Basketball: Two-time loss for Slammers

Injuries to co-captain Trent Worthington and emerging point guard Cory Richardson soured the South West Slammers’ showcase weekend of basketball against Indonesia.

What was supposed to be a blithe two-game series for the Slammers turned serious when Worthington injured a quad during the side’s seven-point loss at the Eaton Recreation Centre on Friday night.

Richardson, 18, went down in the second quarter the following evening at Busselton’s Geographe Leisure Centre.

The Slammers lost that game 63-88.

While Worthington’s setback is not considered serious, the club will monitor Richardson’s injury this week.

After being named the side’s new coach last week, Greg Worthington lamented the setbacks in his first official playing fixtures.

‘‘I believe he (Richardson) stood on somebody’s foot and he pulled up pretty lame, we didn’t play him any more,’’ he said.

The makeshift Slammers side was a cobbled mix of rookies, ringins from Perth-based SBL clubs and four players from the club’s 2011 senior roster.

While playing international opposition was a valuable opportunity for Slammers players, the game came at an abnormal time of year.

South West’s 2011 State Basketball League campaign wrapped up almost three months ago.

They are not due to start pre-season until January 4.

A healthy crowd of more than 300 filled the the stands at Eaton and watched Mandurahcentre Ben Smith and Perth Redbacks forward Mike Vigor dominate in their rare appearances for the Slammers.

The pair both helped themselves to double-doubles on the night, with Vigor (23 points, 13 rebounds) particularly prolific.

Indonesia had a more even spread of scorers with Andi Poedjakesuma (17), leading a group of four who hit double figures in the points column.

On Saturday Vigor again starred, scoring 21 points, while Smith,who played a limited role due to a bout of food poisoning, still scored 13.

The games were the first in what could turn into an unlikely rivalry between the Slammers and Indonesia, with both sides scheduled to play games in the South West for the next four seasons.