Saints send ominous warning to men’s rivals after notching third straight win

Saints’ defence of the men’s division one premiership in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association is off to a perfect start after last week’s clash with Olympians yielded a third consecutive victory, 111-86.

In a masterful shooting display, siblings Jordan and Lachlan Clements and Charlie Scafidi each contributed 32 points as the red-and-blacks this summer hunt back-to-back flags.

Aidyn Rowe contributed 10 points for the winners and Laine Warena five points that countered Nicholas Shaw’s team-high 31 points in the opposition camp.

Olympians matched their rivals in each of the second and fourth quarters, but they paid the price for a third-period fadeout — when they were outscored 36-17 — after trailing at the first change by six points.

Lance Bachers’ 18 points was the main offensive support for Shaw in a losing effort.

Saints, who captured last season’s first division title as big underdogs against CBC, have opened this campaign with three wins by an average margin of 24 points.

They are a game clear of CBC, who beat Franchise in the other clash by eight points, 85-77.

CBC were outscored by a point in the opening stanza, but they took the next three on the back of a game-high 35 points from Sam Morrow.

Morrow was backed by Miles Tierney’s 18 points and Dyson Sumsion had 17 points as Franchise were dealt a third straight defeat.

Ethan Mcghie was the offensive leader for Franchise with 20 points.

In a scaled-down women’s first division, Kate Sidebottom and Ashlee Monaghan last weekend combined for 33 points in Olympians’ 57-46 win over CBC.

Olympians are chasing a coveted premiership hat-trick after beating CBC in last season’s grand final.

They might already have three flags in as many seasons against their name, but the 2021-22 finals were cancelled because of COVID-19 when the squad was undefeated, after they claimed the 2020-21 title.

Last season’s grand final triumph extended Olympians’ remarkable success in the top women’s division to 35 premierships.

The women’s first division is reduced to three teams, following Spartans’ withdrawal after two seasons.

Round four in the top women’s grade will be played on Friday night when Saints oppose Olympians at 6.15pm.

Division one men’s action continues on Thursday night when Franchise clashed with Saints.

Ladders:

Division 1 men:

Saints 9 points; CBC 7; Olympians 5; Franchise 3.

Division 1 women:

Olympians 6 points; Saints 4; CBC 2.