope other results went their way.
Things very nearly worked out, with Bendigo losing both their Round 16 matchups. The only problem for the Devils was that Camberwell won their last four games and snuck up to pinch the remaining finals spot by the barest of margins.
The first quarter in the Round 17 contest against Ballarat belonged to the Devils, who held a 22-17 lead at the first buzzer. Although they maintained a narrow lead, they didn’t have it all their own way. It was the Luxford/Remy show early on, with Mark Luxford (17 points, four rebounds, six assists) and Tyrone Remy (20 points, three rebounds, three steals) scoring the Devils first 13 points before Cam Hutton (11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals) got in on the action with seven points late in the quarter, including a three-bomb in the final seconds.
Ballarat struck the first blow of the second quarter to get within two points, and this sparked Dylan Harberger (nine points, two rebounds) into action. He scored seven points in under two minutes to help the Devils set up a double digit lead which they held for the rest of the quarter, and they went into half time with a commanding 44-27 lead. Six Devils hit the scoresheet in the quarter, led by Harberger with seven points and Luxford with six.
The third quarter was a lower scoring affair, as the defences took over. The Devils took two minutes to get on the board, through a Travis Dale three-pointer. Dale (15 points, five rebounds) was the main contributor for the Devils in the third quarter with seven points. The Devils maintained control of the game, with Ballarat not getting any closer than 13 points. Neither team scored in the last 90 seconds of the quarter and the Devils went to three-quarter time with a 19 point lead, 58-39.
The final quarter was a procession. Tyrone Remy recaptured his first-quarter form and scored the Devils first ten points. Travis Dale followed with the next six as the devils increased their lead as high as 28 with four minutes remaining. Ballarat got back within 20, but two late Curtis Brooks jump shots allowed Werribee to finish with an 82-58 victory. Josh Zamperoni (nine rebounds, three assists) and Josh Toniato (six assists, two steals) also played useful roles.
Youth League Women: defeated Coburg 69-56The Werribee Devils Youth League women have kept their finals hopes alive with an important 69-56 win against the Coburg Giants on Saturday night.
Their season is set for a thrilling conclusion in Round 18, as other results went their way and their match against Corio Bay will decide who gets fourth place. In fact, the winner could even jump to third, since Craigieburn have a double-header against the top two teams and must win at least one to ensure their position.
The Werribee talls established their authority early in the contest against Coburg, with Britney Epperson (16 points, 18 rebounds, two steals), Charlotte Vincent Lord (22 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Teaghan Doyle (10 points, three assists, three steals) all having big first quarters. It was evenly poised at the halfway mark of the first quarter, with Werribee holding a narrow 7-6 advantage, but from there they went on a 14-3 run, thanks to 11 points from Vincent-Lord, to hold a pleasing 21-9 lead at quarter time.
The Devils controlled the game and maintained a comfortable double-digit lead thanks to four points from Vincent-Lord, Kennedy Taylor (eight points, six rebounds) and Tegan Hindle (six steals, four assists). A Coburg three-pointer in the final seconds reduced the half time margin to 10 in favour of the Devils, 35-25.
The third quarter belonged to the Giants, as they slowly worked their way back into the game. The Devils did not score in the first five minutes, and after trailing by 15 early in the game, the Giants found themselves within two points and it was ‘game-on.’ Vincent-Lord and Doyle both scored to give the Devils some breathing space, and then the defences took over as both teams went two minutes without scoring. Jenna Thomas contributed four important points in the final 30 seconds of the quarter to give the Devils an eight point lead at the final break, 48-40.
The final term was hotly contested early on. The Giants scored twice to reduce the margin to four, before Rachel Miller (three assists, four rebounds) scored first for the Devils. With four minutes to go, the game was evenly poised at 54-50, then the Devils went on a 10-0 run in the space of two minutes to open up a match-winning 14 point lead and ran out 69-56 winners.
The pleasing thing for the Devils was that six players got on the scoresheet in the final term when the game was tight and it mattered most. Britney Epperson was the standout with eight points for the quarter.
As mentioned, the Devils finish their regular season against Corio Bay Stingrays, in a match which will decide who sees some post-season action, and who goes home early.
Youth League Men: defeated Ballarat 82-58 (but missed finals by 3%)
The Werribee Devils Youth League Men’s season has ended in dramatic fashion. Despite a big 82-58 win over Ballarat, the Devils finished level on points with Camberwell and Bendigo, with Camberwell’s percentage a mere 3.74 points higher, leaving the Devils in seventh place. In turn, Bendigo were also on 11 wins, and only 1.02 percentage points behind the Devils.
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | For | Ag | % | Streak |
| 6 | Camberwell | 22 | 11 | 11 | 1577 | 1550 | 101.74 | LWWWW |
| 7 | Werribee | 22 | 11 | 11 | 1511 | 1541 | 98.05 | WWLLW |
| 8 | Bendigo | 22 | 11 | 11 | 1696 | 1748 | 97.03 | LWLLW |
The Devils showed positive signs during the season with some impressive wins, but were never really able to build much consistency or momentum. Round 15 was a big contributor to their finals omission, with losses to Altona and Camberwell in consecutive days proving costly. They were then forced to sit out Round 16 and hope other results went their way.
Things very nearly worked out, with Bendigo losing both their Round 16 matchups. The only problem for the Devils was that Camberwell won their last four games and snuck up to pinch the remaining finals spot by the barest of margins.
The first quarter in the Round 17 contest against Ballarat belonged to the Devils, who held a 22-17 lead at the first buzzer. Although they maintained a narrow lead, they didn’t have it all their own way. It was the Luxford/Remy show early on, with Mark Luxford (17 points, four rebounds, six assists) and Tyrone Remy (20 points, three rebounds, three steals) scoring the Devils first 13 points before Cam Hutton (11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals) got in on the action with seven points late in the quarter, including a three-bomb in the final seconds.
Ballarat struck the first blow of the second quarter to get within two points, and this sparked Dylan Harberger (nine points, two rebounds) into action. He scored seven points in under two minutes to help the Devils set up a double digit lead which they held for the rest of the quarter, and they went into half time with a commanding 44-27 lead. Six Devils hit the scoresheet in the quarter, led by Harberger with seven points and Luxford with six.
The third quarter was a lower scoring affair, as the defences took over. The Devils took two minutes to get on the board, through a Travis Dale three-pointer. Dale (15 points, five rebounds) was the main contributor for the Devils in the third quarter with seven points. The Devils maintained control of the game, with Ballarat not getting any closer than 13 points. Neither team scored in the last 90 seconds of the quarter and the Devils went to three-quarter time with a 19 point lead, 58-39.
The final quarter was a procession. Tyrone Remy recaptured his first-quarter form and scored the Devils first ten points. Travis Dale followed with the next six as the devils increased their lead as high as 28 with four minutes remaining. Ballarat got back within 20, but two late Curtis Brooks jump shots allowed Werribee to finish with an 82-58 victory. Josh Zamperoni (nine rebounds, three assists) and Josh Toniato (six assists, two steals) also played useful roles.
Youth League Women: defeated Coburg 69-56The Werribee Devils Youth League women have kept their finals hopes alive with an important 69-56 win against the Coburg Giants on Saturday night.
Their season is set for a thrilling conclusion in Round 18, as other results went their way and their match against Corio Bay will decide who gets fourth place. In fact, the winner could even jump to third, since Craigieburn have a double-header against the top two teams and must win at least one to ensure their position.
The Werribee talls established their authority early in the contest against Coburg, with Britney Epperson (16 points, 18 rebounds, two steals), Charlotte Vincent Lord (22 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Teaghan Doyle (10 points, three assists, three steals) all having big first quarters. It was evenly poised at the halfway mark of the first quarter, with Werribee holding a narrow 7-6 advantage, but from there they went on a 14-3 run, thanks to 11 points from Vincent-Lord, to hold a pleasing 21-9 lead at quarter time.
The Devils controlled the game and maintained a comfortable double-digit lead thanks to four points from Vincent-Lord, Kennedy Taylor (eight points, six rebounds) and Tegan Hindle (six steals, four assists). A Coburg three-pointer in the final seconds reduced the half time margin to 10 in favour of the Devils, 35-25.
The third quarter belonged to the Giants, as they slowly worked their way back into the game. The Devils did not score in the first five minutes, and after trailing by 15 early in the game, the Giants found themselves within two points and it was ‘game-on.’ Vincent-Lord and Doyle both scored to give the Devils some breathing space, and then the defences took over as both teams went two minutes without scoring. Jenna Thomas contributed four important points in the final 30 seconds of the quarter to give the Devils an eight point lead at the final break, 48-40.
The final term was hotly contested early on. The Giants scored twice to reduce the margin to four, before Rachel Miller (three assists, four rebounds) scored first for the Devils. With four minutes to go, the game was evenly poised at 54-50, then the Devils went on a 10-0 run in the space of two minutes to open up a match-winning 14 point lead and ran out 69-56 winners.
The pleasing thing for the Devils was that six players got on the scoresheet in the final term when the game was tight and it mattered most. Britney Epperson was the standout with eight points for the quarter.
As mentioned, the Devils finish their regular season against Corio Bay Stingrays, in a match which will decide who sees some post-season action, and who goes home early.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Werribee Devils Round 16 results; July 11 & 12, 2015
State Championship Men (13th): Lost
to Hawthorn (9th) 83-79
Saturday July 11th, 2015
The Werribee Devils staged an incredible comeback in the final minutes of their showdown against the Hawthorn Magic, only to fall just short in their State Championship men’s match on Saturday night. Down by 14 with two minutes to play, the Devils intensity lifted, they affected steals and forced Magic turnovers and came within two points before a couple of crucial free throws sealed an 83-79 Magic victory.
The Devils couldn’t have got off to a worse start if they had dreamed it up. Slack defence, missed shots and turnovers resulted in the Magic leading 10-1 inside the first two minutes and then 17-3 a couple of minutes later. A timeout followed with some sharp and direct words from coach Mark Hughes and from there the Devils started the long road back to a competitive contest. They got within six points toward the end of the quarter thanks to the tireless work of big men David Cobb (16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) and Darcy Harding (31 points, 11 rebounds) who both had six points for the quarter, while Cobb added three rebounds.
The Devils took two minutes to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter and the Magic cruised along in control of the match with a double digit lead from beginning to end. The scoreline at half time was a worrying 53-35, and the Devils were out-rebounded 14-8 in each of the first two quarters. Nick Morda (7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) top scored for the Devils with five points, while Harding and Jonathan Sonda (11 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) both had four points.
The signs were better for the Devils in the third quarter. The Magic started better and stretched the lead out to 21 points early on, but the Devils were able to stem the flow and win the quarter. Two small victories were keeping the Magic to 17 points and winning the rebounds 20-8 thanks to Sonda (six) and Harding (five). Harding also had nine points and Cobb added six. The three quarter time score was 70-54 in favour of the Magic, and despite better things from the Devils, there was no indication of the madness that was to come in the final minutes of the game.
How the Devils ended up getting within two points is still a mystery. Hawthorn held their double digit lead until the last minute, and were seemingly headed for the easy victory they’d earned with their blistering start to the game. They held an 81-67 advantage with two minutes to go and as the clock ticked down to the final minute they still led by 10. Even though the game seemed to be heading for the same conclusion we had seen many times before from the Devils State Champ men this season, one thing was noticeable: the effort, intensity and verbal support from the bench had not stopped all game, whereas on other occasions those factors had dropped off.
This seemed to spur the Devils on and allowed them to find another gear. Darcy Harding went nuts and scored eight points in the space of 90 seconds, and all of a sudden the score was 79-81 with 11 seconds left. Unfortunately Hawthorn maintained possession and three Werribee fouls allowed the Magic to sink a couple of free throws and get away with a four point win, 83-79. Jordan Hughes also contributed 12 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Lost to Waverley (3rd) 104-79
Sunday July 12th, 2015
The Devils were left with no time to reflect or debrief about their near-miraculous comeback against the Magic. Their next opponent was Waverley who were third on the ladder, had won four on the trot and boasted a 121-75 victory last time the two teams met. I would hazard a guess that one of their pre-game goals was simply to improve on that scoreline (and they did).
The Devils did not start well (I feel like I’ve written that before). They took three minutes to get a score on the board and by halfway through the quarter the margin was out to double digits. Jonathan Sonda (13 points, five rebounds, six assists) and Nick Morda both had four points for the Devils, who trailed 28-11 at the first break.
The pattern of the second quarter was almost identical to the first. The Devils struggled to find a way to the basket, once again only managing 11 points, while Waverley poured in 26, to take a 54-22 lead at half time. Justin Ward (six points, three rebounds) led the Devils with four points for the quarter, while Jordan Hughes (15 points, eight rebounds, five assists) had three.
Just like the night before against Hawthorn, there were better signs for the Devils in the second half. Thankfully the Devils shooting form returned to them in the third quarter and their 29 points was more than they had scored in the entire first half. Despite still conceding 26 points, the Devils narrowly won the quarter and took some confidence into the final term, trailing 80-51. David Cobb (13 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks) had a dominant quarter, putting in 13 points, while Jordan Hughes and Cam Hutton (13 points, two rebounds, three assists) both had five points.
The final quarter was another shootout as both teams combined for 50 points and defences on both teams seemingly went out the window. Six Werribee players hit the scoresheet. Cam Hutton (eight points) and Andrew Johnston (six points, three rebounds) provided little sparks late in the game, and Hughes (seven) and Sonda (five) also contributed. The margin remained between 20 and 30 for most of the quarter and in the end the Devils managed to save face and win the quarter again, preventing a loss of the same magnitude as their previous matchup. The final score was 104-79.
The Devils finish the season with two home games. They will host ladder leaders Ringwood next Sunday (July 19th), and finish the following Saturday (July 25th) against 8th-placed Eltham.
Division One Women (9th): Lost to Whittlesea (1st) 79-54
Saturday July 11th, 2015
The Division One Women faced a big challenge on Saturday night, taking on ladder leaders Whittlesea. The previous meeting between the two clubs was in Round 3, and resulted in a 32 point win to the Pacers.
The match started promisingly for the Devils, with Brittany Klaman (six points, three assists) hitting two early three-pointers. The Devils held a narrow lead for the first few minutes but were soon overrun by Whittlesea. After Georgia Tauschke (12 points, three rebounds) hit another three-pointer to give the Devils a 9-5 lead, they endured a horror four minute stretch which saw six missed shots and four Devils turnovers. By the time they regained their composure, the Pacers had scored 14 unanswered points to jump to a comfortable lead, and went to quarter time ahead 29-15. Klaman led the Devils with six points while Lauren Conroy (18 points, three rebounds, two steals), who was the Devils best on the night, scored four points in the final minute to give the scoreline some respectability.
Things didn’t get much better for the Devils in the second quarter. They could only manage 11 points for the quarter on 4 of 18 shooting, and took nearly three minutes to get on the scoreboard. Turnovers were proving costly, and the Devils made seven blunders for the quarter, compared to the Pacers two. Georgia Tauschke scored seven points for the Devils, while Katrina Vogelezang (six points, 10 rebounds, two steals) had four.
Facing a 50-26 half time deficit, the Devils showed more promising signs in the third quarter without making any inroads on the scoreboard. Although the Pacer lead stretched out to 30 at one stage, the Devils managed to restrict the attack that was so free flowing in the first half and kept them to 15 points for the quarter. The defence tightened up and fouls and turnovers were kept to a minimum. Lauren Conroy had a huge quarter, scoring the first nine points for the Devils before Kelly Richardson chipped in with four. Despite the increased effort and intensity the Devils still went to three-quarter time trailing 41-65, a 24-point margin which was the same as half time.
The only question remaining was whether the Devils girls could salvage anything from the game in the final ten minutes, and unfortunately it didn’t reach any great heights as a contest or a spectacle. Suzie Ashford (five rebounds, two assists, two steals) was lively and scored the Devils first four points of the quarter, while Lauren Conroy finished with five points. Both teams combined for just 27 points and seven successful field goals between them with the Pacers managing to increase their lead by one, to run out with a 25 point win, 79-54.
The Devils have two matches of their season remaining, and have an opportunity for two wins. Their next match is against Keilor, who are just above them on the ladder, and they finish off at home against Craigieburn, who are just below them.
Youth League One Women (5th): Lost to Craigieburn (4th) 83-69
Saturday July 11th, 2015
With their finals destiny in their own hands, the Werribee Devils Youth League women’s team travelled to Craigieburn on Saturday night to take on the Eagles in their most important game of the season so far.
As a fourth vs fifth clash, a win would see the Devils replace Craigieburn in the top four, while a loss would leave them relying on other results to go their way. The Eagles started the game better, controlling most of the first quarter to lead a high scoring affair 25-22 at the first break. Tegan Hindle (16 points, four rebounds, two steals) led the Devils with seven points and Teaghan Doyle (12 points, seven rebounds, six assists) had five.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, thanks largely to an 11-point quarter from Eagle Zoe Albon. The Devils took 90 seconds to get on the scoreboard and the Eagles maintained a comfortable advantage, at one stage leading by as much as 11. However, the Devils rallied and got within three in the last minute of the half, before going into half time trailing by six, 48-42. Hindle (five points) and Doyle (seven) once again led the Devils scoring.
The Devils came out fired up in the third quarter and did all the attacking in the first minute. A three-pointer to Hindle and a jump shot to Britney Epperson (17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks) reduced the deficit to one point and it was well and truly game on! Epperson stood tall for the Devils with eight points for the quarter. The girls drew level in the final minute of the quarter but once again Zoe Albon proved difficult to stop, scoring six points on her own in twenty seconds to give the Eagles a narrow five point lead at the last change, 65-60.
The game was set for a ripping finish and was well and truly up for grabs. However, just like two weeks ago against Warrandyte, the girls shooting form deserted them, resulting in a disappointing loss. They shot just 3 of 19 from the field for nine points and went for four-and-a-half minutes without scoring in the middle stages of the quarter, finishing with an 83-69 defeat.
Other contributors for the Devils included Charlotte Vincent-Lord (six rebounds, three steals, two assists), Hayley Jones (four rebounds, two steals, two assists) and Kennedy Taylor (seven rebounds, two assists).
The girls have two games remaining for the season. They pay a visit to Coburg next Saturday before finishing the season at home against Corio Bay.
Saturday July 11th, 2015
The Werribee Devils staged an incredible comeback in the final minutes of their showdown against the Hawthorn Magic, only to fall just short in their State Championship men’s match on Saturday night. Down by 14 with two minutes to play, the Devils intensity lifted, they affected steals and forced Magic turnovers and came within two points before a couple of crucial free throws sealed an 83-79 Magic victory.
The Devils couldn’t have got off to a worse start if they had dreamed it up. Slack defence, missed shots and turnovers resulted in the Magic leading 10-1 inside the first two minutes and then 17-3 a couple of minutes later. A timeout followed with some sharp and direct words from coach Mark Hughes and from there the Devils started the long road back to a competitive contest. They got within six points toward the end of the quarter thanks to the tireless work of big men David Cobb (16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) and Darcy Harding (31 points, 11 rebounds) who both had six points for the quarter, while Cobb added three rebounds.
The Devils took two minutes to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter and the Magic cruised along in control of the match with a double digit lead from beginning to end. The scoreline at half time was a worrying 53-35, and the Devils were out-rebounded 14-8 in each of the first two quarters. Nick Morda (7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) top scored for the Devils with five points, while Harding and Jonathan Sonda (11 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) both had four points.
The signs were better for the Devils in the third quarter. The Magic started better and stretched the lead out to 21 points early on, but the Devils were able to stem the flow and win the quarter. Two small victories were keeping the Magic to 17 points and winning the rebounds 20-8 thanks to Sonda (six) and Harding (five). Harding also had nine points and Cobb added six. The three quarter time score was 70-54 in favour of the Magic, and despite better things from the Devils, there was no indication of the madness that was to come in the final minutes of the game.
How the Devils ended up getting within two points is still a mystery. Hawthorn held their double digit lead until the last minute, and were seemingly headed for the easy victory they’d earned with their blistering start to the game. They held an 81-67 advantage with two minutes to go and as the clock ticked down to the final minute they still led by 10. Even though the game seemed to be heading for the same conclusion we had seen many times before from the Devils State Champ men this season, one thing was noticeable: the effort, intensity and verbal support from the bench had not stopped all game, whereas on other occasions those factors had dropped off.
This seemed to spur the Devils on and allowed them to find another gear. Darcy Harding went nuts and scored eight points in the space of 90 seconds, and all of a sudden the score was 79-81 with 11 seconds left. Unfortunately Hawthorn maintained possession and three Werribee fouls allowed the Magic to sink a couple of free throws and get away with a four point win, 83-79. Jordan Hughes also contributed 12 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Lost to Waverley (3rd) 104-79
Sunday July 12th, 2015
The Devils were left with no time to reflect or debrief about their near-miraculous comeback against the Magic. Their next opponent was Waverley who were third on the ladder, had won four on the trot and boasted a 121-75 victory last time the two teams met. I would hazard a guess that one of their pre-game goals was simply to improve on that scoreline (and they did).
The Devils did not start well (I feel like I’ve written that before). They took three minutes to get a score on the board and by halfway through the quarter the margin was out to double digits. Jonathan Sonda (13 points, five rebounds, six assists) and Nick Morda both had four points for the Devils, who trailed 28-11 at the first break.
The pattern of the second quarter was almost identical to the first. The Devils struggled to find a way to the basket, once again only managing 11 points, while Waverley poured in 26, to take a 54-22 lead at half time. Justin Ward (six points, three rebounds) led the Devils with four points for the quarter, while Jordan Hughes (15 points, eight rebounds, five assists) had three.
Just like the night before against Hawthorn, there were better signs for the Devils in the second half. Thankfully the Devils shooting form returned to them in the third quarter and their 29 points was more than they had scored in the entire first half. Despite still conceding 26 points, the Devils narrowly won the quarter and took some confidence into the final term, trailing 80-51. David Cobb (13 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks) had a dominant quarter, putting in 13 points, while Jordan Hughes and Cam Hutton (13 points, two rebounds, three assists) both had five points.
The final quarter was another shootout as both teams combined for 50 points and defences on both teams seemingly went out the window. Six Werribee players hit the scoresheet. Cam Hutton (eight points) and Andrew Johnston (six points, three rebounds) provided little sparks late in the game, and Hughes (seven) and Sonda (five) also contributed. The margin remained between 20 and 30 for most of the quarter and in the end the Devils managed to save face and win the quarter again, preventing a loss of the same magnitude as their previous matchup. The final score was 104-79.
The Devils finish the season with two home games. They will host ladder leaders Ringwood next Sunday (July 19th), and finish the following Saturday (July 25th) against 8th-placed Eltham.
Division One Women (9th): Lost to Whittlesea (1st) 79-54
Saturday July 11th, 2015
The Division One Women faced a big challenge on Saturday night, taking on ladder leaders Whittlesea. The previous meeting between the two clubs was in Round 3, and resulted in a 32 point win to the Pacers.
The match started promisingly for the Devils, with Brittany Klaman (six points, three assists) hitting two early three-pointers. The Devils held a narrow lead for the first few minutes but were soon overrun by Whittlesea. After Georgia Tauschke (12 points, three rebounds) hit another three-pointer to give the Devils a 9-5 lead, they endured a horror four minute stretch which saw six missed shots and four Devils turnovers. By the time they regained their composure, the Pacers had scored 14 unanswered points to jump to a comfortable lead, and went to quarter time ahead 29-15. Klaman led the Devils with six points while Lauren Conroy (18 points, three rebounds, two steals), who was the Devils best on the night, scored four points in the final minute to give the scoreline some respectability.
Things didn’t get much better for the Devils in the second quarter. They could only manage 11 points for the quarter on 4 of 18 shooting, and took nearly three minutes to get on the scoreboard. Turnovers were proving costly, and the Devils made seven blunders for the quarter, compared to the Pacers two. Georgia Tauschke scored seven points for the Devils, while Katrina Vogelezang (six points, 10 rebounds, two steals) had four.
Facing a 50-26 half time deficit, the Devils showed more promising signs in the third quarter without making any inroads on the scoreboard. Although the Pacer lead stretched out to 30 at one stage, the Devils managed to restrict the attack that was so free flowing in the first half and kept them to 15 points for the quarter. The defence tightened up and fouls and turnovers were kept to a minimum. Lauren Conroy had a huge quarter, scoring the first nine points for the Devils before Kelly Richardson chipped in with four. Despite the increased effort and intensity the Devils still went to three-quarter time trailing 41-65, a 24-point margin which was the same as half time.
The only question remaining was whether the Devils girls could salvage anything from the game in the final ten minutes, and unfortunately it didn’t reach any great heights as a contest or a spectacle. Suzie Ashford (five rebounds, two assists, two steals) was lively and scored the Devils first four points of the quarter, while Lauren Conroy finished with five points. Both teams combined for just 27 points and seven successful field goals between them with the Pacers managing to increase their lead by one, to run out with a 25 point win, 79-54.
The Devils have two matches of their season remaining, and have an opportunity for two wins. Their next match is against Keilor, who are just above them on the ladder, and they finish off at home against Craigieburn, who are just below them.
Youth League One Women (5th): Lost to Craigieburn (4th) 83-69
Saturday July 11th, 2015
With their finals destiny in their own hands, the Werribee Devils Youth League women’s team travelled to Craigieburn on Saturday night to take on the Eagles in their most important game of the season so far.
As a fourth vs fifth clash, a win would see the Devils replace Craigieburn in the top four, while a loss would leave them relying on other results to go their way. The Eagles started the game better, controlling most of the first quarter to lead a high scoring affair 25-22 at the first break. Tegan Hindle (16 points, four rebounds, two steals) led the Devils with seven points and Teaghan Doyle (12 points, seven rebounds, six assists) had five.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, thanks largely to an 11-point quarter from Eagle Zoe Albon. The Devils took 90 seconds to get on the scoreboard and the Eagles maintained a comfortable advantage, at one stage leading by as much as 11. However, the Devils rallied and got within three in the last minute of the half, before going into half time trailing by six, 48-42. Hindle (five points) and Doyle (seven) once again led the Devils scoring.
The Devils came out fired up in the third quarter and did all the attacking in the first minute. A three-pointer to Hindle and a jump shot to Britney Epperson (17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks) reduced the deficit to one point and it was well and truly game on! Epperson stood tall for the Devils with eight points for the quarter. The girls drew level in the final minute of the quarter but once again Zoe Albon proved difficult to stop, scoring six points on her own in twenty seconds to give the Eagles a narrow five point lead at the last change, 65-60.
The game was set for a ripping finish and was well and truly up for grabs. However, just like two weeks ago against Warrandyte, the girls shooting form deserted them, resulting in a disappointing loss. They shot just 3 of 19 from the field for nine points and went for four-and-a-half minutes without scoring in the middle stages of the quarter, finishing with an 83-69 defeat.
Other contributors for the Devils included Charlotte Vincent-Lord (six rebounds, three steals, two assists), Hayley Jones (four rebounds, two steals, two assists) and Kennedy Taylor (seven rebounds, two assists).
The girls have two games remaining for the season. They pay a visit to Coburg next Saturday before finishing the season at home against Corio Bay.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Andrew Johnston: 200 Big V games for the Werribee Devils
You might imagine that for someone who’s been playing basketball since he was five, and just clocked up 200 games at the third highest level of basketball in Victoria, their life motto might be: “Sleep. Eat. Basketball. Repeat.”
Not so with Andrew Johnston.
The 201cm Werribee Devils forward is a big-picture person, and is honest about where the game sits in his life. “I love basketball and being able to play with my mates, but basketball is not something that defines me. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.” A glance at his Facebook page shows he is not one of those people who reveals everything about themselves, which is refreshing in this age of social media oversharing. What is clear is that he has a wide variety of interests and a healthy work-sport-life balance.
Born in Altona, a western suburb of Melbourne, Johnston moved with his family to Werribee at the age of five, and has been there ever since. He was a product of the Corpus Christi basketball club in the local domestic competition. “I first started playing in the Corpus Christi Under 8s. It was one of the first teams they ever had and my parents were involved in setting the club up. I didn’t ask to play, I kind of got dragged along and just started playing. I think I was five or six.” Unlike many Australian kids, there were no other sports played in the Johnston house during his childhood: “It was always basketball. I always get stuck into my parents for not letting me play cricket, because I’m pretty sure I’d be opening the bowling for Australia right now,” Johnston playfully declares. “I never followed basketball, just played it. I followed footy and cricket.”
Despite this, he speaks fondly of his basketball-soaked early years: “From when we were kids we always used to come down and watch the Devils games. This was in the 1990s when it was at its peak. There were guys like Eddie Cox, he’s the one who stands out for me. I remember watching him, Ken Henry, all the imports we had at that time. Brad Salter is also someone I looked up to quite a bit, and later on I got an opportunity to play with him as well, which was pretty special.” Johnston baulks when asked to single out the best basketball player he played with or against, but offers two examples of the kind of player he admires the most. “Someone like Brad Salter was a bit of a freak basketballer. By the time I played with him he was probably past his best, but he was just an incredible athlete and a good ball player; kind of understated and always looked like he had a lot of time. Also Michael Czepil, who’s our assistant coach now, but I can remember he came back from college and played a youth league game with us one day and scored something like 50 points. He and Brad…just looked like they’ve got a lot of time, never rushed, always just seeing what’s out there and making good decisions.”
The 2015 season was a disappointing one for the Devils. Johnston, the second-most experienced player on the list behind Justin Ward, carved out a niche as a back-up for big men Darcy Harding and David Cobb. Coach Mark Hughes said of him: “Andrew’s a dream player to coach. He doesn’t mind how many minutes he gets. He’s just here for the camaraderie and to play basketball with his mates. He’s played for a long, long time for the club. We’re lucky to have him and we’re very proud of him on reaching the 200 games. We wish him well and hopefully he plays on next season.”
Johnston possesses a close relationship with his family and, like many people, they have had a lasting impact on who he is today. “Dad’s a police officer and has been…forever. 40 years in the force. I grew up looking at my dad, thinking ‘That’s the kind of person I want to be,’ and trying to model myself on him in many respects. Mum had a big impact on me as well, for different reasons. She was always the driving force, where, if I was to say ‘It’s a bit hard, I think I’m going to drop out of Uni’ or ’I’m going to go and do whatever’, she kept me on track and pushed me, in a supportive way of course.” His older sister Louise is also a basketball player, currently playing Division One Women for Geelong. “We’re very close, always have been. She played Australian Schoolgirls basketball and was probably the more talented player out of the two of us, but I’m playing in a higher division now so…there,” Johnston jokes.
Johnston’s senior basketball career has been played entirely at one club, which is not necessarily a common thing at the higher levels of sport. He began at the Devils in 2004 and, with the exception of a couple of seasons out of the game due to work and school, has enjoyed a consistent run. “In 2005 I was in Year 12 and was school captain at McKillop. I just decided it was all a bit too much for me to play basketball, do the school captain thing and I wanted to try and do well at school. In 2013 I was a couple of years into working full time. Again, it was just a case of ‘It’s a big commitment, trying to fit everything in, trying to get on top of working a proper nine-to-five job and that sort of thing.”
Choosing a career is never an easy thing for a young person, and Johnston was no exception. “Midway through high school, I can remember having a discussion with mum: ‘I don’t know what I want to do,’ and I mentioned the possibility of being a lawyer, you know, from watching all those Law & Order shows. It’s what I wanted to do, but I didn’t realistically think it was going to happen. I wanted to go to Uni one way or another, so I put Law down to see if I got in, and I did.” Five years at Deakin University in Geelong followed, and now he is a practising lawyer.
The dream to travel is something that most people wish to see fulfilled at some point in their lives. At 27, Johnston is fortunate to be a well-travelled young man. “I’ve travelled mostly through Asia…India, Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia, Laos. I’m a bit of an ‘India-phile.’ I love India and that kind of culture. Nepal was similar in many ways. Tibet was pretty incredible. I find those Eastern philosophies very interesting.” The opportunity to go to India on a study tour came through University, and he also completed an internship with a Delhi law firm. While Johnston creates the impression of being someone who thinks deeply, uses consideration and careful planning in his decisions, spontaneity is also evident in this travel story: “A couple of mates were going to Nepal and Tibet and they said “You should come.” So I said “Alright, let’s do it.” One weekend we decided we’d do it and we booked it.” He sums up the impact of his travelling experiences: “Between India and Tibet, they were both challenging in their own ways, but both life changing experiences.”
Two of Johnston’s other great passions are Australian football (particularly the Essendon Football Club) and cricket, which added a few minutes onto our conversation, since they are shared interests. On the evening we chatted, Essendon had celebrated a rare win in the footy and the First Test in cricket’s Ashes series was in progress.
Johnston is a passionate Essendon supporter: “Runs in the family. I would have been disowned if I wasn’t,” he jokes. He is also a paid-up member, even though he doesn’t get to many games because of basketball commitments. He says that “all this ASADA stuff” (the on-going Essendon supplements saga) has made him more fervent in his support of the club. “I was at the point where I was a bit over footy, it’s all a bit childish, and then when it all happened, it kind of sparked my passion for it.” Johnston was inspired further during a recent event watching two football personalities talking about the significance of the game in a cultural context: “It’s just the community sense of it and the fact that there are people out there who may be fairly isolated or not have a lot going for them in their life but they find that sense of belonging through football and what a great community service that is. My passion for footy is as strong as ever.”
Summing up his feelings about the sport of cricket, having just played a game of basketball and talked about his life for 20 minutes, Johnston says: “I’m sitting here now wondering what’s going on (with the First Test).” His love for the game was also impacted greatly by his travel experiences: “Again, this came on the back of the India trip. The Indians love their cricket and it’s so ingrained in everything about them. Then when I came back I started watching a bit more cricket, particularly Test cricket. I love every aspect: the psychological, the intellectual, the tactics, the physical challenge. There was a Test match a few years ago, I think it was against Sri Lanka. I was sitting at work, it was the fifth day with about 15 minutes left and you still didn’t know who was going to win, after this saga of ups and downs, twists and turns.”
Finally, we talk about heroes. Given the current climate, his choice of hero may be considered a bit ‘controversial.’ Essendon coach and legend James Hird has been cast as a villain in the football world and has widely been held responsible for the mess that his club is in. Yet to some he is still someone worth looking up to. Johnston explains: “If there was one person who I looked up to as a kid it was probably James Hird. He released two books over the years, and I like that he was good at sport but also academic and an intelligent person who thought about life and thought about things. That’s what I tried to be. For me growing up as a kid from the western suburbs, the ‘intellectual sportsperson’ wasn’t really around. So it was a new thing to me. When I read his book I was like ‘That’s pretty cool, I’d like to be like that.’”
There you go. Whatever happens in James Hird’s future, he can rest easy knowing that there’s a 27-year-old lawyer/200-game Big V basketball veteran in his corner.
Congratulations Andrew Johnston on 200 games of Big V basketball for the Werribee Devils.
(Photos courtesy of Larry Heywood)
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