IN TRUE Halloween spirit, Wonthaggi gave ladder-leaders Warragul one hell of a fright on Friday, October 31, falling just short in a 94-91 thriller at the Warragul Leisure Centre.
Coming in, the Warriors looked just about untouchable, sitting comfortably atop the ladder at 6-1 and boasting one of the league’s most dangerous offences. But the Coasters clearly hadn’t read the script. From the opening tip, they came out hungry. Their defensive pressure was the best they’d shown all season.
Despite early foul trouble for starting forward Tristan Lloyd, who picked up two quick ones in the opening minutes, the Coasters consistently found open looks inside and the ladder-leaders were struggling to keep up. By halftime, the lead was 47-31 and would’ve been more if not for a great contested three from Warragul’s big man Xavier Adams at the halftime buzzer.
But momentum began to swing. The second half saw Warragul catch fire from deep, draining shot after shot while Wonthaggi’s perimeter looks refused to fall. The Coasters managed just one three-pointer all night, a corner make from Trent Westaway late in the first quarter, off a slick feed from Zac Mabilia.
Coaster Vincent Monaghan was an absolute menace, scoring at will. He bullied his way to 32 points, all of them coming from inside the arc or at the line. He was relentless in his attack and kept Wonthaggi’s hopes alive during the match with his consistent scoring and rebounding.
Backing him up was the ever-reliable Zac Mabilia, who finished with 22 points and more than a handful of pinpoint
assists. Jack Gaze chipped in 14 in another consistent outing, while Lloyd, battling foul trouble all night, still found ways to contribute with 11 hard-earned points.
But as the minutes ticked away, Warragul found their groove. The Warriors erupted for 66 second-half points, their shooters red-hot and their confidence rising with every possession. Wonthaggi’s defence, though airtight early, began to loosen just enough for the home side to slip through, and in the dying moments, they did just that.
It was heartbreak for the Coasters, but head coach Michael Bell was able to find the silver lining.
“We’ve been building,” Bell said after the game.
“We’ve taken steps the past few weeks, and we took another one tonight. They’re the top team, and we were right there with them.”
And he wasn’t wrong. On a night meant for scares, Wonthaggi came within inches of pulling off a monster upset.
The result leaves Wonthaggi with a 4-3 record as the season passes the halfway mark. With four games left, the Coasters will likely need to win out to stay in finals contention.
They’ll have a bye this weekend before returning to the court on Sunday, November 16, for a home clash against Bairnsdale.
