AN all-conquering Warrnambool Seahawks outfit overcame obstacles to win its third Basketball Victoria Country Championships crown on Sunday.
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The Lee Primmer-coached team went through the division one under-16 section undefeated helping it add to its under-12 and under-14 successes. Warrnambool lost two players to injury and illness before tip-off in Traralgon, forcing Primmer to rejig his outfit.
But the well-drilled Seahawks responded to win five of their six games by double figures. Their closest result was a 45-36 grand final triumph over Moe.
Warrnambool, which will now compete at the Australian Classic in June, defeated Bendigo by 16 points in its semi-final.
Primmer said the Seahawks adapted after they were hit with pre-tournament hurdles.
“We won it through a bit of adversity because we lost Jarra Blackney-Noter on Thursday night after he was hit with a tennis ball in a schoolyard accident and on Saturday morning when we were warming up for the first game Isaac Thomas ran to the toilet and was vomiting and we lost him for the whole weekend,” he said.
“Isaac is a major part of our starting five. He’s a prolific scorer and a good rebounder.”
Seahawk tall Hayden Rhook was the under-16 section’s top scorer, averaging 13.5 points a game.
Portland Coasters defeated Geelong 62-43 to win the division one under-18 boys’ title.