Shepparton Gators made a statement in their Big V Championship season opener, dismantling Blackburn Vikings 86–51 in front of a packed home crowd at Shepparton Sports Stadium on Saturday night, March 29.
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After a closely contested first half, the Gators came out of the half-time break firing on all cylinders, turning up the defensive pressure and lighting it up on the offensive end.
The third quarter proved to be the game’s turning point, with Shepparton outscoring Blackburn by about 30 points in a ruthless display of two-way basketball.
Head coach Josh Waight said it was a perfect start to the season.
“You couldn’t really ask for much more,” he said.
“We’re still figuring ourselves out a little bit, especially in that first half, but the second half was excellent.
“That’s the level of defence we want to play at consistently this season.”
Shepparton’s third-quarter blitz was sparked by suffocating defence and a commitment to running in transition.
Waight credited the team’s ability to string together stops and turn them into easy points on the break.
“We shot the ball well in the third, but it started on the defensive end,” he said.
“We were able to get stops, multiple in a row, and push the pace.
“Once we got rolling, we created some separation and never looked back.”
Leading the charge was American import Ryan Batte, who made an instant impression in his debut game for the Gators.
The 198cm forward from Cincinnati brought a mix of scoring, hustle and defensive presence that lifted the team at both ends of the court.
“First game in front of the Shepp crowd, it was amazing,” Batte said.
“The guys weren’t lying about the support here.
“It was loud all night and the energy helped us keep going.”
Batte opened the game aggressively, scoring through contact and getting to the line multiple times in the first quarter.
But it was his defensive instincts that stood out most, blocking shots, jumping passing lanes and turning defence into offence for fast break layups and dunks.
“I really pride myself on defence,” he said.
“I’m active with my hands and I like reading the game.
“I try to use my basketball IQ to disrupt things and I think that showed tonight.”
Vice-captain Sam Beks also stood out in the win.
After coming off the bench for most of the season in 2024, Beks earned a starting role and responded with an efficient offensive performance, knocking down several mid-range shots and playing composed basketball throughout.
“My mindset hasn’t changed, I’ll do whatever the team needs,” Beks said.
“Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, I’m happy to play any role.
“But it was nice to get the start and contribute.”
Beks said the team chemistry was already ahead of where it had been this time last year, praising the new additions and their attitude.
“Ryan (Batte) and Bryce (Brown) have come in and brought so much energy,” he said.
“Aaron (Dolny) is a sniper, Taine (Wattie) is full of hustle and everyone’s here to win.
“The vibes are good and that’s half the battle.”
The depth was on full display as Waight was able to rotate heavily and give minutes to the entire roster.
With the game in hand late he was able to reward young guard Cooper O’Neill with some senior minutes, who made the most of the opportunity by scoring his first points in Big V.
“It means a lot,” O’Neill said.
“I’m still playing juniors, so first bucket, I knew I had to make it count.”
Waight said having the luxury to give game time to emerging players was a credit to the team’s dominant performance and an important investment in the club’s future.
“These are the guys working their backsides off at training every week, pushing the main group,” he said.
“To give them a chance to get on the floor, in front of our amazing fans, that’s what it’s all about.”
Looking ahead, Waight said the challenge now was consistency.
“This is the benchmark,” he said.
“Now we’ve got to keep hitting that level and continue to improve.
“We’ve got some tough games coming up and every week is a new challenge.”
The Gators will be back in action this weekend for a back-to-back test against some formidable opponents.
Shepparton takes on Keysborough on Saturday, April 5, at 7pm, at Shepparton Sports Stadium, before travelling on Sunday, April 6, to battle against McKinnon at 3pm.
Cadet journalist