The Altona Gators were fast out of the blocks, hitting the first two baskets of the game to take a five-point lead 30 seconds in.
But the joy on a long road trip wore off just as fast as the Gators slumped to a 91-69 loss to Shepparton in the Big V basketball men’s division 1 at the Shepparton Sports Stadium on Saturday night.
The Gators were down on all key performance indicators but still held hope at half-time when trailing by six before the home side clicked into top gear to run out a convincing winner.
Shepparton out-scored the Gators 27-14 in the third and never looked back.
Gators coach Des Radoslovic said his side’s overall energy was down.
“Our offence didn’t really flow and that was because our defence wasn’t up to the intensity levels that we needed it to be,” he said. “We didn’t create enough easy scoring opportunities up the other end.
“The defence has the ability to generate offence and we didn’t get that. We relied on our half-court offence a little bit too much.”
The Gators slow build-up had a lot to do with who was missing.
The troublesome ankle injury sustained by captain and offensive weapon Joey Mausar in the last game of pre-season reared its ugly head once more.
Mausar was forced to sit out the game after a flare up in the opening-round loss to Warrnambool and remains questionable for Sunday’s must-win home bout with Camberwell Dragons.
Mausar will train lightly tomorrow night to be considered for the weekend.
“He’s our captain and leading scorer,” Radoslovic said. “He had to take this week off, otherwise it was going to get worse.
“He was playing at 80 per cent last week and he pulled up sore and it flared up a bit.
“He took the two training sessions off and saw the physio during the week and he said, ‘You better have an off week’.”
The Gators (0-2) will be desperate to break their duck in the wins column.
They fancy their chances against a Dragons side that, like itself, has no import to spoil the party in the fashion Shepparton’s JL Lewis (18 points and 19 rebounds) did on Saturday night.
What the Dragons do have is winning form, something the Gators are yet to experience in two games.
“It’s a must-win game for us,” Radoslovic said. “Camberwell won their last game but I think they’re gettable.”
Brent Radoslovic was the Gators’ leading scorer against Shepparton with 19 points, while Claudio Campos scored 14.
Youngster Montel Ween scored nine points off the bench.
Gators wrap
Division 1 men
Shepparton 91 Altona 69
Brent Radoslovic spearheaded the offence with 19 points, including five three-pointers.
Youth League men
Coburg 57 Altona 88
Damian Gray fired in 23 points to go with eight assists and Corey Nobilo had 18 points and 15 boards.
Youth League women
Corio Bay 61 Altona 46
Alysha Carden-David was a powerhouse with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
