Aces learn in defeat

Sure, Tornadoes Black’s 80-69 victory over reigning champions Aces White on Tuesday night looks good on paper.

However, as is often the case, there is more to every game than meets the eye — and the stat sheet.

The hustle and creative avenues adopted by the young Aces White players were breathtaking to watch, even when the final execution did not always go to plan.

With the league leaders minus offensive studs Matt Leary and Xavier Cotton, they were forced to change things up in a bid to generate scoreboard pressure.

As passionate Aces White coach Aaron Edwards urged his men on, a number of players — including Rhys Barrett — turned things up on the defensive end.

While Tornadoes Black struggled early to find its offensive mojo, the Aces White defence were able to amass a lot of stops.

However, while a number of these stops turned into quality looks and successful buckets, a number of promising moves also resulted in turnovers, which at times hampered their ability to put some real heat on the Tornadoes Black defence.

Even when it looked as though his side were on the cusp of being out of business, Edwards’ unwavering belief rang around the court.

One player who heeded his words was Tanner Vogel, who cast an imposing figure during his impressive raids inside the paint.

This desire resulted in Edwards’ men pulling to within three points midway through the third quarter, after Barrett drained one from downtown.

However, Tornadoes Black, who even without Leary and Cotton looked incredibly potent, returned serve with a 6-0 run, which ultimately swung the game back in their keeping for good.

The Dunsborough Oilers’ lean year finally yielded some sunshine, after they comfortably took care of Aces Sky 70-53, while Tornadoes Red defeated Bulls 86-74.