St George Youth League Men’s Red produced one of their most complete performances of the season on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Tamworth Thunderbolts 98-79 in Tamworth.
Despite the long trip north and a slow opening to the contest, the Saints settled into the game after an even first quarter that saw scores locked at 19-19 late in the term.
The momentum shifted dramatically soon after, with St George producing a devastating 26-4 run built on aggressive defence, forced turnovers, and outstanding perimeter shooting. The Saints’ intensity on both ends of the floor helped establish a 48-31 halftime lead.
St George continued to control the game throughout the third quarter, extending the margin to as many as 30 points. While Tamworth fought hard in front of their home crowd until the final buzzer, the Thunderbolts were unable to recover from the pressure applied by the Saints, committing 31 turnovers for the match.
The Saints’ offensive efficiency and defensive energy proved the difference as they secured an impressive 98-79 road victory.
Jaxon Frintzilas led the way with an outstanding all-round performance, finishing with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and six steals. Xavier Kadous added 20 points, knocking down six three-pointers, while Tao Smith contributed 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists in another strong showing for St George.
Assistant coach Angelo Tsitos praised the group’s response after a slow start and the professionalism shown throughout the road trip.
“After the long drive, it took us a little while to settle into the game, but once the boys lifted their defensive intensity, we started playing the style of basketball we know we’re capable of,” Tsitos said.
“Our pressure defence created a lot of opportunities offensively and I was really pleased with the way the group stayed connected and disciplined for four quarters on the road.”
The St George Men’s team travelled to face the Hills Hornets on Saturday afternoon, taking on one of the competition’s most experienced and successful sides despite being undermanned through injuries and unavailable players.
The Hornets came out aggressively in the opening quarter, establishing an early 25-15 lead with their experience and offensive execution proving difficult to contain.
St George responded strongly in the second term, rallying behind several key performances to reduce the margin to 32-39 by halftime. The Saints showed great fight and composure to work their way back into the contest against a team that has claimed multiple titles.
However, Hills’ experience and depth began to show during the third quarter. With the Saints forced to rely heavily on several young and inexperienced players, the Hornets capitalised to extend their lead to 65-39 heading into the final break.
Despite the scoreboard, the final quarter provided valuable opportunities for St George’s younger players to gain important court time and experience at senior level, with the game finishing 81-60 in favour of Hills.
Loukas Triantis (sponsored by Bacino Bar) once again led the way offensively for the Saints with an impressive performance, finishing with 23 points, two rebounds, four assists, one block, and two steals. Defensively, Ross Aliferis (sponsored by Valsamis and Associates) had a major presence throughout the contest.
Head Coach George Aliferis acknowledged the challenge his side faced against a quality opposition.
“This was always going to be a tough game away from home and the lack of experience in our depth showed,” Aliferis said.
“It’s a difficult situation at the moment. We are competing against teams with import players and players who are being heavily recruited and paid to play. As both a board member of St George and coach, we need support from sponsors and the ability to add marquee players to our roster to build the depth and experience needed to compete consistently at this level.”
The Saints now turn their attention to a crucial clash this Saturday night against Blacktown Storm at Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre, with tip-off scheduled for 6:30pm.
Other strong results across the club included the
- U12 Boys Def Hills Hornets 73-51
- U16 Boys Def Marrickville Spirit 77-52
- U16 Girls Def Bulls Basketball 55-30
- U18 Boys Red Def Penrith Panthers 82-72
- U18 Boys White Def Macarthur United 67-61
- U18 Boys grey Def Bulls Basketball 72-69
