WERRIBEE Devils will head to the Victorian Basketball League Big V men’s division 1 finals with the best record from both pools, despite a round of the regular season still to be played.
The Devils secured the No.1 ranking and all-important home court advantage throughout the playoffs with a comfortable 91-67 win over a shorthanded Southern Peninsula at the Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre on Sunday.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the big game.
Devils coach Paul Jones can take a lot of the credit for fast-tracking a team he put together at the start of last season with raw, inexperienced home-grown talent.
“The boys have done an outstanding job to get their bodies right and attack the games with vigor. If you look back to 12 months ago, we always knew we’d be better this year. “
The key ingredient for the Devils this season has been its deep roster. Even in Sunday’s 24-point win over the Sharks, they managed to win big with key players Dion Jewell and Tips Silver on the sidelines. “I’ve always said our strength is our depth. I’ve got 12 players that I can put in at any time and not many teams, if any, have the luxury we have,” Jones said.
The Devils took the risky step of resisting to sign an import.
“We have our own players, our own juniors and it’s working,” he said.
The Devils will face Whittlesea in the last home-and-away game of the season on Saturday night at the Mill Park Basketball Stadium.
SCORES
Men: Werribee Devils 91 d Southern Peninsula Sharks 67
Women: Melbourne University 69 d Werribee Devils 46; Coburg Giants 87 Werribee Devils 56
