Hosting Swan Hill on Saturday night at Echuca Basketball Stadium, the Pirates made a quick start, piling on 29 points to 24 in the first term to get the jump on the Flyers.
While the scoring slowed down slightly from both sides, Echuca ensured the margin continued to grow, as they put up a further 20 points to 15 to double the quarter-time lead and be 10 points in front at the main break.
The margin crept out to 12 points at three-quarter-time, as the Pirates again outscored the Flyers 23-21, although Swan Hill managed to win the final term by two points to bring the Echuca advantage back to 10 at the final buzzer, with the Pirates running out 93-83 winners.
Staci Richardson and Lachlan Tenace were instrumental in the win, each contributing 17 points as joint top-scorers for the Pirates, while Max Hagan and Mitchell Markby were also in double figures, putting up 16 and 13 points respectively.
Swan Hill had two standout contributors of their own in Lachlan Somerville, who had a game-high 28 points, and Matthew Gardner, who made five shots from beyond the three-point arc amid his 23 points.
The Pirates travelled to Cobblebank Stadium in Melton on Sunday for the second match in the double-header against the highly favoured Thoroughbreds, and despite the contrasting ladder positions, Echuca was well and truly in the contest.
A tense opening term saw Melton sneak ahead by a single point to lead 26-25 at the end of the first quarter, however the lead was extended to six points by half-time.
The Pirates had threatened to lose contact, being outscored 20-25 to trail the Thoroughbreds at the main break, however they came out swinging in the second half.
In a gritty, low-scoring third term, Echuca managed to ease the deficit entirely, recording 16 points while restricting Melton to just 10, and evening things up on the scoreboard at 61 apiece with one period left to play.
It was a brave effort from the Pirates, who pushed a finals-bound side to the extreme, however it wasn’t meant to be, with the Thoroughbreds winning the final term 26-20 to record an 87-81 victory.
Tenace continued his great output, top-scoring with a season-high 25 points, while Richardson also put up season-best numbers with 20 points in the Echuca loss.
The league’s leading scorer, Bol Bak, was dominant for Melton, contributing an equal game-high 30 points alongside teammate Milan Savic.
The Pirates have just one game remaining for the season, when they host Bacchus Marsh Lions on Saturday night at Echuca Basketball Stadium.
Echuca Pirates vs Swan Hill Flyers
Scores
Echuca: 29, 20, 23, 21 (93)
Swan Hill: 24, 15, 21, 23 (83)
Points
Echuca: Staci Richardson 17, Lachlan Tenace 17, Max Hagan 16, Mitchell Markby 13, Hugh Byrne 7, Harry Milburn 4, Kaaran Richardson 4, Tanner Smith 4, Ben Dri 3, Anthony Huismann 3, Dylan Payne 3, Riley Hutton 2
Swan Hill: Lachlan Somerville 28, Matthew Gardner 23, Lachlan Gardner 15, Jordi Bibby 6, Torben McFarlane 5, Oscar Gale 4, Steven Bowden 2
Echuca Pirates vs Melton Thoroughbreds
Scores
Echuca: 25, 20, 16, 20 (81)
Melton: 26, 25, 10, 26 (87)
Points
Echuca: Lachlan Tenace 25, Staci Richardson 20, Hugh Byrne 11, Mitchell Markby 8, Kaaran Richardson 7, Dylan Payne 5, Tanner Smith 3, Ben Dri 2
Melton: Bol Bak 30, Milan Savic 30, Hakaraia Tahi 8, Ryan Woolley 8, Madiar Chipuowuop 4, Tyson Hamilton 4, Jackson Jones 3
