Gallery | Shepparton Gators continue golden form with dominant weekend double header

By Zac Standish

Jun 6, 2022

Leading from the front: Shepparton Gators captain Matt Bartlett. Photo by Megan Fisher

If you had asked Shepparton Gators coach Josh Waight to describe his perfect double-header, not even he could have scripted the dominance his team showed at the weekend.

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Beginning with a dominant 86-68 win over Warrnambool Seahawks to regain the Bill McCarthy Memorial Shield on Saturday night, the Gators backed it up in style on Sunday afternoon, dominating Coburg from start to finish to come away 95-57 victors.

Pushing back on defence: Shepparton’s Sam Beks. Photo by Megan Fisher

A pair of results that boosted their percentage to a healthy 121.50 and maintained their stranglehold on second place on the Big V division one table, Waight said he could not be more proud of how his team went about it.

Sharpshooter: Shepparton Gators shooting guard Dylan Wilkie showed his class from beyond the arc. Photo by Megan Fisher

“I am a very happy coach after the weekend, through both games we did a really good job of moving the ball and finding the open shooters which was very pleasing,” Waight said.

“Double-headers aren’t easy and that was our last one for the year, so to get two wins and play the way we did it is a credit to the mindset of the group and the depth of our squad.”

Jostling for position: Shepparton Gators US import Garrett Jefferson. Photo by Megan Fisher

Losing to the Seahawks at Warrnambool a month earlier, revenge was on the mind of the Gators on Saturday night, as they looked to put on a show in front of a packed crowd at Shepparton Sports Stadium.

Fighting hard: Shepparton Gators’ Ian Wright. Photo by Megan Fisher

Battling through a tight first half, the home side broke away in the second half, with star US import Garrett Jefferson (21 points) taking over on the offensive end to lead Shepparton to a comfortable 28-point triumph.

Ready for action: Garrett Jefferson before the Warrnambool game. Photo by Megan Fisher

“They (Warrnambool) are a quality team and really out-rebounded us down there, so the emphasis was to not get beaten as badly on the boards this time around and the boys stepped up,” Waight said.

“We had 19 assists which was really pleasing, we are starting to do a really good job at creating quality looks and the spread among the score sheet is great to see.

Droid: Shepparton Gators big man Matt Andronicos. Photo by Megan Fisher

“To regain the Bill McCarthy Shield is something we are really happy with after losing it last year and it was great to get a win to honour Bill and bring the shield back to Shepparton.”

Riding high after a big Saturday night victory, it would have been easy for the Gators to start slowly on Sunday as they faced a fresh Coburg team desperate to return to the winners’ list.

Enjoying the action: City of Greater Shepparton City Mayor Kim O’Keeffe cheers on her team. Photo by Megan Fisher

But to the home team’s credit, intensity was high from the opening tip, building a 17-point first quarter lead, before piling on the pain late to secure a dominant 38-point victory.

Dylan Wilkie was the star in the second leg of the double-header, carrying the offensive load to finish with 24 points while shooting an impressive 60 per cent from the floor.

Smiling assassin: Garrett Jefferson put on a show at Shepparton Sports Stadium on Saturday night. Photo by Megan Fisher

Waight said Sunday’s performance showcased the growth of his team throughout the season.

“It is a credit to the way we are playing at the moment, but also a credit to the way the guys are looking after their bodies and preparing themselves for the game,” Waight said.

Directing traffic: Thomas Frame. Photo by Megan Fisher

“It certainly wasn’t going to be an easy game and Coburg really took it up to us last time, so it was really pleasing that everyone stepped up and ensured we finished the weekend on a high.”

Currently sporting a five-game winning streak, Waight said confidence was high within the group as it continues to build towards the finals.

Show time: Shepparton Gators’ Gabe Evans. Photo by Megan Fisher

“We are very happy with where we are at, start of the season we dropped a couple of games we probably shouldn’t have, but we feel as though we are now heading in the right direction,” he said.