The Tornadoes accounted for rival Timboon Taipans on Saturday night but were overpowered by a strong Horsham Hornets outfit yesterday, despite rushing to an 11-0 start.

Terang co-coach Justin Wallace rated the Tornadoes’ effort against the Hornets highly, despite losing 99-77.

Scores were tied at 43-all at half-time after Horsham worked its way back into the contest following Terang’s fast start.

“I’d say we went away from what we were doing well,” Wallace said of the fourth-quarter lapse.

“We shot well up until then and then in the fourth quarter we didn’t shoot as well.

“They got a fair few fast-break lay-ups as well, so our transition defence wasn’t good in the fourth quarter.” Wallace praised Terang for its emphatic start, which put Horsham, one of the league’s pace-setters, on the back foot.

He said the Tornadoes played some impressive basketball which highlighted their potential.

“We got off to a 9-0 start so that was a bit of a surprise,” he said.

“At one stage it was 22-9 and they slowly pegged it back.

“They got back in the third but Pat Keane hit five threes in a row so that was pretty impressive.”

Keane finished with a game-high 25 points.

Terang’s promising effort followed its 79-59 win against Timboon in front of a healthy home crowd on Saturday night.

Scores were tied at 10-all at quarter-time but the Tornadoes pushed out to a 10-point buffer at the main break after draining 25 points for the term.

They won the third quarter by five and the fourth by eight.

Terang co-coach Scott Judd shot a game-high 23 points, including three triples to prove himself a threat from outside the arc. Tall Sam Spencer complemented Judd with 16 points.

Sam Doolan (14 points) and Sam Cunnington (12) were the Taipans’ leading scorers.

Horsham also obliterated Stawell on Saturday night, winning 109-75.

Warrnambool Seahawks, Warrnambool Mermaids and Portland Coasters all had byes. 

justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au