The former WNBL player used her extensive experience to guide the youth-laden Mermaids to their second win of the south-west conference season on Saturday night.

O’Keefe drained a game-high 25 points to help the Mermaids edge out Portland Coasters 59-57 at St Joseph’s Primary School stadium.

She credited the performance — her best of Warrnambool’s opening four games — on having support on the bench.

Her father Peter Davis stood in as an assistant coach, giving O’Keefe more freedom on court.

“When someone is on the bench, it is easier for me,” she said.

“Yesterday was pretty fun.”

The Mermaids were two points down at quarter-time but wrestled their way back into the contest to hold a four-point advantage at the main change.

They extended their buffer to eight points at the final break but the Coasters won the final term 13-7 to ensure a down-to-the-wire finish.

Mermaid guard Renee Tuck dropped 10 points to complement O’Keefe’s performance.

Brooke Morrissey and Victorian under 17 netball representative contender Tayla Falconer scored 12 points apiece for Portland.

O’Keefe said the two sides were well matched.

“We always thought Portland and ourselves were a similar standard,” she said.

“It was close the whole way through and I think time just ran out in the end which was handy for us.”

O’Keefe was pleased the Mermaids worked their way on top after the Coasters took the ascendancy early.

“All of us had a slow first quarter-and-a-half,” she said.

“(Then) Renee Tuck hit some big shots when we needed her to and Ebony Stacey stepped up.”

Portland responded from the narrow loss to notch a 67-60 win against Horsham Hornets at the Lighthouse yesterday.

Alana Strom (20 points), Chelsea McMahon (15) and Kayla Pickert (14) did the damage for the Coasters.

In the men’s competition, Portland Coasters split their double-header.

The Coasters trumped Warrnambool Seahawks 71-66 at St Joseph’s Primary School on Saturday night but fell to Horsham Hornets 92-78 at home yesterday.

Portland duo Joel Mirtschin (23 points) and Hayden Annett (14) — both players with Seahawk links — caused headaches for Warrnambool.

Warrnambool’s James Mitchell dropped 22 points to make it three consecutive games above 20.

Fellow Seahawk tall Liam Killey matched him with 22 points.

Coaster Jaydon Stiles dropped 20 points against the Hornets, with Mirtschin chiming in with 16.

Bottom-placed Timboon Taipans were gallant in their 73-50 loss to conference pacesetter Mount Gambier Lakers on Saturday night.

The Taipans won the third and fourth quarters, outscoring the Lakers by six points.

It was a huge turnaround following a poor first half — Timboon scored just four points in the second term — which had them 29 points in arrears at the main break.

Taipans guard Jarryd Watene sunk a game-high 23 points, including three triples.

Colac Kookas were too strong for Stawell Warriors, running away with a 103-77 win.

Terang Tornadoes had a bye for the second straight week.