A collective approach is propelling Warrnambool Seahawks forward three games into its post-Alex Gynes playing life. Case in point, the work of "Sunday Specialist" Liam Osborne.
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The 23-year-old lit it up from the three-point-line against Southern Peninsula on Sunday, making five from eight attempts for 15 points while also picking up three rebounds and two assists.
"Coming off the bench, taking the opportunity when you get it, I went in today and it was good," Osborne said.
With his nickname somewhat an inside joke at the club, Osborne said everyone on the list had stepped up to the plate in recent weeks.
"We knew we had a good team around us, we've started gelling and with Alex out (with injury) it's meant a couple others have had to step up," he said.
"Everyone's chipping in, no-one's having 30 or 40, everyone gets their 10."
The Seahawks are three-from-three over the past fortnight, and solidified their grip over The Arc with wins against Coburg and the Sharks at the weekend.
Both Big V games went down to the wire, though assistant coach Jon Carroll, who stepped into the top job this weekend in Gynes' absence, said it was credit to his team's nerve to hold on.
"We went it the hard way," Carroll said. "To South Pen's credit with only seven guys and off the back of some good play by Matt Brasser, they got back into it. Credit to our guys for sticking with it, and playing some good defensive efforts down the stretch."
The Seahawks held a 10-point lead ahead of the final quarter and looked to have the game on lock before Brasser (30 points) exploded off the three-point line to bring the game within a point with a minute to go.
Ollie Bidmade steadied the ship with two successful free-throw shots, but it was nervous viewing as the Seahawks successfully blocked the Sharks' final play of the game to win 74-71.
Bidmade was Mr Reliable with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while James Mitchell and Sam Byron picked up 14 and 11, and 11 and eight respectively.
"We're a pretty young group so to have a Sam, James, Ollie and the older statesman in Tim Gainey to really calm the group, especially Ollie with how young he is, he's a really calming influence," Carroll said.
Bidmade, Mitchell and Byron were key features in the Seahawks' win on Saturday, with the team successfully holding off a fast-finishing Coburg side, 77-73.
"We stuck at it," Carroll said. "We spoke about how we wanted to defend and run offence and what was working for us and the boys came out and executed for us."
The Seahawks are 6-5 after recent wins, with another game against Coburg coming up.
Meanwhile, Warrnambool Mermaids failed to bring home a win from their road trip to Mildura, the understaffed outfit going down by 21 points.
Katie O'Keefe led scoring with 18, while Molly McKinnon (10 points, six rebounds, five assists) and Matilda Sewell (10 and six) also stood up to the test.
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