MILTON Ulladulla can finally boast an open Barrengarry Conference basketball title after the men took out the finals in Batemans Bay last weekend.

The open men’s team finished second overall from the three rounds against Moss Vale, Batemans Bay and Illawarra, to play Moss Vale in the semi-finals.

Led by coach Brendan Backhouse, the team of Brendan Armstrong, Keith Storey, Adam Legaspi, Ryan Armstrong, Blake Sommerville, Ian Drewitt, Sean Quinn and Nathan Turnbull easily accounted for Moss Vale in the semis to progress through to the grand final against a fancied Illawarra team. 

“Illawarra were definitely the favourites going into the final because their team is drilled from juniors to seniors. Everyone has played together from a young age and the game should be textbook for them – which it was,” Backhouse said.

Illawarra led all the way until the last quarter, where Milton Ulladulla put in an inspired effort to win 40-37.

Illawarra were just ahead in the first quarter 8-7, and extended their lead to 22-17 in the second and 30-28 in the third.

But some solid defence work in the fourth, teamed with some different attacking tactics saw Milton Ulladulla out-play their counterparts and finish ahead at the full-time buzzer.

“We played their style of basketball,” Backhouse explained.

“We were faster and attacked the passes. We fought fire with fire and it paid off. It was almost a semi-pro game, everyone just worked together and took it to the next level.

“It was high intensity defence. Ryan Armstrong was making clutch shots, and my hat is off the whole eight players.”

Milton Ulladulla was so good in the grand final that they were the only team in the competition to keep Illawarra under 40 points on the scoreboard.

Top scorers for Milton Ulladulla were Ryan Armstrong (11), Brendan Armstrong (10) and Quinn (6).

Backhouse said he has been involved in the competition for about 30 years and this was the first time a local open men’s team has taken the title, a feat he said the men were “still pumped” about.

“It was a big relief. Some of them are just young men, but it was really good to see them keen, smiling and enjoying the game,” he said.

Backhouse made a special mention to teammates John Thompson and Matthew Valentine, who helped the team get to the finals but were unable to play.

Unfortunately the under 18s bowed out in the semi-finals, but Backhouse said he has an eye on a few of their players for the opens team.

“Hats off to them, they have only been together for the past couple of months and they really put on a good show in the semis,” he said.

THE Milton Ulladulla under 14 boys played the last round of the Barrengarry Conference in Moss Vale on Sunday, August 10, winning two of the three games played. 

Game one saw them come up against an unexpectedly stacked Camden Valley side, which threw the local boys.

Despite this Milton Ulladulla tried hard until the end, never giving up, but unfortunately they went down to this dubious team.

The second game was great to watch with the boys finding their stride against Sutherland Shire and showing some of their great team work and shooting skills, taking the win by 10 points.

They played Goulburn in the last game, and even though they always kept ahead, this was a close match with some ups and downs in defence and offence giving the parents watching a roller coaster ride. 

But they made the shots when they counted and kept ahead to win by four points.

Through out the Conference competition the boys have only lost two games which is an awesome effort and should see them make the finals in the Shoalhaven in this weekend.

The Milton Ulladulla Basketball Association are so proud of this great group of boys.

Thanks to coach Cath, the refs, score keepers, and parents for making it possible.