In the top-four contest, Bellarine took advantage of its home court surroundings and ensured the Gators didn’t walk away from the Ocean Grove-based stadium with a 2-0 season record.
The round 17 contest was a game that ebbed and flowed, with both sides able to get on a hot streak throughout the four quarters.
And that’s ultimately what separated the two sides in the final term as Bellarine went berserk on the offensive end.
Down by three at the last break, the Storm outscored the Gators 23-14 to chalk up its six-point victory.
The visitors were without star import Garrett Jefferson, however, talented youngster Jordan Michel filled the vacancy with a starring performance.
The result had no affect on Shepparton’s ladder positioning, with the Gators set to finish the season in third spot with one regular game remaining.
Gators coach Josh Waight was impressed with Bellarine’s ability to sink the tough shots in the high-pressure fourth-term.
“It was a game of scoring runs to be honest. They got off to a good start and we did a great job getting back in the lead,” he said.
“But to their credit they hit some pretty big shots down the stretch. Full credit to Bellarine, they hit the shots that we forced and wanted them to try and hit.”
Michel was a standout for the Gators with a strong all-round performance.
The silky mover chalked up 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, to go along with his two steals and one block.
Gabe Evans (18 points and seven rebounds) and Nick Dodd (17 points) both chipped in with support.
Waight praised the performance of Michel in the wash-up of Saturday night’s defeat.
“I thought Jordy was excellent,” Waight said.
“He stepped up into the point role and it was great to see his improvement. He impacted the game both offensively and defensively and was able to find open spaces and looks.”
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