THE Swan Hill Flyers CBL North West season ended on a high, with the men’s team securing a 13-point win over the Castlemaine Cannons on Sunday.
The Flyers proved too good at home for the second-placed Cannons, dominating the first and last periods on their way to an 86-73 victory and the perfect finish to their 2023 campaign.
Swan Hill got the jump on the Cannons in the opening quarter, shocking the visitors with their speed and physicality to open up a 10-point lead at the first break.
Castlemaine fought back in the second period to reduce the margin to just six points at half-time.
The Cannons reduced the margin further by the final break and appeared destined to run over the top of the Flyers, who led by just three points heading into the final term.
But Lachlan Somerville (18 points) and Matthew Gardner (15) turned the match on its head with a dominant final-quarter performance.
Also among Swan Hill’s better players was young gun Seamus Doherty, who was strong under the basket to post 16 points in his fourth men’s Flyers match, while Oscar Gale (15 points) and Lachlan Gardner (10) were also among the Flyers’ best.
It was a much tougher finish to the season for Swan Hill’s Lady Flyers, however, who finished their season with two tough losses.
The Lady Flyers began their weekend on the road, suffering an 80-point loss to the finals-bound Melton Thoroughbreds, 118-38.
Their weekend didn’t improve on Sunday, when they returned to host the Bacchus Marsh Lions for the second time this season. Swan Hill succumbed 83-43.
Talented junior Scarlet Grey proved the standout for the Flyers, leading the scoring with 10 points against Melton and 11 against Bacchus Marsh.
Fellow junior Isabella Corrie was another consistent performer, posting nine points against the Thoroughbreds, while Demi Hallam (nine points) and Indi Grey (seven points) were among the Lady Flyers’ better players against the Lions.
