Cougars Sweep the Weekend with Five Big V Victories
The McKinnon Cougars completed a perfect weekend across Big V, recording five victories from five games.
The Championship Women and Championship Men each collected two wins, while the Youth Championship Women booked their place in next week's Preliminary Final with a finals victory over Diamond Valley.
SATURDAY
YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN – McKinnon Cougars (85) defeated Diamond Valley Eagles (77)
The Youth Championship Women kept their season alive, defeating Diamond Valley by eight points in their elimination final.
After trailing by five at quarter time, the Cougars responded with a 25-point second quarter to take the lead before holding off several Eagles rallies during the second half.
Daisy Nousis led McKinnon with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 7 steals, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Kayla Welsh recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Arden Bailey added 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Zoe Johnson also made an important contribution with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
The win sends the Cougars through to next week's Preliminary Final!
CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN – McKinnon Cougars (91) defeated Sunbury Jets (62)
The Championship Women opened the weekend with a convincing 29-point road victory over Sunbury.
McKinnon trailed by four points after the opening quarter before taking control with a dominant 28-point second period. The Cougars continued to build their advantage after halftime, winning every remaining quarter to cruise to victory.
Katherine Vaile led the way with 25 points and 9 rebounds, while Maighan Hedge and Jayvn Nicholson each scored 17 points. Amy Baum directed the offence superbly with 6 assists, while Romy Price added 9 points and 4 assists off the bench.
CHAMPIONSHIP MEN – McKinnon Cougars (95) def Sunbury Jets (70)
The Championship Men made an impressive start to the weekend, defeating Sunbury by 25 points on the road.
McKinnon exploded for 29 points in the opening quarter to establish control before extending the margin to 25 by halftime. Although Sunbury responded after the main break, the Cougars answered in the final quarter to complete a comprehensive victory.
Michael Aminov provided a huge spark off the bench with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Josh McQueen and Josh Uhr-Henry each scored 14 points, with Uhr-Henry adding a game-high 13 rebounds for a double-double. Troyce Manassa contributed 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.
SUNDAY
CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN – McKinnon Cougars (120) defeated Sherbrooke Suns (56)
The Championship Women completed their weekend in emphatic fashion with a 64-point victory over Sherbrooke.
McKinnon led throughout and broke the game open with a 34-point second quarter before finishing with 120 points in one of the club's highest-scoring performances of the season.
Five Cougars scored in double figures, led by Maighan Hedge with 25 points. Katherine Vaile added 22 points, Jayvn Nicholson finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Amy Baum recorded a remarkable triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 19 assists. Eloise Leonard was perfect from the field, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting.
CHAMPIONSHIP MEN – McKinnon Cougars (89) defeated Gippsland United (84)
The Championship Men completed a perfect weekend with a hard-fought five-point victory over Gippsland United at GESAC.
After trailing by nine points at quarter time, the Cougars responded with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Gippsland 23-12 to take the lead. McKinnon maintained its advantage throughout the second half before closing out the contest.
Mitchell Barry led the way with 27 points, knocking down 6-of-11 from three-point range. Troyce Manassa added 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Josh McQueen scored 15 points. Josh Uhr-Henry also recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds as the Cougars completed an unbeaten weekend.
The victory completed an unbeaten weekend for the Championship Men, extending their winning momentum heading into the final weeks of the regular season.