The Panthers’ roar was more fierce than their bite on Saturday night.
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Coming face-to-face with a fast-firing Wallan outfit at RB Robson Wallan Indoor Sports Stadium, it was make or break for the Blasters men’s finals hopes.
Seymour started on the front foot in a match that saw the momentum swing back and forth constantly.
A determined second-half display saw the visitors get across the line.
Seymour vice-captain Jack Murphy was proud that his team rose to the occasion after several late injuries.
“We prepared ourselves to be in a big clash in front of a very hostile crowd,” Murphy said.
“We had a good week on the training track leading into it.
“We were very happy to come away with the win, especially playing down there against a real quality opposition.”
With captain Robbie Sartori playing limited minutes due to a niggling injury and key players Harry Stones and Liam Hockley out, Murphy stepped up to the mark.
The vice-captain scored 25 points, including five three-pointers.
“A few more shots and offensive plans come my way, which is nice, but yeah, we had a number of guys that stood up on the night and filled the void,” he said.
“Eden Hobbs had another (impressive) game.
“Young Wally (William) Stewart stood up into a role that opened up for him due to some injuries and really grabbed it with both hands.
“Once we knew we were three or four guys down and heading into it as underdogs, it was a bit of a chip on our shoulder to try and get the result.”
Seymour blasted out of the gates at Wallan.
The Blasters put 23 points on the board as the Panthers lurked, only four points behind the visitors.
Wallan pounced after the first break, showing why they are legitimate title contenders.
The swing in momentum proved devastating for the Blasters, and the home side had a five-point lead at half-time.
The long break did wonders for the visitors, and the tide flowed in Seymour’s direction in the second half.
A seven-point win in the third quarter had the Blasters back in front, laying the groundwork for a nail-biting final quarter.
Murphy and Hobbs rose to the occasion and kept the scoreboard ticking over.
The spell was close, but the Blasters edged out their rivals and claimed an 81 to 87 victory.
Murphy was the man of the match, while Hobbs was not far behind with 21 points.
The Panthers’ danger man Lachlan Lombardo was kept to 13 points by a well-drilled Seymour defence.
The victors have now claimed the fourth spot on the table with their win over Wallan.
A double-header at home against Shepparton and Mansfield will be do-or-die for the Blasters’ campaign.
Murphy says the side is not looking that far ahead.
“We’ve got to win all our games to make the finals,” he said.
“So we’re not looking any further than Shepparton at the moment.
“They’re a quality outfit. They’ve brought back a couple of Big V players in the last couple of weeks, so they’ve really strengthened up their side.
“If we can win that, it will set us up well.”
In the earlier match at Wallan, the Seymour women blasted the Panthers off the court.
At half-time, the visitors already had a 28-point lead, and Seymour had no intention of taking its foot off the pedal.
Carley Cranston constantly hit the scoreboard as all her 11 teammates put points on the board.
In the third spell, the Blasters extended their lead by 11 points; in the fourth, they pulled ahead by three more.
As one of the most dominant displays in the Women’s North East CBL ended, Seymour strolled away with a 42-point win, 50 to 92.
The Blasters sit second on the table with two regular-season rounds left.