Australian guard Nathan Sobey suited up for one last appearance on Saturday night – before he was dropped in Melbourne ahead of his flight to America – as the Seahawks produced a 111-76 trouncing of Latrobe City Energy.

The confidence-boosting result was important ahead of away fixtures against Whittlesea Pacers, Melbourne University Black Angels, Bulleen Boomers and Collingwood All Stars over the next three weeks.

They will play the Pacers and Angels in a double-header next weekend.

Warrnambool coach Tim Gainey said the Seahawks’ performance against Latrobe was “the first time we’ve played a 40-minute game” this season.

Gainey coached the majority of the game from the sidelines, only playing seven minutes, as unheralded trio James Mitchell, who played a team-high 31 minutes, Adam Lawson and Liam Osborne contributed.

“We came out and did well. We shot the ball well and everybody got on court and I got another rest and X (Xavier Johnson-Blount), Simon (O’Keefe) and Alex (Gynes) got some more rest which is always good.”

Gainey said the Seahawks maintained their composure and dominance when their starters were on the sidelines.

“We didn’t have a lull. The tempo was still there when they (our bench players) were on, so it was good,” he said.

Johnson-Blount finished with a game-high 38 points and Sobey contributed 16.

The Mermaids also secured a road win against the Energy with teenager Lily Killey playing her first game of the season after overcoming an ankle injury.

Top-scorer Amy Wormald, who sank 26 points, said it was pleasing to have Killey back on deck.

“All of our young girls got a run so it was good to get them on,” Wormald said of the 69-59 win.

“Lily was able to play her first game in a while and it was good to have her back in the rotation to give us some more depth.”

Wormald, who combines basketball with her Hampden netball commitments with Warrnambool, faces a tough decision this weekend.

The Mermaids will hit the road for a double-header while the Blues meet North Warrnambool Eagles.

“We have Whittlesea who are a physical team on Saturday night and Hawthorn who have taken a few wins off a few good teams on Sunday,” she said. “I don’t want to drop two games because we have a good record and need to protect it and that’s playing on my mind.”